Manchester, Virginia, 1861
Manchester’s story
Manchester in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1861 and 5 maps from 1943 on.
Explore the history →
ManchesterVA
12,445 people call this town in Virginia home.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: wikipedia inglesa · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
12,445
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$317K
Census ACS
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
34.5
years
Jobs based here
11,181
A job hub
TownGrade
C+
#193 of 249 in VA
Is Manchester a good place to live?
The weak point is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $317K, 3.7 years of the Richmond metro’s $87K median household income. Hazard risk is its strong suit (A−). All told, that adds up to a C+ overall and a rank of 193rd of 249 in Virginia. That leaves it better than 38% of U.S. towns. 12% of residents are 65 or older in Manchester, where Virginia’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 18%. Its typical journey to work is 22 minutes, against 27 minutes in Virginia’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for schools, B− for health and B− for incomes.
Figures: FEMA National Risk Index · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · schools, state test and graduation results · health, CDC PLACES.
StrongestA−Hazard risk
What makes Manchester stand out
Where Manchester beats most towns.
A growing town
Manchester has grown 12% from 2010 to 2020
10,804 counted in 2010 and 12,129 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Manchester grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Manchester is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →Cost of livingHomes are harder to afford than in most townsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.9 of 20; 2.8% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsBOpen →HealthCJW Medical Center 2.1 miles awayB−Open →Jobs & income$80K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 52 attractions →Hollywood Cemetery and 32 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Manchester. Close and well known come first.
6 mi LandmarkHollywood Cemetery
25 mi Theme parkKings Dominion
6 mi LandmarkRobert E. Lee Monument
7 mi MuseumWhite House of the Confederacy
7 mi Stadium & arenaRichmond Coliseum
6 mi MuseumVirginia Museum of Fine Arts411K visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Hollywood Cemetery: Andrew Bain, Public domain · Kings Dominion: Erechtheus, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Robert E. Lee Monument: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 3.0 · White House of the Confederacy: AlbertHerring, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Richmond Coliseum: Mentes at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Manchester: who provides what
Manchester is unincorporated, so Chesterfield County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDominion Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterChesterfield Co Central Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesChesterfield CountyChesterfield County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Virginia you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereChesterfield General RegistrarChesterfield County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2020
ZIP codes23235, 23225, 2323623235 49% · 23225 35% · 23236 15%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Manchester.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Manchester sends most of its workers out of town
11,181 jobs are based in Manchester, 1.9 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
13% of residents live below the poverty line in Manchester. Only 4% of working residents stay in Manchester for work; the rest commute out. Jobs in Manchester grew by 1,848 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 11,181. Half the trips to work are shorter than 8 miles.
4%work in town
| Manchester | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.1% | 5% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Manchester4%
Richmond24%
Innsbrook3%
Bon Air3%
Short Pump2%
8 mi
median commute distance
11,181
jobs based in Manchester
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 40% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB
Manchester’s public schools outperform 58% of Virginia districts
One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. The Chesterfield County Public Schools runs its public schools. The 2 public schools in Manchester teach 1,741 students between them.
58%of VA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,033 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsC
0.9% of the land in Manchester is protected from building
4.9 miles of trail. Manchester’s trail density is 0.8 miles per square mile.
#109for trails in VA
| Manchester | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.9% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
0.9%
conserved · 33 of 3,804 acres
4.9 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Manchester has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Manchester has had 23 paid flood insurance claims since 1979. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in nearly four fifths of U.S. communities. 63% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by earthquakes at 11%.
21risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesHurricanes
23
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in Manchester brings four seasons and hot summers
A winter brings about 9 inches of snow, with January nights at 28° and July afternoons at 89°.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–51°
Spring45–69°
Summer66–87°
Fall48–71°
Nov 4
typical first frost
Apr 3
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Young adults are more common in Manchester than in Virginia
Adults 18 to 34 are 27% of residents (23% statewide); people 65 and older are 12% of residents (17% statewide). For Manchester, the age of the median resident is 34.5 years. Among adults 25 and older, 40% have a four-year degree or more, against 42% across Virginia.
34.5median age · VA 39
| Manchester | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 12% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 40% | 44% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 24% | 23% | 22% |
ManchesterVirginiaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma10%
High school22%
Some college15%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
About 86 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.5 points). Across Virginia, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Manchester | VA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 19.2% | 13.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.9% | 13.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.1% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.8% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.6% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.8% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.2% | 8.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.2% | 23.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 15% | 17.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.9% | 7.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.6% | 23.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13% | 18.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
HealthB−
On CDC estimates, Manchester is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns
Among adults in Manchester, 17% report frequent mental distress. Of 32 CDC measures, Manchester beats the Virginia average on 1 and trails it on 6. In Manchester, 38% of adults have obesity, and 36% have high blood pressure.
52%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Manchester | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 33% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Virginia
1 better25 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Manchester | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.8% | 7.7% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 9.2% | 7.1% |
CJW Medical Center
2.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
33rd
percentile among VA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
Homes in Manchester sell for about $353K
For households in Manchester, the share who are owner-occupiers is 60%. The midpoint rent in the town is $1,558 a month. Homes sold in Manchester spent a median 18 days on the market.
$353Kmedian sale price
| Manchester | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 60% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,558 a month | $1,764 a month | $1,185 a month |
Market temperature
18
days on market
101.4%
sale-to-list price
12
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Manchester
18pages on Manchester
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
10 within 15 miles of the center of Manchester
University of RichmondUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · University of Richmond6.1 mi$65,230 tuitionVirginia Commonwealth UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Richmond6.5 mi$16,945 in-state tuitionJ Sargeant Reynolds Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Richmond10.9 mi$5,280 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Manchester residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
A job hub
Every workday, about 10,941 people come to Manchester for work
Where Manchester’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
11,181jobs based in Manchester
4%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Manchester
Former Independent City in Virginia, United States of America
Manchester is a former independent city in Virginia in the United States. Prior to receiving independent status, it served as the county seat of Chesterfield County, between 1870 and 1876. Today, it is a part of the city of Richmond, Virginia. Originally known as Manastoh and later Rocky Ridge, it was located on the south bank of the James River at the fall line opposite the state capital city of Richmond, on the north side of the river. Manchester was an active port city, and was a port of entry for slave ships principally in the 18th century. The port shipped out tobacco and coal which was transported 13 miles overland from the Midlothian-area mines on the Midlothian Turnpike, first paved…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Manchester’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Manchester.
RichmondRockwoodBon AirManchester
How the neighbors grade
| Town | VA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | #193 | C+ | C | — | B | B− |
| Richmond | #236 | D | C− | D | D− | B− |
| Rockwood | #141 | B+ | C | — | B | B+ |
| Bon Air | #121 | B+ | C | — | B | A− |
Manchester, Rockwood and Bon Air report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Manchester with a neighbor →
Questions about Manchester
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Manchester, VA a good place to live?
Manchester grades C+ overall, better than 38% of U.S. towns and #193 of 249 in Virginia. It grades B− for health and B for schools.
Is Manchester, VA expensive?
The typical home is worth about $317,000, 23% below the Virginia typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.