Manchester

Along Princeton Street in the Manchester neighborhood of Bowers, a line of mighty maple trees guards the front yards of traditional New England colonials. “We used to call it ‘Pill Hill’ after the doctors who lived there and worked at Manchester Memorial Hospital,” says Vincent Diana, a broker with William Raveis Real Estate. “Classic, medium-priced homes close to work draw people to Bowers,” he says. Interstates 84 and 91 do, too, says Realtor and broker/owner Kim Dodge of Get Real Today. “I do business in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and Bowers gives you easy access to both.” Within walking distance of schools, a hospital, shopping centers and recreation, Bowers offers quality suburban living without the hefty price tag. Most homes in Bowers were built between 1930 and 1970. Capes are well represented, some with dormers and some without. Colonials represent much of the housing stock, with some Dutch examples offering higher square footage and huge decks out back. Ranches, too, are available, often with bay windows and finished basements. “There’s a classic, old-world charm to the homes in Bowers,” Diana says. “All have character, and no two are alike.” Single-family homes list for between $225,000 and $375,000, and a small number of condos are priced from $150,000 to $175,000. “This is a great community for first-time homebuyers or anyone looking to downscale,” Dodge says. “People who don’t want to live in the city or mind a home next to neighbors will be happy here.” Schools that serve the neighborhood include Bowers School, a K-4 elementary that received a B-minus from Niche. For fifth and sixth grades, Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy, a C school, is south of the neighborhood and offers unified programs in art, music, physician education and computer science. Illing Middle, a 7-8 school, scored a C-plus and offers several sports programs. Students finish at Manchester High, a B-minus school with specialized academies for medical careers, performing arts, public service and more. “Most schools are within walking distance of homes and the Manchester Police Station,” Diana says. “Because the neighborhood is on the same power line as the police and Manchester Memorial Hospital, it rarely loses power during storms.” CT Transit offers several bus routes that run through Bowers. Plans are also being worked on to create new bike lanes that lead to downtown. Middle Turnpike West to Interstate 84 takes drivers directly into Hartford, a 10-mile trip, where they can also catch Amtrak trains. Hartford-Brainard Airport is accessible using the Wilbur Cross Highway. Because Bowers is exclusively residential, residents often visit local schools or adjacent parks for recreation. “The elementary school has a baseball field and a playground,” Diana says. “You’ll also find a soccer/football field and a running track at the high school. They play cricket there, too.” Hikers can pick up the Cheney Rail Trail, a multi-use trail created from a former railroad line, off Hilliard Street and walk or bike it to Center Springs Park, a large recreational area with a lake used for ice skating, a fishing pier, a disc golf course and walking paths. “Center Springs has a nice hill for sledding,” Diana says, “and it’s right next to Downtown Manchester.” For a bite to eat, locals can head to The Main Pub for its happy hour, burgers or upscale mains. This family-owned business also features trivia on Thursdays and live music on select weeknights and weekends. Farther down Main, residents can stroll Downtown Manchester and enjoy its public murals, art benches and galleries. Here, young musicians can buy their first instruments at Beller’s Music, which has been in business for 70 years. Stop and Shop is the closest major grocery store in Manchester Parkade Shopping Center. For everything else, the Buckland Shopping District on the far side of Interstate 84 features popular retail chains, including Target and Macy’s. About a mile down Main Street, Downtown Manchester hosts dozens of events, such as the MACC Farmers Market on Saturday mornings from July to October. Cruisin’ on Main is the town’s antique car show held in August, bringing together over 1,000 vehicles. The Manchester Road Race is held on Thanksgiving Day and attracts over 15,000 registered runners and walkers. Manchester Memorial Hospital, a 249-bed acute-care community hospital, sits one block outside Bowers and provides comprehensive family-focused care, from cardiac emergencies and strokes to broken bones and sudden illness. Hartford Hospital is 10 miles west on Interstate 84 and has been rated as the No. 1 hospital in the Hartford Metro Area and among the best hospitals in Connecticut. Part of the same medical campus, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is one of only two freestanding children’s hospitals in New England exclusively dedicated to children.

