Compare towns
Manchester vs Redding vs Bolton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (43.1% rent).
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.
| Measure | Manchester | Redding | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 59,635Highest |
8,780 |
4,853Lowest |
| Median age | 37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT |
52±2Highest 27% above CT |
43.7±3.3 6% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±3.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Redding and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
72.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
51.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±0.7 CT: 7.1% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
7.7%±2.6Highest 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 | $86,840±$4kLowest 9% below CT |
$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT |
$126,364±$19k 32% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT |
$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT |
$367,600±$17k about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,519±$66 about the CT average |
$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT |
$1,127±$55Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,652Lowest 15% below CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$8,091 22% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.1%±6.1 CT: 52.6% |
64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±30.8Lowest 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% |
7.2% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
88% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT |
1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT |
1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below CT |
36 minHighest 36% above CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16% |
32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16% |
20.7%±4.6 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #135 of 149 in CT | #14 of 149 in CT | #79 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District | Redding School District · Regional School District 09 | Bolton School District |
| High school in town | Manchester High School | Joel Barlow High School | Bolton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
11.1Highest |
7.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.