What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has the most affordable homes ($247k median).

Redding has the most expensive homes ($706k median).

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	Redding
People
Population	59,635Highest	8,780Lowest
Median age	37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT	52±2Highest 27% above CT
Kids under 18	20%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Manchester and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%	72.1%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1%	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Manchester and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,840±$4kLowest 9% below CT	$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT	$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,519±$66Lowest about the CT average	$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,652Lowest 15% below CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.1%±6.1Lowest CT: 52.6%	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Redding and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.8%Highest CT: 10%	4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 15% below CT	36 minHighest 36% above CT
Work from home	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16%	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#135 of 149 in CT	#14 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District	Redding School District · Regional School District 09
High school in town	Manchester High School	Joel Barlow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1	11.1
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.