Chelmsford is a city, and the county town of Essex, in the East of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately 30 miles (50 kilometres) northeast of London and 22 miles (35 kilometres) southwest of Colchester. The population is approximately 112,000 in the urban area, while the wider district has 168,310.
The demonym for a Chelmsford resident is "Chelmsfordian".
The main conurbation of Chelmsford incorporates all or part of the former parishes of Broomfield, Newland Spring, Great Leighs, The Walthams, Great Baddow, Little Baddow, Galleywood, Howe Green, Margaretting, Pleshey, Stock, Roxwell, Danbury, Bicknacre, Writtle, Moulsham, Rettendon, The Hanningfields, The Chignals, Widford and Springfield, including Springfield Barnes, now known as Chelmer Village.
The communities of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Chelmsford, Ontario and Chelmsford, New Brunswick are named after the city.
Chelmsford's population consists of a large number of City and Docklands commuters, attracted by the 30–35-minute railway journey into Central London via the Great Eastern Main Line.