Manchester vs West Hartford
Manchester, Connecticut versus West Hartford, Connecticut: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Manchester and West Hartford score about the same overall (44 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Manchester | West Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $124k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $195k | $371k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.49% | 2.48% |
| Income Tax | 6.90% | 6.90% |
| Sales Tax | 6.35% | 6.35% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.63% | 16.41% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.2 in | 49.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 51.7 in | 38.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 185 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 31.1 | 42.0 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1918/100k | 272/100k |
| Property Crime | 2589/100k | 2670/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 37,015 | 64,088 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 39.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.62 | 0.42 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 50.9% | 68.7% |
| Black (%) | 17.4% | 7.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 22.5% | 13.4% |
| Asian (%) | 4.7% | 6.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 9.0/20 | 8.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 13 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.2% | 93.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 47.28 | 44.16 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Manchester or West Hartford more affordable?
- West Hartford has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Manchester's $55k and West Hartford's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Manchester versus $2k in West Hartford.
- Is Manchester or West Hartford safer?
- West Hartford has the lower violent crime rate. Manchester reports 1918/100k and West Hartford reports 272/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Manchester or West Hartford?
- The median home value is $195k in Manchester and $371k in West Hartford, so homes are more affordable in Manchester.