Chelsea’s boundaries are roughly 14th Street, 30th Street, Sixth or Seventh Avenue, and the Hudson River. To the north of Chelsea is the neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, also known as "Clinton," to the northeast is the Garment District, to the east are NoMad and the Flatiron District, to the southwest is the Meatpacking District and to the southeast is the West Village.

Since the mid-1990s, Chelsea has become a center of the New York art world, as art galleries have gravitated from SoHo. A vibrant offering of leading-edge retail stores, restaurants, and delis have followed, reflecting the ethnic and social diversity of the area’s creative population.  With a change in zoning resolution in conjunction with the development of the High Line, Chelsea has experienced a new construction boom, with numerous projects by notable architects.