Chesterfield County, Virginia

Living in Manchester, VA

Among Chesterfield County's 13 largest communities, Manchester has the second-shortest average commute (22 minutes). With about 12,100 residents, it's Chesterfield County's 6th-largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

Get the Manchester market report Plan a tour

Median home value: $317K; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $1,558; per month
Own their home: 60%; of households
Avg. commute: 22 min; one way

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Manchester is valued at $317K, below the Chesterfield County median of $366K — around the middle of the 13 Chesterfield County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $1,558 a month (county: $1,629).

Housing here is mostly houses — 53% detached and 9% townhouses — with 35% in condo and apartment buildings. Most homes are owner-occupied (60%, against 77% across Chesterfield County). The typical home was built in 1983, older than the Chesterfield County median of 1990.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 53%
Townhouses 9%
2–9 unit buildings 16%
10+ unit buildings 19%

Residents: 12,129; 2020 Census
Homes: 5,378; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1983; median year
Avg. commute: 22 min; one way
Transit commuters: 0%; of workers
Work from home: 21%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 17; Chesterfield County: 19

Questions

Living in Manchester: common questions.

Is Manchester a city? What county is it in?

No — Manchester is an unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It has no city government of its own; Chesterfield County provides local services, and the mailing-address “Manchester” area can be larger than the Census boundary.

What is the median home value in Manchester?

$317K, based on owners' own estimates in the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey, compared with $366K across Chesterfield County. These figures trail today's prices — request a valuation or a current Manchester market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Manchester?

60% of households own their home and 40% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 77% owners across Chesterfield County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Manchester home.

How far is Manchester from Richmond and D.C.?

Manchester is about 6.9 miles from downtown Richmond and about 101 miles from downtown D.C. in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 22 minutes.

Which schools serve Manchester?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Manchester is served by Chesterfield County Public Schools; check the district's boundary tools for any specific address.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Manchester?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 17 (Chesterfield County: 19); the higher it is, the more renting tends to win on monthly cost. It's only a starting point — taxes, rates and how long you'll stay matter more. Fred runs the real numbers for specific homes.

Are there first-time buyer programs for Manchester?

Yes: Virginia Housing — the state housing agency's first-time buyer loans and down-payment assistance. Eligibility and limits change, so confirm with a participating lender — Fred can introduce one.

Can Fred help me buy or sell in Manchester?

Yes. Fred Mohseni is a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. with The ONE Street Company at Samson Properties. Call (202) 704-5931 or send a note.

How Fred helps

Your Manchester real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in Manchester, you work directly with Fred — a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C., with an accountant's eye for the numbers.

Buying

Tours, offers and negotiation in Manchester, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent Manchester sales, then preparation and marketing for the strongest possible offer.

Investing

Rent-versus-own math, cash-flow analysis and neighborhood selection from an accounting and finance background.

Relocating

New to the area? Fred compares Manchester with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

Manchester and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. Bon Air is about 2.4 miles away, Rockwood is about 2.5 miles away, Meadowbrook is about 5.6 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Manchester	12,129	$317K	$1,558	60%	Mostly houses	22 min
Bon Air	18,022	$365K	$1,799	73%	Single-family	25 min
Rockwood	8,685	$354K	$1,744	77%	Single-family	24 min
Meadowbrook	20,898	$298K	$1,583	75%	Single-family	25 min
Midlothian	18,320	$408K	$1,760	74%	Single-family	24 min
Bensley	5,971	$218K	$1,238	39%	Mostly houses	25 min
Brandermill	13,730	$376K	$1,782	70%	Single-family	26 min

ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. * = wide margin of error. “Typical home” is the most common kind of building. On smaller screens some columns are hidden; open on a laptop for population, home type and commute.

Next step

Thinking about Manchester?

Ask Fred for a current Manchester market report — recent sales, what's listed and what it means for your budget. Or call (202) 704-5931.

Request the Manchester market report Compare Chesterfield County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; D.C. Office of Planning neighborhood clusters and regional rail stations (D.C. GIS). Home values are owners' own estimates averaged over 2020–2024, so they trail today's prices. This product uses Census Bureau data but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. Data updated November 2026.