What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).

Woodstock has the most people working from home (32.8%).

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	Manchester	Woodstock
People
Population	4,486Highest	3,027Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-1.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	54.5±6.3Lowest 26% above VT	56±3.6Highest 30% above VT
	Woodstock and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%	15.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Manchester and Woodstock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	32.7%±5.6Highest VT: 21.4%
	Woodstock and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%	52.9%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3Highest VT: 7%	0.6%±0.6Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,886±$23kLowest 17% above VT	$120,938±$29kHighest 49% above VT
	Woodstock and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$454,600±$47kLowest 44% above VT	$582,000±$84kHighest 84% above VT
	Woodstock and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,057±$76Lowest 14% below VT	$1,430±$346Highest 16% above VT
	Woodstock and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,923Lowest 18% above VT	$9,449Highest 88% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.5%±13.9Highest VT: 48.4%	44.7%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Manchester and Woodstock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.8%Highest VT: 73.2%	69.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	14 minLowest 39% below VT	22 minHighest 7% below VT
Work from home	23.1%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9%	32.8%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Woodstock 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	#37 of 70 in VT	#10 of 70 in VT
School district	Taconic and Green Regional School District #63	Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76
High school in town	None in town	Woodstock Union Middle/High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.5
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

VT 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.