COMMERCIAL SALMON HARVEST, DOMSEA AQUACULTURE SITE, 1973
Manchester’s story
133 years in pictures
The archive holds 13 old photos and papers going back to 1973 and 5 maps from 1937 on.
- 1893Manchester is settled
ManchesterWA
With 5,956 residents, this town was settled in 1893.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Mlouns at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
5,956
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$478K
Census ACS
Household income
$126K
median
Median age
39.7
years
Jobs based here
244
A commuter town
TownGrade
B+
#62 of 285 in WA
Is Manchester a good place to live?
Manchester does the important things well, at a cost. Its strongest is walkability (A): it is more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns. Health is a strength too (B+): CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 74% of the country. What holds it back is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $478K, 4.6 years of the Bremerton metro’s $104K median household income. Hazard risk is weaker too — FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 69% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. All told, that adds up to a B+ overall and a rank of 62nd of 285 in Washington. Nationally, it does better than 68% of U.S. towns. The town’s concentration of trails is 0.1 miles per square mile, where Washington’s towns sit at 0.8 and U.S. towns at 0.4.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenStreetMap.
What makes Manchester stand out
Where Manchester beats most towns.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Manchester for work
Where Manchester’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
244jobs based in Manchester
2%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Manchester grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Manchester is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 9 of 20; 0.7% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskEarthquakes top the listC−Open →Cost of livingHomes are harder to afford than in most townsCOpen →HealthVirginia Mason Medical Center 10.8 miles awayB+Open →Jobs & income$126K median household income; 244 jobs based hereB+Open →SchoolsAbove the middle of the towns comparedB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 0% conserved landC−Open →HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The other Manchester
Manchester takes its name from Manchester in Greater Manchester, England, 4,630 miles across the Atlantic.
UKUK editionGreater Manchester, EnglandManchesterA city of 470,395
Photo: Tricia Neal · CC BY-SA 2.0Manchester, settled in 1893, takes its name from Manchester, a city in Greater Manchester, England.
Manchester, WA4,630 miles · Manchester, Greater Manchester
People470,3955,956 here
Typical home£255,000$531,000 here
Listed buildings79713 of them Grade I
9 more U.S. towns are named after Manchester:Manchester, CT59,773Manchester Township, NJ46,556Manchester, MO18,069Manchester, TN13,776North Manchester, IN5,230+4 more
Named after: each U.S. town’s Wikipedia article. Grades compare each town with towns in its own country, so they aren’t a head-to-head.
Nearby attractions
All 156 attractions →Space Needle and 136 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Manchester. Close and well known come first.
Big draw10 mi LookoutSpace Needle
Big draw10 mi Stadium & arenaClimate Pledge Arena
Big draw10 mi Stadium & arenaLumen Field
10 mi Stadium & arenaT-Mobile Park
10 mi Ancient siteSeattle Underground
Big draw29 mi National ParkOlympic National Park3.6M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Space Needle: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Climate Pledge Arena: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lumen Field: "Smart Destinations", GoSeattleCard.com, and Go Seattle Card Blog, CC BY-SA 2.0 · T-Mobile Park: MyName (Cacophony), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Seattle Underground: Mark Hursh, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Olympic National Park: Wsiegmund, CC BY 2.5
Getting set up
Moving to Manchester: who provides what
Manchester is unincorporated, so Kitsap County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPuget Sound Energy17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterManchester Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKitsap CountyKitsap County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Washington you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereKitsap County AuditorKitsap County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code9836698366 100%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.
Manchester has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Washington; it also has little public open land.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most of Manchester’s workers leave town for work
Manchester has 244 jobs for its 1,847 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 33.7 minutes, against 26.6 across Washington.
1.8% of Manchester working residents work locally. The top destinations are Seattle (16%), Port Orchard (9%) and Bremerton (8%). The mean commuting time locally is 34 minutes. Half commute less than 12 miles.
2%work in town
| Manchester | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $126,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 16% | 15% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Manchester2%
Seattle16%
Port Orchard9%
Bremerton8%
East Port Orchard5%
12 mi
median commute distance
244
jobs based in Manchester
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB+
On state tests, Manchester’s schools beat 68% of Washington districts
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to the South Kitsap School District. Enrollment at Manchester’s public school: 458 students.
