Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Maryland ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

A−ManchesterSafer than 83% of U.S. towns –FriendlyNot graded

Schools

A+ManchesterBetter than 96% of districts in the state DFriendlyBetter than 8% of districts in the state

Health

A−ManchesterHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns B−FriendlyHealthier than 53% of U.S. towns

13Manchester

6Friendly

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 262 towns #217#9 Highest graduation rateSchools · 258 towns #1#192 Cheapest rentCost of living · 252 towns #42#210 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 262 towns #35#194 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 262 towns #162#16 Best schoolsSchools · 235 towns #20#141 Most remote workersWork · 256 towns #117#30 HealthiestHealth · 262 towns #108#192

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Manchester’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Manchester$2,820/mo

Typical home $462K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $1,358/mo · Housing →

Friendly$2,680/mo

Typical home $438K (Census) · tax rate 1.06% · or rent about $2,306/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Manchester and Friendly.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

ManchesterFriendly

Snow a year34″13″

January low24°F —

July high85°F —

Growing season (days)188d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)8th 8th

Outdoors & history

ManchesterFriendly

Trails3 mi 0 mi

Conserved land14%12.4%

Settled1833 —

Famous people born here7 —

Community

ManchesterFriendly

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

62 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ManchesterMD FriendlyMD

Manchester ↔ Friendly62 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Maryland average

ManchesterFriendly

People

Population 5,439Lowest 11,119Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.5%Highest MD: +7% +7.4%Lowest MD: +7%

Median age 39.9±5.1Lowest about the MD average 47.5±4.4Highest 21% above MD

Friendly and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 24.7%±4.5Highest MD: 22.2% 20.4%±2.5Lowest MD: 22.2%

Manchester and Friendly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 18.4%±3.7Lowest MD: 16.7% 20.7%±2.7Highest MD: 16.7%

Friendly and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37%Highest MD: 43.4% 29.7%Lowest MD: 43.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5%±2.5Lowest MD: 6.9% 5.7%±1.6Highest MD: 6.9%

Friendly and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $121,676±$21kLowest 17% above MD $127,670±$30kHighest 23% above MD

Friendly and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $376,400±$21kLowest 10% below MD $437,800±$23kHighest 4% above MD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,358±$865Lowest 20% below MD $2,306±$216Highest 35% above MD

Friendly and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,911Lowest 4% below MD $4,634Highest 13% above MD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 65%±24.3Highest MD: 51.5% 47.7%±12.7Lowest MD: 51.5%

Manchester and Friendly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 4.8%Highest MD: 9.4% 3%Lowest MD: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 83.5%Lowest MD: 67.6% 89.2%Highest MD: 67.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than MD 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than MD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 33 minLowest 5% above MD 37 minHighest 19% above MD

Work from home 18.7%±5Lowest MD: 19.3% 28.9%±6.5Highest MD: 19.3%

Friendly and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 3.5%Highest 1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.30Highest 0.11Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Westminster (8%)Washington (25%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FriendlyFew work in Manchester

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 14%Highest 12.4%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 3.2 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 40.0Lowest 45.9Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #20 of 235 in MD #141 of 235 in MD

School district Carroll County Public SchoolsPrince George's County Public Schools

High school in town Manchester Valley HighFriendly High

Students per teacherat that high school 18.9Highest 14.7Lowest

Maryland average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Manchester neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Manchester’s Town Square.

Friendly neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Friendly’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Manchester and Friendly

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Manchester

+ Compare

Glenarden6,344 people · $410K homes

+ Compare

Brunswick8,450 people · $375K homes

+ Compare

Walkersville6,414 people · $488K homes

+ Compare

La Plata10,683 people · $428K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Manchester vs Friendly

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Manchester places higher on 13 of 19 MD lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

62 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Manchester and Friendly

Towns like Manchester

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