About

Manchester is a thriving small city and the business, residential and service hub of the Greater Hartford region east of the Connecticut River. A community of over 59,000 people, Manchester has achieved a diverse mix in terms of demographics, housing, land use, income, and economy. Projected to be the largest community in the region outside of Hartford by 2025, Manchester has a range of housing types and prices, an eclectic mix of residential neighborhoods and a median age of 35, much lower than the region and Connecticut as a whole.   

Manchester has a variety of commercial and mixed-use districts, and neighborhood, community, and regional shopping destinations. The historic central business district is within walking distance of the redevelopment area and is transitioning to a strong office, restaurant, arts and culture, niche retail and service destination. Additionally, Manchester is a center of industrial activity including aerospace and medical related precision manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution businesses. The Buckland Hills District at the far north side of town is a superregional commercial area with over 3 million square feet of retail and entertainment uses, dozens of restaurants, and hundreds of hotel rooms.   

A full range of services, amenities and institutions complement these strengths.  Residents and visitors have access to thousands of acres of park, watershed, and open space land. Manchester Memorial Hospital is a full-service, 249 bed, acute care facility which serves as a healthcare destination for the region and employs hundreds of residents. Manchester Community College is the largest of Connecticut’s community colleges, serving over 15,000 students annually at a modern and highly accessible campus.   

Manchester has a superior locational advantage along Interstates I-84, I-384 and I-291. Ten miles east of Connecticut’s capital city of Hartford, mid-way between New York and Boston, Manchester is a major regional destination and a desirable place to live, work and recreate. Local transportation infrastructure includes hundreds of miles of local roads, local and express bus service routes, CTFastrak bus rapid transit service, and freight rail, Bradley International Airport and miles of sidewalks, multi-use paths and hiking trails including the East Coast Greenway, Case Mountain Recreation Area, and Hockanum River Linear Park system.