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Rental yields›Chelmsford

Rental yield in Chelmsford

Chelmsford sits in the upper half for rental yield in England and Wales, a bit above the 4.4% typical figure across all 316 areas.

Over the past year, average prices in Chelmsford fell 1.2% and average rents rose 3.3%.

Gross yield

4.5%

Average price

£383,103

↓ -1.2% / yr

Average rent

£1,442/mo

↑ +3.3% / yr

National rank

#141 of 316

Who rents here

Census 2021, 75,401 households

15.5% of homes in Chelmsford are private rentals.

Private rented 15.5%Social rented 13.3%Owner occupied 70%

Average rent by size

1 bedroom

£1,061/mo

↑ +3.5% / yr

2 bedrooms

£1,294/mo

↑ +3.2% / yr

3 bedrooms

£1,545/mo

↑ +3.5% / yr

4+ bedrooms

£2,224/mo

↑ +2.8% / yr

1 bed£1,061
2 beds£1,294
3 beds£1,545
4+ beds£2,224

Average advertised rent by number of bedrooms. ONS Price Index of Private Rents (2026-07).

Council tax bands (2026-27)

Band A

£1,533

Band B

£1,789

Band C

£2,044

Band D

£2,300

Band E

£2,811

Band F

£3,322

Band G

£3,833

Band H

£4,600

Average annual bill for the area, including police and other precepts (MHCLG and Welsh Government, 2026-27). Community precepts vary, and the band is set by the property, so check the exact band on gov.uk.

Work out the yield on a specific property

Pre-filled with the Chelmsford average. Change them for a real property.

Gross yield4.5%

That is right on the Chelmsford average of 4.5%. Add costs for a net estimate.

How it compares

Chelmsford4.5%
Highest (Newcastle upon Tyne)6.9%
Typical (median)4.4%
Lowest (Derbyshire Dales)2.8%

Areas with a similar yield

Fenland 4.5%Bolsover 4.5%Chesterfield 4.5%Canterbury 4.5%Dover 4.5%Chorley 4.5%
See it on the yield mapWork out a specific dealCheck this area

Common questions

Is Chelmsford a good place to buy to let?

It is around the middle for rental income, at a 4.5% average gross yield. Whether it works depends on the specific property, so always run the actual numbers.

Are rents rising in Chelmsford?

Over the past year, average rents in Chelmsford rose 3.3% and average prices fell 1.2% (HM Land Registry and ONS, to 2026-07).

Is there rental demand in Chelmsford?

Rent movement is the best free proxy for tenant demand, and average rents in Chelmsford rose 3.3% over the past year (ONS), which points to tenants competing for available stock. Still ask local letting agents about typical void periods before committing to a buy-to-let there. For the size of the market: at the 2021 census, 15.5% of Chelmsford's 75,401 households rented privately (13.3% social rented, 70% owner occupied).

What is the average rent for a 1, 2 or 3 bedroom property in Chelmsford?

As of 2026-07, average monthly rents in Chelmsford by property size are £1,061 for a 1 bedroom property, £1,294 for a 2 bedroom property, £1,545 for a 3 bedroom property, £2,224 for a 4 or more bedroom property (ONS). The all-size average is £1,442 a month.

How much is council tax in Chelmsford?

In 2026-27, the average Band D council tax in Chelmsford is £2,300 a year including police and other precepts. Bills scale with the property's band: from £1,533 for Band A up to £4,600 for Band H. Community precepts vary within the area, so treat these as area averages and check the exact band and bill with the council.

What is a good rental yield in the UK?

As a rough guide, under 4% is low, 5 to 6% is typical, and above 6.5% is high. Chelmsford is at 4.5%.

Weighing up Chelmsford? Ask people who invest there in the free Housetrix Discord, or browse every area ranked by yield.

Gross yield = annual rent divided by average price. Average price: HM Land Registry UK HPI (01/06/2026). Average rent: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (2026-07). Local-authority averages across all property types, indicative only. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Not investment advice.

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