Median Income
$70,841
household / year
Median Home Value
$261,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,423
gross / month
Cost of Living
98
national avg = 100

Is Manchester, VA a Good Place to Live?

Manchester is a small city of 11,929 in Virginia, with a median household income of $70,841 and a 7.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Manchester stands out for a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Manchester is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Manchester city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 98.0

Manchester's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Manchester costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric Manchester, VA National Avg
Median Home Value $261,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,423 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 58.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $70,841 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Manchester's violent crime rate is 210.0 per 100,000 residents — 45% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
210.0 /100k
Property Crime
1475.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Manchester, VA National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 40.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Manchester sees average highs of 47.8°F in January and 89.5°F in July, with 47.1 inches of annual precipitation and 8.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricManchester, VA
Average High — January47.8°F
Average High — July89.5°F
Annual Precipitation47.1"
Annual Snowfall8.8"

Demographics

MetricManchester, VANational Avg
Population11,929—
Median Age34.138.9
Unemployment Rate7.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)55.1%59.3%
Black or African American34.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.8%18.9%
Asian3.1%6.3%
Under 1824.7%22.2%
65 and over13.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Bon Air, VA 2 mi Rockwood, VA 2 mi Richmond, VA 5 mi Meadowbrook, VA 6 mi Midlothian, VA 6 mi

Manchester vs Other Cities

Manchester, VA vs Bon Air, VA Manchester, VA vs Rockwood, VA Manchester, VA vs Richmond, VA Manchester, VA vs Meadowbrook, VA Manchester, VA vs Midlothian, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Manchester roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $261,600 and median rent is $1,423/month.
Manchester's violent crime rate is 210.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1475.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Manchester, VA has a population of 11,929, a median household income of $70,841, and an unemployment rate of 7.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Manchester averages 47.8°F in January and 89.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.1 inches with about 8.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Manchester, Virginia is 11,929 with a median age of 34.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Manchester: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $261,600, median household income $70,841, crime index 61 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Manchester side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.