The Town FilesManchester, Maine
Town in Kennebec County · population 2,456 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $299,600
- Household income
- $92,031
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 46.9
Manchester is a town of 2,456 people in Kennebec County, Maine. The median home is worth $299,600, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more upscale than 88% of Maine towns, better for families than 86% of Maine towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Maine towns.
How Manchester ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Manchester is worth $299,600, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $92,031, which is more affordable than 56% of Maine towns. Median rent is $993 a month. 85.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Manchester | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $299,600 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $993 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $92,031 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 85.0% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.8% | — |
Who lives in Manchester
| People | Manchester | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.6% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.5% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 90.0% |
Weather in Manchester
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 12.1°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.9 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 8, 1996 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 8, 1996.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Kennebec County since 1996
Kennebec County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kennebec County
Kennebec County had 62,487 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,846 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Manchester itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Manchester
1 public school with 166 students, about 9.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Elementary School | PK-5 | 166 | 9.8 |
Towns near Manchester
- Hallowell, ME4.4 mi · 2,570 people · home $295,300
- Winthrop, ME4.6 mi · 2,666 people · home $244,900
- Readfield, ME5.2 mi · 2,597 people · home $326,400
- Winthrop, ME5.5 mi · 6,121 people · home $294,800
- Farmingdale, ME5.9 mi · 2,995 people · home $249,700
- Augusta, ME6.3 mi · 18,899 people · home $201,000
- Farmingdale, ME7.4 mi · 2,000 people · home $239,200
- West Gardiner, ME8.2 mi · 3,671 people · home $305,100
Manchester questions
Is Manchester, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Manchester scores better for retirees than 81% of Maine towns and quieter than 62%. 22.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).
How much does a house cost in Manchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Manchester is valued at $299,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,031, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $993 a month.
What is the weather like in Manchester?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 12.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year and 68.9 inches of snow.
Does Manchester get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 8, 1996. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)