Buckley acts as the border between Manchester and neighboring towns Bolton and Vernon. The eastern portion of the neighborhood is residential, while the western portion is mostly forests and farmland. "It's the heart of Manchester's agricultural area," says Suzy Couture of Executive Real Estate Inc. "There are community farms in the area that have goat yoga, and you can pet animals there." Roads bend and weave through the neighborhood and under the cover of trees. Buckley also offers proximity to community events within Manchester, such as Independence Day celebrations and more everyday occurrences like swim lessons. Buckley also has a crime score of 2 from the CAP Index, lower than the national average of 4. While mostly filled with single-family residences, there are some townhomes and condominiums, beginning around $155,000 and reaching about $250,000. Homes often have large front and backyards, with large mature trees filling out the backyard. "In-between clusters of houses, you have open space—rivers, reserves, trails and trees,” Couture said. “It's great if you're not looking to live in the middle of Manchester and you're looking for a bit of elbow room." The neighborhood was built throughout the years, leading to a variety of housing styles scattered throughout. Ranch, Cape Cod, bi-level, split levels and Colonial Revivals can cost between $185,000 and $400,000. While new construction does happen in the area, it’s not as common. New Traditional homes range between $340,000 and $750,000. Children begin at Buckley Elementary for kindergarten through fourth grade. Buckley Elementary receives a B-minus from Niche. Students then attend the Elizabeth M. Bennet Academy for fifth and sixth grade before moving to Arthur H. Illing Middle for seventh and eighth grade. Bennet Academy earns a C while Illing Middle earns a C-plus from Niche. Manchester High, with a B, offers Advanced Placement and honors courses. Students can also participate in the UCONN Early College Experience to earn dual credits. There is one bus, 88, that loops through the neighborhood before returning east to Hartford. While Buckley is not bordered by interstates, I-84 and I-384 do parallel each other to the north and south, respectively. Route 44 acts as the southern border of Buckley, crossing the entirety of Connecticut. Most of the restaurants within Buckley sit on Middle Turnpike East, in the south of the neighborhood. Woodbridge Pizza Manchester sits on the corner of Middle Turnpike East and Woodbridge Street and sells New York-style pizza in a converted building. The Shady Glen Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor serves cheeseburgers and only accepts cash, although an ATM is on site. For groceries, a Big Y World Class Market is about a mile north while Stop & Shop is about 2 miles further. The Kennedy Road Soccer Complex consists of four soccer fields of varying size. The Salters Pool has two outdoor pools and is adjacent to the Salters Pond, where residents can fish. Meadowbrook Play Area has a sprawling greenspace occasionally dotted with trees as well as a smaller play area closer to Meadowbrook Drive. The Hop River State Park trail begins in Buckley before continuing more than 20 miles along the Hop River. During the spring, the Manchester Lions Club hosts a Fishing Derby for those 14 and under. Stumpy’s Hatchet House has axe throwing, with Friday and Saturday nights after 7 p.m. exclusively for those 18 and older. Aussakita Acres Farm is an event-only farm open from April to December, with goat yoga and educational farm tours to learn more about the animals.

Center lies in the midst of Manchester in Connecticut, serving as part of the heart of the area and home to a major shopping center, park and hospital within minutes of its residential area. With a pair of streets lined with local and national restaurant chains, this small area provides its residents with convenience in a neighborhood just about two miles wide. “There’s great park access, great highway access and a thriving downtown,” says Scott Hollister, owner and operator of David Wesley Real Estate LLC. “You’ve got great walkability, great trails and a bunch of historic buildings that have been around for hundreds of years. There’s a lot.” To add to the allure of the area, Manchester was designated as a “cultural district” in early 2024 to recognize its vibrant arts scene. Properties are situated along gridded and interlocking streets in Center, many on long, narrow lots. Cape Cod is the predominant architectural style here, though colonials and ranch homes are also found in the neighborhood. Exteriors vary between siding and brick, and backyard space can allow for installation of a pool or for grilling out during the summer with neighbors. “There’s older colonials and starter ranches,” Hollister says. “There’s a few subdivisions. I’d say it’s a good mixture, there’s a decent mix of two-and three-family houses. The homes are definitely older housing stock, but have