Manchester center
41 Center St, Manchester, CT 06040
Living in Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester is a town of about 28 square miles in Hartford County, just east of Hartford. It grew rapidly in the 19th century around the Cheney Brothers silk mills, whose brick mill complex is now a National Historic Landmark district, and Main Street still runs through the older mill-era downtown.
Manchester at a glance
- $325,000Median single-family sale, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
- 41.00 millsReal estate tax rate, fiscal year 2026–27
- 15–20 minDrive to Hartford
- HartfordCounty · Greater Hartford
Manchester's villages and zip codes
Manchester uses 06040 and 06042, with 06045 for some post office boxes.
| Area | Zip code | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester center | 06040 | The downtown along Main Street, near the Cheney Brothers Historic District and Center Memorial Park. |
| Buckland | 06042 | A retail and commercial section in northern Manchester near I-84. |
Manchester covers about 27.7 square miles and borders East Hartford, South Windsor, Vernon, Bolton, Andover and Glastonbury. It was incorporated in 1823.
Things to do in Manchester, CT
Start with Wickham Park and Case Mountain Recreation Area, then 2 more below.
Wickham Park
A 53-acre park and nature preserve with walking trails, gardens and an overlook toward Hartford. It sits on the Manchester–East Hartford line.
Manchester
Case Mountain Recreation Area
A wooded town-owned area with trails used for hiking and mountain biking.
Manchester
Cheney Brothers Historic District
A National Historic Landmark district of former silk mill buildings from the Cheney family's 19th-century mill, now largely repurposed for housing and offices.
Hartford Rd area, Manchester
Charter Oak Park
A renovated town park with sports fields, renovated in 2017.
Manchester
More worth a visit
- Lutz Children's MuseumA hands-on museum for children in Manchester.
- Cheney Homestead MuseumA historic house museum tied to the Cheney family.
Around the calendar
- NovemberManchester Road RaceA Thanksgiving Day road race of 4.748 miles through Manchester, run since 1927 and drawing thousands of participants.
A little history
The area was settled by colonists around 1673 as part of East Hartford, originally called Orford Parish, and Manchester incorporated as its own town in 1823.
The Pitkin Glass Works operated in Manchester from 1783 to 1830, the first successful glassworks in Connecticut.
The Cheney family began the world's largest silk mill in Manchester in 1838; the Cheney Brothers Historic District is now a National Historic Landmark.
Parks, trails and outdoors in Manchester
Manchester's parks range from formal gardens and river-view overlooks at Wickham Park to wooded hiking and mountain-biking trails at Case Mountain.
- Wickham ParkGardens, trails and open lawns on the Manchester–East Hartford line.
- Case Mountain Recreation AreaWooded trails for hiking and mountain biking.
- Charter Oak GreenwayA paved multi-use trail through Manchester, part of a longer regional trail network.
- Hop River State Park TrailA rail-trail segment running through Manchester for walking and biking.
Where to eat in Manchester: restaurants and coffee
3 places in Manchester to try, including italian/pizzeria and italian-american restaurant. No one paid to be listed.
Mulberry Street
Italian/pizzeria
A family-owned pizzeria on Main Street in downtown Manchester, serving pizza, sandwiches and Italian-American dishes.
Main St, Manchester, CT · themulb.com
Pepe's Restaurant & Lounge
Italian-American restaurant
A neighborhood Italian-American restaurant and lounge operating in Manchester since 1990.
Bistro on Main
Bistro
A restaurant on Main Street in downtown Manchester.
Walkability and getting around Manchester
Downtown Manchester along Main Street has sidewalks and a walkable core near Cheney Hall and the old mill district, but most residential neighborhoods and the Buckland retail area near I-84 are built around car travel.
Drive times
- Hartford, about 10 miles15–20 min
- Bradley International Airport, about 18 miles25–30 min
Approximate, without traffic.
By bus or train
CTtransit Manchester routes (including 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88 and 121) connect the town to Hartford and neighboring towns. Manchester has no passenger rail station; the nearest is Hartford Union Station, about 10 miles away, served by Amtrak and the Hartford Line.
Manchester property taxes and home prices
Manchester's 2026–27 mill rate is 41.00, which is $41.00 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. Some areas also pay a fire or special district tax on top of that. Connecticut taxes a home at 70% of its appraised value, so every $100,000 of value costs about $2,870 a year in taxes at 41.00 mills.
What homes in Manchester sell for
| 12 months ending | Single-family | Condo |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2024 | $308,000370 sales | $170,000119 sales |
| Sep 2025 | $325,000398 sales | $210,000121 sales |
October to September, state records. Text us for this month's sales.
