What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bolton has the most homeowners (88%).

Manchester has the most renters (43.1% rent).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bolton	Manchester
People
Population	4,853Lowest	59,635Highest
Median age	43.7±3.3Highest 6% above CT	37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT
Kids under 18	20%±3.6 CT: 20.2%	20%±1.6 CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	19.7%±3.4Highest CT: 18.5%	15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Bolton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.3%Highest CT: 42.5%	40.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.7%±2.6Highest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bolton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$126,364±$19kHighest 32% above CT	$86,840±$4kLowest 9% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$367,600±$17kHighest about the CT average	$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,127±$55Lowest 24% below CT	$1,519±$66Highest about the CT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,091Highest 22% above CT	$5,652Lowest 15% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±30.8Lowest CT: 52.6%	48.1%±6.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Manchester and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Lowest CT: 10%	10.8%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88%Highest CT: 66.5%	56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 2 yrs newer than CT	1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 6% below CT	23 minLowest 15% below CT
Work from home	20.7%±4.6Highest CT: 16%	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16%
	Bolton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#79 of 149 in CT	#135 of 149 in CT
School district	Bolton School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District
High school in town	Bolton High School	Manchester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	7.4Lowest	11.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.