a lot of character with the front porches, typically with tall ceilings, hardwood floors and hardwood trim.” Prices usually range between $200,000 and $350,000 for single-family homes, and the typically well-maintained properties mostly date to before 1950. Enrollment for students can begin a few minutes north of the Center neighborhood at the Bowers School. Rated a B-minus by Niche, it serves kindergarten through fourth grade, while Elisabeth M. Bennett Academy is the site of fifth and sixth grades and scores a C with Niche. Seventh and eighth-grade education can be found at Illing Middle School, given a C-plus, and Manchester High School earns a B grade. It enrolls grades nine through 12 and Niche ranks it as the most diverse public high school statewide, and sports offered to students include baseball, softball and tennis. Convenience is one of the district’s primary aspects, as all four schools are located within a span of just over two miles. Center Springs Park lies close to the middle of the neighborhood, bisected by the flowing Bigelow Brook and with a large pond lying at its western end. Via a long pier, anglers can try their luck at hooking a fish beneath the waters, or residents can stay closer to dry land and hike the trail looping around the park. Visitors can also play disc golf at Center Springs or trek to the northeastern end of the park to relax with the peaceful trickle of a waterfall. “As far as amenities, the Rails-to-Trails is a huge, huge feature,” Hollister says. “It’s probably one of my favorite things. The greenway has some paved sections along the highway, which is really nice. The town has a bunch of recreation fields.” The Cheney Rail Trail snakes vertically through the western half of Center, in part following portions of the South Manchester Railroad, and visitors can expend energy while walking in the footsteps of history. Smaller green spaces, like Center Memorial Park to the south and Trooper Russell A. Bagshaw Memorial Field, are also in the region. The Manchester Parkade Shopping Center comprises the neighborhood’s northwestern corner, where residents can get a meal at Anthony’s Jamaican, a chocolatey treat at Divine Treasures or groceries at a Stop & Shop supermarket location. Ganymead also sits within the mall, its moniker inspired by the largest moon in the solar system. “As far as eateries, you have a couple great coffee shops in Pinewood and downtown,” Hollister says. “You have Geno Auriemma’s restaurant, which is phenomenal, and my office is basically right next door to that. There’s some smaller pizza shops and there’s the Urban Lodge, which is an awesome brewery on Main Street.” Auriemma is the UConn women’s basketball head coach and an 11-time NCAA champion, and his Café Aura offers Italian fare, wines and more. Close to Café Aura, Randy’s Wooster Street Pizza serves up food in an atmosphere complete with décor themed towards Hot Wheels with diecast models and monster truck tires. Close by, Broad Street offers dining options like Pho 99 and CJ’s Pizza and Giant Grinders, and along Main Street sit the Main Pub, the 360 Juteuse Fruit Bar and more options farther south. “The biggest thing with Main Street is the walkability,” Hollister says. “You have your ice cream shops and you can get dinner or lunch and can go for bike rides.” Locals can catch the latest blockbusters and movie releases at Parkade Cinemas & Entertainment, fronted by industry-influenced murals like the original six Avengers surrounding an Academy Award. Within, it doesn’t just show films, but also plays host to live comedy and magic acts. Residents can also clamber over challenging walls at the Stone Age Rock Gym, and kids can take part in programs and showcases at the CAST Children’s Theatre. “Mary Cheney Library has outdoor games and music festivals,” Hollister says. “We also have the largest road race on the East Coast outside of the Boston Marathon, and it’s one of the best Thanksgiving Day road races. There’s a lot of history with Main Street.” The Manchester Road Race is held every Thanksgiving Day, and the footrace spanning just under five miles was first held in 1927. The downtown area of state capital Hartford is only about 10 miles west, and a portion of Route 44 makes up the southern boundary of Center and goes beyond Connecticut in both eastern and western directions. Via Route 44, motorists can reach an interchange with Interstate 84 and reach New York, Pennsylvania or Massachusetts from that highway. To the south, Interstate 384 is exclusive to Connecticut and connects Hartford to Bolton. “You can take the 384 to Glastonbury and Hartford relatively fast, or even the back roads to Glastonbury,” Hollister says. “Realistically, you could pretty much get anywhere in Manchester to anything you need.” CT Transit operates buses along many of the neighborhood’s busy streets. Manchester Memorial Hospital is situated in the neighborhood’s central northern region, convenient to residents in need of medical care.

