What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Manchester has the most affordable homes ($247k 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	Redding	Manchester
People
Population	8,780Lowest	59,635Highest
Median age	52±2Highest 27% above CT	37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%	20%±1.6Highest 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+	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%	15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	72.1%Highest CT: 42.5%	40.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±0.7Highest 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	$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT	$86,840±$4kLowest 9% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT	$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT	$1,519±$66Lowest about the CT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT	$5,652Lowest 15% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%	48.1%±6.1Lowest 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	4%Lowest CT: 10%	10.8%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT	1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 36% above CT	23 minLowest 15% below CT
Work from home	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 149 in CT	#135 of 149 in CT
School district	Redding School District · Regional School District 09	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District
High school in town	Joel Barlow High School	Manchester 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.