Postcode district · Chelmsford

CM3 area guide

Who lives in CM3, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council: Chelmsford
Region: East of England
Population: 79,220 (2024)

CM3Postcode district · Chelmsford

At a glance

What CM3 is like

The CM3 postcode district in Chelmsford covers 1,591 live postcodes and is home to about 79,220 people in 30,617 households. 78% of households own their home, 11.8% rent privately and 9.2% are in social housing. The largest age group is 55–59, and 57.3% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is well below the England and Wales average. Homes in CM3 sold for a median of £442,250 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How CM3 compares

Headline figures for CM3, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

6.7/ 10

Around the middle. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

5/ 10

Around the middle: 21.9 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£442,250

Median over 662 sales in CM3, −3.9% on the year before.

TransportMore

2.0/ 10

Limited: 0 stations within a mile, 12 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

97%

Rated good or better across 29 inspected schools in CM3.

Household incomeMore

£68,383

Average annual income before tax, higher than 82% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where CM3 differs most from the national average.

01
An older population
22.7% of residents are 65 or over, against 18.4% across England.
02
Well-rated schoolsPositive
97% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.
03
Few private renters
Only 11.8% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England.
04
Mostly owner-occupied
78% of households own their home, against 61.3% across England.

Questions

CM3 FAQs

Is CM3 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 6.7 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 21.9 per 1,000 people a year, band 5 of 10 nationally. 97% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 2.0 out of 10 (limited).

How much does a house cost in CM3?

The median sale price over the last year was £442,250.

Homes in CM3 sold for a median of £442,250 across 662 sales in the year to August 2026, −3.9% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is CM3 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 21.9 offences per 1,000 people a year around CM3, well below the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 5 of 10.

Who lives in CM3?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 55–59, at 7.7% of residents. 78% of households own their home. The most common property type is detached (51.3%).

Which council covers CM3?

The local authority for CM3 is Chelmsford.

CM3 comes under Chelmsford in the East of England. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is CM3?

Connectivity scores 2.0 out of 10.

There are 12 bus stops within 800m and 0 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 2.0 out of 10 (limited).

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.

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