Once hailed as the Silk City for its large fabric manufacturing industry, today, Manchester’s compact downtown is packed with coffee shops and small businesses. In the East Side neighborhood, residents are steps away from these businesses, allowing them to enjoy a leisurely meal with friends or a walk to the park. With access to Interstate 384 and U.S. Route 44, the community is also appealing to commuters. Tall oak and maple trees shade the area’s sidewalks, and homes from the 1900s comprise the majority of the housing stock. East Side residents have several scenic parks within a short walk. Charter Oak Park’s playground is a favorite for children and families. Just north of the community is Center Springs Park, which offers miles of walking trails, a disc golf course and spots for fishing. Wilson says the hiking trails at Case Mountain may afford views of local wildlife. The trails begin about 1 mile from the East Side — hikers can pass waterfalls and wind their way to the summit or around Case Pond. In addition to outdoor recreational opportunities, local kids can enjoy the Lutz Children’s Museum and CAST Children's Theater, which are both around 1 mile from neighborhood homes. Kids can perform in CAST Theater plays, participate in their summer programs or enjoy watching other young people perform. Along Main Street, residents can find several coffee shops and small businesses. They can stop by The Firestone to paint pottery or grab a cold-brew coffee. “Mulberry Pizza has a good bar and sit-down area with thin-crust pizzas and several great salads,” Wilson says. Just a few blocks from the East Side is Café Aura, offering Italian-style menu options such as pappardelle porcini and grilled octopus. Market on Main carries a little of everything, including produce, wrapping paper and dog food, and locally owned Highland Park Market is less than 1 mile east. Wilson says that the Buckland Hills area, about 4 miles from the neighborhood, is a popular spot for finding all other needs. There’s a Whole Foods, Best Buy and an indoor shopping mall. Within the East Side, buyers will find housing options from the late 1800s through the 1900s. American Foursquares, farmhouses and colonial revival-style residences are prevalent. Many homes feature large front porches and raised grassy lawns. Depending on the size and condition, listings range between $200,000 and $400,000. The town of Manchester has several annual events that bring the community together. “There is a road race on Turkey Day — it’s the best day of the year,” says Daniel Wilson, owner and broker of the Wilson Company of CT, who has worked in the Manchester community for more than 40 years. “It brings about 10,000 to 15,000 people to town, and there are bands and food. It’s a lot of fun because people who used to live here come back as well.” In May, locals celebrate the return of warm weather with the Spring Butterfly Stroll. There is also a yearly Holiday on Main festival in late November. Students in the East Side are part of Manchester Public Schools, which has a B rating on Niche. The area's youngest learners start their journey at Highland Park Elementary School, which has a C-plus rating and a student-teacher ratio of 11-to-1. Illing Middle School also earns a C-plus; it offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including boys' and girls’ basketball, chamber orchestra and drama. Students finish their secondary academic journey at Manchester High School, which has a B rating. Manchester learners can take dual-enrollment courses through local colleges such as the University of Connecticut (UCONN) and Manchester Community College. Parents can also find several private schools nearby, including The Cornerstone Christian School, which is about 1 mile north of the East Side. Interstate 384 passes the community, allowing for a smooth commute for those who need to get to work in downtown Hartford, less than 10 miles away. Locals can also take CTtransit buses, which make stops along Main Street, to get around the Hartford metropolitan area. Within the town of Manchester, there are several manufacturing jobs. “Some people who used to commute to Hartford or other cities began working from home during Covid and found out that they prefer it,” Wilson says. The Manchester Memorial Hospital, about 1 mile north of the neighborhood, provides close emergency care and is another major employer. The closest major airport is Bradley International Airport, around 20 miles from Manchester’s East Side. As with any community, there are potential concerns. Locals may hear highway noise from the interstate, especially during rush hour. In the town of Manchester, there was a Superfund site for the Klock Machine Company, around 4 miles from East Side, but the state of Connecticut has taken over the responsibility of monitoring and cleaning up the site. In addition, some properties within the community are at a higher risk of flooding, which may require additional flood insurance.