Manchester's mill rate for 2026–27
41.00mills, fiscal year 2026–27
- Town of Manchester41.00 mills
- Manchester Special Services District (where it applies)+4.18 mills
- Motor vehicles32.46 mills
- Next revaluationOctober 1, 2026
How Manchester's mill rate has changed
| Fiscal year | Town rate |
|---|---|
| 2022–23 | 31.42 |
| 2023–24 | 37.20 |
| 2024–25 | 38.68 |
| 2025–26 | 39.82 |
| 2026–27 | 41.00 |
Manchester's town rate went from 31.42 in 2022–23 to 41.00 in 2026–27. Next revaluation: October 1, 2026.
Look up a Manchester property
- FEMA flood mapWhether a lender will require flood insurance
- Town ClerkLand records, deeds and vital records
Buying a home in Manchester
What we check on a Manchester purchase: CHFA limits, the flood map and older mill housing.
First-time buyer programs in Manchester
CHFA sets Manchester's income and price limits for Hartford County. We check them with you before you shop.
See CHFA's limits mapCheck the flood zone first
Several brooks and the Hockanum River run through Manchester, and low ground along them has been prone to flooding historically. We check FEMA's map before you offer.
FEMA's flood map for ManchesterAsk about age and updates in mill-district homes
Manchester's Cheney Brothers Historic District and other older mill-era buildings have been converted to housing. Renovated older buildings can have financing considerations around condition and, for condos, project approval, so ask early in the process.
All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property and program requirements. CHFA and USDA limits and eligibility are set by those agencies and change from time to time.
Thinking about buying in Manchester?
Send us a Manchester address and we'll run the numbers, taxes included.
Moving to Manchester: utilities, trash and town offices
Who to call in Manchester: Eversource for power.
- ElectricEversource
- Trash and recyclingCheck the Town of Manchester's website for current trash and recycling collection details.
Town offices and contacts
Manchester Town Hall is at 41 Center St, Manchester, CT 06040. Main line: 860-647-5235. Each link opens that office's page on the town's website.
- Town HallMain line and town website860-647-5235
- Town ClerkVital records, land records and elections.
- Assessment & CollectionProperty assessments and tax collection.
- Building DepartmentBuilding permits and inspections.
- Planning & ZoningLand use and zoning review.
- Parks & RecreationTown parks, fields and recreation programs.
- Public WorksRoads, plowing and town maintenance.
- Manchester Public LibraryPublic library system.
- Manchester Public SchoolsThe town's public school district.
Manchester, CT FAQ: taxes, prices and town services
The short answers. Call or text us for the long ones.
What is the mill rate in Manchester, CT?
Manchester's 2026–27 mill rate is 41.00, which is $41.00 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. Some areas also pay a fire or special district tax on top of that. The motor vehicle rate is 32.46 mills.
How much are property taxes on a $500,000 home in Manchester?
Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of appraised value, so a $500,000 home would be assessed at about $350,000. At 41.00 mills that's about $14,350 a year, or about $1,196 a month, before any district tax. The actual bill depends on the town assessor's appraisal, not the price you pay.
What is the median home price in Manchester, CT?
In the 12 months from October 2024 through September 2025, the median single-family sale in Manchester was $325,000 across 398 sales, compared with $308,000 the year before. The median condo sale was $210,000 across 121 sales.
When is Manchester's next revaluation?
Manchester's next revaluation takes effect October 1, 2026, on the state's schedule. The new assessments first show up on the tax bills due in July 2027.
What county is Manchester in?
Hartford County.
What zip codes does Manchester use?
06040 and 06042, plus 06045 for some post office boxes.
How far is Manchester from Hartford?
About 10 miles, roughly 15–20 minutes by car.
Is there train service near Manchester?
Manchester has no station of its own; the nearest is Hartford Union Station, about 10 miles away.
What bus routes serve Manchester?
CTtransit routes 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88 and 121 serve the town.
What is the Manchester Road Race?
A 4.748-mile Thanksgiving Day road race run through Manchester since 1927.
Towns near Manchester
Neighbors of Manchester in Hartford County and nearby. All Hartford County towns.
Sources
- Mill rates: Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, "Mill Rates for FY 2014–2027," data.ct.gov. Revaluation year: OPM, Revaluation Schedule 2023–2037.
- Home sales: "Real Estate Sales 2001–2024 GL," data.ct.gov. Medians use Manchester sales recorded October 1 to September 30, leaving out sales the town flagged as non-market.
- Manchester, Connecticut - Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org
- Town Hall - Town of Manchester: manchesterct.gov
- Town of Manchester, Connecticut - Town Clerk: townclerk.townofmanchester.org
- Mulberry Street - Manchester: themulb.com
- Pepe's Restaurant & Lounge: pepesonline.com
- Walkability: Walk Score®, Bike Score® and Transit Score®, provided live by Walk Score.
- Checked September 25, 2026.