CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

38.58° N · 90.51° W · GEOID 2945668

Manchester

St. Louis County, Missouri · part of the St. Louis, MO metro

MissouriManchester, MOManchesterManchester

The short answer

Manchester is home to 18,160 people. Median household income is $97,801 a year and median rent is $1,322 a month, 16.2% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $323,100, about 3.3x annual median household income.

Manchester stands out on value for money. Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 99 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings. Also notable: Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 125 hours a year commuting, less than in 85% of places its size.

89OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Strong

Manchester scores better than 89% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 26th of 140 in Missouri.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%75
Economy 20%68
Safety 20%69
Amenities 15%44
Education 10%90
Commute 10%73
Growth 5%25
Median gross rent
$1,322
3% below the median place
Median household income
$97,801
22% above the median place
Median home value
$323,100
1% above the median place
Unemployment
4.1%
17% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Manchester

St. Louis County loses about 4.4 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in38,403
Moved out41,969
Net−3,566

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

St. Louis city, MO11,7558,205+3,550
St. Charles County, MO4,0546,788−2,734
Jefferson County, MO2,8483,740−892
Cook County, IL500620−120

Within Missouri, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MissouriOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$72K
Leavers$80K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of St. Louis County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
4.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.0% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into St. Louis County report $71,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $79,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$52,900 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,322 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,879 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $323,100.
Getting to work
21 minutes each way on average; 22.6% work from home; 1.4% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Allison Park, PA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
4.4%
24% below the median place
Income of households moving out8
$79,731
13% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-4.4
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureManchesterAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year14.4%24% below
Moved from another state1County figure2.0%1% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-4.4below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$71,5771% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$79,73113% above
02

What it costs to live here

The median rent takes 16.2% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 83% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Manchester16.2%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$52,880
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
16.2%
21% below the median place
Home price to income
3.3x
13% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
16%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$83,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Manchester, $1,322 a month, and local prices for everything else (98.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Manchester, but easier on the budget

Places that match Manchester on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Allison Park, PA9312.9% vs 16.2%$16,600Compare
Sylvania, OH9212.8% vs 16.2%$7,300Compare
Glen Carbon, IL9113.5% vs 16.2%$2,100Compare
Batavia, IL9113.5% vs 16.2%$18,700Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Manchester.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Manchester? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
42.2%
17% below the median place
Homeownership1
75.0%
13% above the median place
Property tax rate1
1.2%
33% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureManchesterAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,3223% below
Rent to income116.2%21% below
Property tax rate11.2%33% above
Home price to income13.3x13% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure95.16% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,34916% below
HUD area median income4County figure$113,5006% above
Property tax paid (median)1$3,92220% above
Median home value1$323,1001% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.8%18% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure43.6%15% below
Homeownership175.0%13% above
Renters paying 30%+142.2%17% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,8790% above
Vacant homes1County figure7.3%3% above
Median year built119770% below
03

Work and pay

Works from home is 22.6%, 82% above the median place.

Works from home1
22.6%
82% above the median place
Poverty rate1
6.4%
41% below the median place
Mean commute1
21 min
14% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$50,108 +25%
Unemployment4.1% −17%
Median household income$97,801 +22%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureManchesterAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$97,80122% above
Income per person1$50,10825% above
Unemployment14.1%17% below
Average annual pay6County figure$78,74119% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.7%0% above
Jobs6County figure589,803291% above
Poverty rate16.4%41% below
Mean commute121 min14% below
Works from home122.6%82% above
Commutes by transit1County figure1.4%64% above
04

Who lives here

62% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a larger share than in 90% of the 2,300 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

High school or higher1
97.6%
6% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
62.4%
95% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
97.0%
5% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad12.9% +46%
Median age38.2 −2%
Household size2.5 −0%
All 9 people measures
MeasureManchesterAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population118,1602538th largest
Population change since 20207-1.5%below (median 1.1%)
Median age138.22% below
Bachelor's or higher162.4%95% above
High school or higher197.6%6% above
Household size12.50% below
Born abroad112.9%46% above
No health insurance1County figure5.7%11% below
Homes with broadband197.0%5% above
05

Life in Manchester

About 0 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, fewer than in 84% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 140 Missouri places we track.

