What it's like to live in Manchester
Manchester is a small city in Tennessee with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Manchester deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Manchester compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Manchester
Based on Manchester's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,956
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $39,120 a year
- 28% of Manchester renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,480
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,740
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 31% below US
$978/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $978 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $237,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $237,400 · 28% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Coffee County is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Coffee County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 43% above US
471 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2071/100k · Manchester Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 36% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Stones River National Battlefield (35 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Manchester's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($978/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Manchester
All Tennessee guides →Moving to Shelbyville →
21 mi away · pop. 24,661
Rent $1,056/mo · Income $55,073
Compare with Manchester →Moving to McMinnville →
23 mi away · pop. 13,844
Rent $791/mo · Income $47,179
Compare with Manchester →Not sure Manchester is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.