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Cheapest and best areas to buy in Chelmsford. All 3 postcode districts compared.

Typical 3-bed house£429kacross Chelmsford
Cheapest districtCM33-bed house £423k
Sold last year1,495homes in Chelmsford
Prices in Chelmsford-2.3%on a year ago

A typical 3-bedroom house in Chelmsford sold for £429,000 over the last five years, in today's money. The same home costs £423k in CM3 and £431k in CM2, so where you look matters more than almost anything else.

For the most space for your money, look at CM3: about 92 m² for a typical £423k. CM2 is the busiest market, with 547 sales last year.

Prices in Chelmsford are down 2.3% on a year ago. Renting a 3-bedroom home costs about £1,543 a month; a 90% mortgage on the typical 3-bed house would be around £1,956 a month at 4.5% over 30 years.

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Cheapest areas to buy in Chelmsford

1CM33-bed house £423kabout 92 m² · 476 sold last year2CM13-bed house £431kabout 89 m² · 472 sold last year3CM23-bed house £431kabout 88 m² · 547 sold last year

For a flat, the cheapest is CM3: a typical 2-bedroom flat sells for £198k.

Best areas in Chelmsford for families

Districts where the best state schools nearby beat the England average, cheapest first.

CM13-bed house £431k
Primary Westlands Community Primary School · 77% England 64%Secondary The Beaulieu Park School · 77.7% England 43.8%
CM23-bed house £431k
Primary Beehive Lane Community Primary School · 77% England 64%Secondary The Beaulieu Park School · 77.7% England 43.8%

Best state primary within 2 km (pupils meeting the expected standard at 11) and secondary within 5 km (grade 5+ in English and maths). DfE performance tables.

Chelmsford postcode districts

District3-bed houseSize2-bed flatHouses per m²Best primarySold last year
CM1£431k89 m²£215k£4,87477%472
CM2£431k88 m²£224k£5,02077%547
CM3£423k92 m²£198k£4,74671%476

Typical prices from sales in the last five years, in today's money. A dash means too few sales to say.

Questions about buying in Chelmsford

How much is a 3-bedroom house in Chelmsford?

About £429,000 across Chelmsford, from sales in the last five years in today's money. It ranges from £423k in CM3 to £431k in CM2.

What is the cheapest area of Chelmsford to buy a house?

For a 3-bedroom house: CM3 (£423k), CM1 (£431k), CM2 (£431k).

Are house prices going up in Chelmsford?

In Chelmsford, prices are down 2.3% on a year ago and up 12.2% over five years, according to the UK House Price Index (July 2026).

Which postcode in Chelmsford is best for families?

On school results and price together: CM1 (3-bed house £431k, best primary nearby 77% at the expected standard against 64% across England); CM2 (3-bed house £431k, best primary nearby 77% at the expected standard against 64% across England).

Is Chelmsford a good place to buy a house?

What the numbers say: a typical 3-bedroom house costs £429,000, prices are down 2.3% on a year ago, renting a 3-bedroom home costs about £1,543 a month against roughly £1,956 for a 90% mortgage, and 1,495 homes sold last year, so there is a real choice. Prices vary from £423k to £431k between districts, so the area you pick matters most.

How many homes sell in Chelmsford each year?

1,495 homes sold across its 3 postcode districts in the last year, the most in CM2.

Sources: HM Land Registry price paid data matched to the EPC register, UK House Price Index (July 2026), ONS private rents (August 2026). The mortgage figure is an illustration, not advice.