What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most homeowners (64.9%).

Manchester has the most people working from home (14.3%).

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	Bristol	Manchester
People
Population	61,462Highest	59,635Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	37.9±1.5Highest 8% below CT	37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT
	Bristol and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2%	20%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bristol and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.2%±1.2Highest CT: 18.5%	15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Bristol and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.3%Lowest CT: 42.5%	40.5%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bristol and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT	$86,840±$4kHighest 9% below CT
	Manchester and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$277,800±$8kHighest 24% below CT	$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,338±$45Lowest 10% below CT	$1,519±$66Highest about the CT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,449Lowest 18% below CT	$5,652Highest 15% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6%	48.1%±6.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Bristol and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Lowest CT: 10%	10.8%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.9%Highest CT: 66.5%	56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest same as CT	1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 11% below CT	23 minLowest 15% below CT
Work from home	11.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 16%	14.3%±1.9Highest CT: 16%
	Manchester and Bristol 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	#115 of 149 in CT	#135 of 149 in CT
School district	Bristol School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District
High school in town	Bristol Central High School	Manchester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	6 photos →	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.