Manchester, Connecticut

Town · population 59,713 (2020 Census)

Median home: $247,100
Household income: $86,840
Jan low / Jul high: 20° / 85°
Snow a year: 45 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950: 14
Median age: 37.0

Manchester is a town of 59,713 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $247,100, below the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks more vibrant than 90% of Connecticut towns, more walkable than 86% of Connecticut towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Connecticut towns.

How Manchester ranks

Percentile among Connecticut towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Connecticut towns.

The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Manchester is worth $247,100, below the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $86,840, which is more affordable than 89% of Connecticut towns. Median rent is $1,519 a month. 56.9% of households own their home.

Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Connecticut towns with 500+ people.

Housing	Manchester	Typical Connecticut town
Median home value	$247,100	$376,000
Median rent	$1,519	$1,462
Median household income	$86,840	$109,167
Home value ÷ income	2.8×	3.6×
Homeownership	56.9%	80.3%
Median year built	1962	1969
Seasonal / vacation homes	0.0%	—

Who lives in Manchester

People	Manchester	Typical Connecticut town
Median age	37.0	45.0
Age 65 and over	15.5%	20.6%
Under 18	20.0%	—
Bachelor's degree or higher	40.5%	45.8%
Below the poverty line	10.8%	5.7%
Veterans	3.9%	—
Born outside the U.S.	17.6%	—
Work from home	14.3%	16.8%
Average commute	22.6 min	27.6 min
Homes with broadband	92.2%	93.8%

Weather in Manchester

July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 20.3°F. About 42.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.4 inches of snow (typical Connecticut town: 39.0 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Hartford Brainard Fld station (7.0 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 6, 1973 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 4, 2019.

NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 6, 2010.

Public schools in Manchester

13 public schools with 7,125 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.

School	Grades	Students	Per teacher
Manchester High School	9-12	1,739	10.9
Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy	5-6	849	11.3
Illing Middle School	7-8	790	10.1
Howell Cheney Technical High School	9-12	669	11.3
Waddell School	K-4	509	13.1
Verplanck School	K-4	453	11.3
Odyssey Community School (charter)	PK-8	370	11.6
Highland Park School	K-4	329	11.0
Keeney School	PK-4	310	12.4
Bowers School	K-4	303	10.8
Great Path Academy at MCC	9-12	303	12.6
Buckley School	K-4	284	10.9

Towns near Manchester

Manchester, CT
0.4 mi · 36,379 people · home $223,400
East Hartford, CT
4.4 mi · 51,045 people · home $229,700
Bolton, CT
4.5 mi · 4,858 people · home $367,600
South Windsor, CT
5.1 mi · 26,918 people · home $375,100
Vernon, CT
5.5 mi · 30,215 people · home $275,500
Glastonbury, CT
5.9 mi · 35,159 people · home $445,200
Glastonbury Center, CT
6.4 mi · 8,459 people · home $373,300
Rockville, CT
7.3 mi · 7,920 people · home $218,700

Manchester questions

Is Manchester, Connecticut a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Manchester scores better for retirees than 13% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 13%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).

How much does a house cost in Manchester?

The median owner-occupied home in Manchester is valued at $247,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,840, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,519 a month.

What is the weather like in Manchester?

July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 20.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.8 inches of precipitation a year and 45.4 inches of snow.

Does Manchester get tornadoes?

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 6, 1973. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Manchester's Census boundary (GEOID 0911044700). Comparisons use the median of Connecticut towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center.

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)

Data snapshot 2026-11-13.