68%of WA districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 458 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
HealthB+
Manchester earns a B+ for health
Within Washington it is less healthy than 54% of the 285 graded towns: Washington sets a high bar. Against the 4,913 U.S. towns with household incomes like Manchester’s, it is less healthy than 65%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
The share of adults in Manchester who sleep under 7 hours: 34%. Against the Washington average, Manchester comes out ahead on 3 CDC measures out of 31, and behind on 8. 18% of adults in Manchester get no exercise outside work; 36% have high blood pressure.
74%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Manchester | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 71% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 26% | 23% |
31 measures vs. Washington
3 better20 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Manchester | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.7% | 8.4% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 69.8% | 66.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 7.9% |
Seattle VA Medical Center (VA Puget Sound Healthcare System)
10.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
46th
percentile among WA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
The biggest natural risk in Manchester is earthquakes, at a high overall level
Since 2007, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Manchester. 71% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 18%. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2007.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
3
paid flood claims since 2007
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Manchester: mild winters and pleasant summers
July afternoons average 76.5°, cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 36.2°.
About 3 inches of snow falls in a winter. Manchester’s January low is 36°F.
3″snow a winter
| Manchester | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 77°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| January low | 36°F | 35°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–48°
Spring42–60°
Summer54–75°
Fall45–61°
Nov 14
typical first frost
Mar 29
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Washington overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 19% of residents (24% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 42% of residents (38% statewide). The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 32%, against 40% across Washington. In Manchester, 17% of residents are 65 or older.
39.7median age · WA 38.3
| Manchester | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 32% | 30% | 29% |
| Median age | 39.7 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
ManchesterWashingtonUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school22%
Some college31%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5 points. Across Washington, 49.6% of residents are women.
| Manchester | WA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.2% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.8% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.5% | 15.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17.7% | 14.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.7% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.8% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.6% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.1% | 7.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.8% | 21.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 30.8% | 21% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.9% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.5% | 24% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.8% | 15.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
OutdoorsC−
Manchester stands out in Washington and nationally, with trail density lower than most
Just 3 of its 3,594 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Manchester itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
Trails run 0.3 miles in 1 park or preserve. Only 9 of the 272 Washington towns we compare have a lower share of conserved land than Manchester.
0.1%conserved
| Manchester | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.1% | 4% | 4.3% |
0.1%
conserved · 3 of 3,594 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Manchester Stormwater Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade C
Homes in Manchester sell for about $531K
For households in Manchester, the share who own their home is 86%. The median rent for Manchester comes to $1,740 a month. A home in Manchester typically sold within 21 days of listing.
$531Kmedian sale price
| Manchester | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,740 a month | $1,737 a month | $1,185 a month |
Market temperature
21
days on market
99.4%
sale-to-list price
7
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Manchester
17pages on Manchester
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
13 within 15 miles of the center of Manchester
Olympic CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bremerton4.8 mi$4,197 in-state tuitionSouth Seattle CollegeCommunity college · Public · Seattle8.8 mi$5,238 in-state tuitionUniversity of Washington-Seattle CampusUniversity or college · Public · Seattle13.3 mi$12,973 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Manchester residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
About Manchester
Census-designated place in Washington, United States
Manchester is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 5,714 at the 2020 census. Manchester is located on the Puget Sound approximately 10 miles from downtown Seattle, and is adjacent to county seat Port Orchard to its east. Today, Manchester labels itself as a village. It is small in size but is home to a Kitsap Regional Library (KRL) branch, a post office, an elementary school, and a beachfront park to serve its residents.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 30 ft
- ZIP code
- 98353
- Area code
- 360
Manchester’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Manchester.
Bainbridge IslandManchester
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | #62 | B+ | C | — | B+ | B+ |
| Bainbridge Island | #8 | A | D | B+ | A+ | A+ |
Manchester reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Manchester with a neighbor →
Questions about Manchester
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Manchester, WA a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Manchester grades B+ overall, better than 68% of U.S. towns and #62 of 285 in Washington. It grades B+ for health and B+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Manchester, WA expensive?
The typical home is worth about $478,000, 19% below the Washington 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.