Manchester 75 Excellent
Manchester Livability #106 ranked city in Maryland#4,249 ranked city in the USARanks better than 85% of areas
Is This the Right Place for You? Local Insights Report
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Local Insights Report

Pros and Cons of Living in Manchester

PROS
  • Crime Crime

    This area is characterized by a crime rate, per 100,000 individuals, that falls well below the national average, indicating its potential as a very safe place to live.

  • Employment Employment

    This area scores extremely well in the employment category. This is primarily due to the combination of low unemployment rates, higher median home income and income per capita.

  • Housing Housing

    The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Ratings Ratings

    Local residents have positive feedback regarding the convenience of amenities, parks, public transit, the friendliness of neighbors, the strong sense of community, and the overall safety of the area.

CONS
  • Amenities Amenities

    It appears that many amenities may not be conveniently situated within walking distance, potentially necessitating the use of a vehicle or public transit.

  • Commute Commute

    Commuters in this area may experience longer-than-average work commute times due to limited public transportation access.

What's it like Living in Manchester?

Manchester, Maryland is a small city with a population of 4,868 people. The majority of Manchester residents report their race to be White; this is followed by Black and American Indian and Alaskan. An important consideration when living in Manchester is the longer-than-average commute times. If you seek a short work commute, this area may not be the best choice for you. The one-way commute time here typically takes 37 minutes, far surpassing the national average of 26 minutes.

Whether you’re relocating to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Manchester could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Maryland if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Manchester and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes crime, cost of living, education, employment, housing and other important metrics.

The livability score in Manchester is 71 out of 100 and the city is ranked in the 79th percentile of all cities across America. There are nine total categories that generate the livability score. Manchester scores well for crime (B-), education (B), employment (A+) and housing (A+) On a more negative note, Manchester does not have favorable scores for the following: amenities (F) and cost of living (D-). If we take a look at the data, we can find out why.

Crime rates can be the deciding factor for anyone looking to relocate to a new area, as the result is often a greater level of safety and security as well as an improved quality of life. Manchester gets top scores for their low violent crime rates of 180 crimes per 100,000 residents, which are significantly lower than the national average.

Unemployment rates can range pretty dramatically from one city to another. Knowing that Manchester has an unemployment rate of 1.8% could mean increased job opportunities with a higher demand for workers. It could also lead to higher wages, as the demand for workers exceeds the availability of jobs. Most importantly, it could be a sign of a healthy and thriving local economy.

A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Manchester has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.

There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Manchester is actually affordable. Median real estate prices in Manchester come in at $520,415, which is 0.6% higher than the Maryland average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Manchester, the home price to income ratio is 3.8, which is 17.4% lower than the Maryland average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Manchester

See all the best places to live around Manchester

How Do You Rate The Livability In Manchester?

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Compare Manchester, MD Livability

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      Manchester transportation information

      Statistic Manchester Maryland National
      Average one way commute37min32min26min
      Workers who drive to work83.4%73.7%76.4%
      Workers who carpool8.5%9.3%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.0%8.9%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.0%0.3%0.6%
      Workers who walk0.0%2.4%2.8%
      Working from home7.1%4.4%4.6%
      Source: The Manchester, MD data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and include 2026 modeled data developed using proprietary methodologies.