Compare towns
Windsor vs Manchester vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Hartford has the most renters (74.3% rent).
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 | Windsor | Manchester | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,468Lowest |
59,635 |
121,127Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.9Highest 6% above CT |
37±1.2 10% below CT |
33.1±0.6Lowest 19% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20%±1.6 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±1.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Hartford and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±2Highest CT: 18.5% |
15.5%±1.2 CT: 18.5% |
12.2%±0.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.5% CT: 42.5% |
19.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
9.2%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,725±$8kHighest 9% above CT |
$86,840±$4k 9% below CT |
$46,411±$3kLowest 52% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,200±$11kHighest 17% below CT |
$247,100±$6k 33% below CT |
$228,600±$8kLowest 38% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,681±$62Highest 13% above CT |
$1,519±$66 about the CT average |
$1,269±$25Lowest 15% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,351 19% below CT |
$5,652Highest 15% below CT |
$4,603Lowest 31% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±10.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
48.1%±6.1 CT: 52.6% |
59.4%±3.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.8% CT: 10% |
26.3%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
56.9% CT: 66.5% |
25.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1962 5 yrs older than CT |
1951Lowest 16 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below CT |
23 min 15% below CT |
23 minHighest 13% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.1%±3.2Highest CT: 16% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 16% |
9.4%±1.3Lowest CT: 16% |
| Windsor and Manchester 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 | #117 of 149 in CT | #135 of 149 in CT | #146 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Judicial Centers |
| High school in town | Windsor High School | Manchester High School | Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
11.1 |
15.9Highest |
| 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.