Compare towns
Manchester vs Windsor 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).
Windsor has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Bolton has the most people working from home (20.7%).
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 | Windsor | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 59,635Highest |
29,468 |
4,853Lowest |
| Median age | 37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT |
43.7±1.9Highest 6% above CT |
43.7±3.3Highest 6% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.2%±2.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20%±2Highest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±3.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor 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% |
43.2% CT: 42.5% |
51.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
7.7%±2.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Bolton and Windsor 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 |
$104,725±$8k 9% above CT |
$126,364±$19kHighest 32% above CT |
| Bolton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT |
$305,200±$11k 17% below CT |
$367,600±$17kHighest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,519±$66 about the CT average |
$1,681±$62Highest 13% above CT |
$1,127±$55Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,652 15% below CT |
$5,351Lowest 19% below CT |
$8,091Highest 22% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.1%±6.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±30.8Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Manchester and Windsor 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% |
6.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
7.2% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.4% CT: 66.5% |
88%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT |
1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below CT |
21 minLowest 19% below CT |
25 minHighest 6% below CT |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16% |
16.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
20.7%±4.6Highest CT: 16% |
| Bolton and Windsor 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 | #135 of 149 in CT | #117 of 149 in CT | #79 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Bolton School District |
| High school in town | Manchester High School | Windsor High School | Bolton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.2 |
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.