3 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 17 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Lyceum, The listed 1979
  • Manchester Methodist Episcopal Church listed 1983
  • Henry Avenue Historic District listed 2003

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents8.8 −13%
Playgrounds per 10k6.6 −30%
Grocery stores per 10k2.2 +4%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k8.3 −26%
Libraries per 10k1.1 +26%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi2.4 11.3×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site 9 miles
  • Gateway Arch National Park 18 miles
  • Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park 49 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.1 +1%
Shops32.3 +7%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.0 +22%
Doctors' offices and clinics32.4 +60%
Child care centers2.5 +9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
8.6
72% below the median place
Public schools14
5
44% below the median place
Students per teacher14
13.4
13% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureManchesterAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14544% below
Public school students143,23434% below
Students per teacher1413.413% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure21.11% above
Shops per 10k9County figure32.37% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure5.022% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure32.460% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.59% above
Parks per 10k108.813% below
Playgrounds per 10k106.630% below
Grocery stores per 10k102.24% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k108.326% below
Libraries per 10k101.126% above
Named paths and bike trails100.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi102.4above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site118.672% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles11350% above
National Register listings12377% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

The city police department reported 50 violent offenses per 100,000 residents, fewer than in 87% of the 1,457 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Violent crime per 100k
50
74% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
1,228
1% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Heat wave risk16
99.9
11% above the median place
Good air days17
31.2%
54% below the median place
Median air quality index17
56
30% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureManchesterAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure88°F2% above
January average low15County figure23°F9% below
Average temperature15County figure56°F2% above
Annual precipitation15County figure42.3 in3% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure99.37% above
Hurricane risk16County figure45.136% below
Tornado risk16County figure98.120% above
Wildfire risk16County figure61.71% above
Heat wave risk16County figure99.911% above
Median air quality index17Metro figure5630% above
Good air days17Metro figure31.2%54% below
08

Manchester in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 16% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 16% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Manchester does better than 74% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 29%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,322/mo (2024)$1,690/mo$1,390 to $2,060/mo+4.2%
Median household income$97,801 (2024)$124,000$104,500 to $146,500+4.0%
Median home value$323,100 (2024)$457,000$332,000 to $630,000+5.9%
Population18,069 (2025)18,07017,330 to 18,840+0.0%

The median home would be worth 3.7 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.3 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Manchester

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Farmington, MI$1,340$97,750Compare
Wauwatosa, WI$1,438$101,138Compare
Royal Oak, MI$1,381$101,109Compare
Edmond, OK$1,344$103,183Compare
Edmond, OKRoyal Oak, MIWauwatosa, WIFarmington, MIManchester, MOManchesterFarmingtonWauwatosaRoyal OakEdmondManchesterFarmingtonWauwatosaRoyal OakEdmond

Places built like Manchester

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Manchester performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Manchester, MO16.2%4.6%/yr-1.5%
Shoreview, MN18.4%3.1%/yr-0.1%Compare
Ballwin, MO13.7%4.8%/yr-2.5%Compare
Stillwater, MN18.4%3.0%/yr-0.1%Compare
New Brighton, MN18.9%3.5%/yr-4.9%Compare
Vadnais Heights, MN17.7%5.0%/yr1.0%Compare
Arden Hills, MN15.3%8.0%/yr-5.1%Compare

Common questions

Is Manchester a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 89 out of 100, better than 89% of the places we rate and 26th of 140 in Missouri. On cost, space and class size it scores 87 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Manchester expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 16.2% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $323,100.

What salary do you need to live in Manchester?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $52,880 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Manchester safe?

There were 50 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Manchester?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Farmington, MI, Wauwatosa, WI, Royal Oak, MI and Edmond, OK.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Manchester with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Manchester itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/manchester-missouri

Citytistics. “Manchester, Missouri.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/manchester-missouri/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.