States › Virginia › Manchester

Is Manchester, VA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,7351% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$86,599about $7,217/month · 1% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$317,0005% lower than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 54% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.7 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $69,400 a year. That is $33 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Virginia cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Virginia. It is number 65 of 199 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Manchester
$1,735
Cascades
$2,631
Lansdowne
$2,462
Fairfax Station
$2,940
Newington Forest
$2,755
Sugarland Run
$3,472
Poquoson
$1,780

How much do households earn in Manchester?

Under $25k
12.5%
$25k–50k
24.5%
$50k–100k
31.7%
$100k–150k
20.7%
$150k+
8.9%

Share of households by yearly income. 29.6% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Manchester

SizeManchesterU.S. average
Studio$1,511$1,338
1 bedroom$1,440$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,745$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,904$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Manchester overall?

Everyday prices in Virginia overall are 1% above the U.S. average (index 101.1, U.S. = 100).

Housing
107
Goods (food, clothes…)
100
Utilities
92
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Manchester, so the Virginia figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Manchester

🏛️ Property tax$2,340a year · 0.74% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$143a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Manchester

Commute to work21.9 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree39.7%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home59.6%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line12.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Manchester?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $465 a month less.

Renting
$1,735
Owning
$2,200

Owning assumes a typical $317,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $31,700 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Manchester, VA?

Renting in Manchester costs a median of about $1,735 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Virginia median is $2,049.

How much do I need to make to live in Manchester?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $69,400 a year, or $33 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Manchester cheap or expensive?

Manchester is rated OK: rent takes 24.0% of the typical household income of $86,599. It ranks 65th cheapest of 199 Virginia cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Manchester?

The median homeowner in Manchester pays $2,340 a year in property taxes, about 0.74% of the median home value.

Is Manchester more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Virginia are 1% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Manchester?

The median home value in Manchester is $317,000, about 3.7 times the typical yearly household income.

12,445 people live in Manchester. Numbers are typical (middle) values.