Highland Park straddles the southeast edge of Manchester, providing residents with easy access to both the bustling Interstate 384 and approximately 10 miles of trails meandering through the scenic Case Mountain Recreational Area. Homes on the northwest side of the neighborhood tend to be a short walk or drive from Manchester’s downtown, while the remainder boast larger lots and more of a pastoral feel. “It's a great neighborhood. It’s a walkable neighborhood that's a little more upscale,” says Vincent Diana, an Associate Broker who has been selling properties with William Raveis Real Estate for over 30 years. “Two of the ex-mayors of Manchester live in Highland Park.” Homes on the northwest corner of the neighborhood sit together on gridded streets and one-third lots, with sidewalks rolling by. Homes south of Interstate 384 tend to offer more interior space and larger lots, but residents are more car dependent. Detached homes tend to follow Cape Cod, Colonial Revival, ranch-style and raised ranch-style designs, with construction dates ranging from the 1920s to the 1990s. Prices tend to range from $250,000 to $550,000. Condos can be found on the west side of Highland Park and tend to sell between $200,000 and $250,000. Kindergarten through fourth grade students can attend Highland Park Elementary, which boasts an active PTA and a recently renovated campus. “It’s a really good school, and everyone wants to be there,” Diana says. Students can move up to Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy for fifth and sixth grade and Illing Middle for seventh and eighth. They can wrap up at Manchester High, which offers over 40 active clubs including Black Student Union, fashion club and robotics. Highland Park Elementary and Illing Middle schools have C-plus grades from Niche, while Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy has a C, and Manchester High, a B. Residents living on the northwest corner of Highland Park can walk to the restaurants and shops in downtown Manchester, less than a mile west. Interstate 384 runs through the neighborhood and connects to Interstates 84 and 291, as well as U.S. Highways 6 and 44. CT Transit bus line 88 serves East Center St., but it doesn’t enter any of Highland Park’s subdivisions. Downtown Hartford is approximately 12 miles to the west. Manchester Memorial Hospital is within a 3-mile drive of most residences. Though it may look like an ordinary brick building from the outside, Shady Glen Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor transports customers to the diners of the ‘50s, featuring a nostalgically decorated interior and a menu full of American classics. Customers rave over Shady Glen’s homemade ice cream and “winged” cheeseburgers, topped with slices of fried cheese which bend much like wings. More eating options, like Randy’s Wooster Street Pizza, can be found along East Center St. and Connecticut Route 83. For errands, a Stop & Shop can be found in Manchester’s Center neighborhood while The Shoppes at Buckland Hill, a mall, and various big-box stores such as Walmart are just north of Interstate 84. But residents don’t have to run far for grocery runs, many opting to stop at a local chain of the same name as the neighborhood. “Highland Park Market is a specialty grocery store that draws people in,” says Richard Yaconiello, Realtor with Cornerstone Real Estate who has sold houses across Manchester for 18 years. “They have a lot of specialty products like produce grown by local farmers, but you’ll find other things too.” Other products include baked goods, pizzas and sushi. There’s no shortage of parks in Highland Park. Case Mountain Recreational Area welcomes hikers to explore 10 miles of interconnected trails and offers stellar views of the surrounding countryside. “Case Mountain is really cool, you climb up to the top and you have this outrageous view,” Diana says. “You look out, and you can see into Massachusetts.” The park is iconic for its five-arched bridge which stretches over a waterfall. More trails can be found just to the north by Porter Reservoir. Charter Oak Park invites children to climb on playgrounds and play instruments at the park’s “music garden.” The park also provides access to the Charter Oak Greenway, which follows the meandering Hop Brook. Other recreational attractions include the Lutz Children’s Museum, the Manchester Dog Park and Manchester Country Club, which offers 18 holes of golf. Manchester’s Neighborhoods and Families Division puts on various family-friendly events throughout the year such as a Juneteenth celebration and a weekly farmers market. The town is also well-known for its Manchester Road Race, a 4.8-mile run each Thanksgiving morning where proceeds go to fund muscular dystrophy research.

Keeney, a quiet community in southern Manchester, is home to forests, land trusts and preserves. The neighborhood is something of a gateway to the kind of landscapes found in the more rural parts of Connecticut. As such, the area is appealing for homebuyers looking for more space, peace and quiet. Keeney is located about 10 miles from Hartford, providing residents with a homey respite, though with city amenities nearby with convenient access to Interstate 84. There's plenty to do without leaving the area, though, as there are various local dining options and outdoor parks around. “It’s a cute and charming part of town,” says Donna Connolly, a Real Estate Broker with ERA Blanchard & Rossetto with over 30 years of experience who was born and raised in Manchester. “It’s close to hiking trails, parks and golf courses. There’s a lot to do, as well, like the Manchester Road Race, which is a pretty big event for the town. It’s also pretty close to Hartford, which is convenient for commuters.” Homes in Keeney benefit from the area's secluded suburban environment. Properties tend to have more land and square footage than other areas in Manchester. Prices range from around $300,000 to $600,000, and in Keeney, you'll generally start with a quarter acre of land, and it only goes up from there. The neighborhood tends to have Cape Cod and ranch-style homes available for sale, and many properties butt up against the area's forests. Students in Keeney are part of Manchester Public Schools, which has a B rating on Niche, is known for its clubs, activities, teachers and college prep, and has an average student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1. The area's youngest learners might start their journey at Martin Elementary School, which has a B-minus rating on Niche and is known for its excellent teachers and has a student-teacher ratio of 9-to-1. Illing Middle School is popular for its clubs and sports, including boys and girls basketball, cheerleading, chamber orchestra, and drama. Students might finish their academic journey at Manchester High School, which has a B-plus rating on Niche and is known for its successful college prep, along with its teachers, clubs, and activities. The Red Hawks have popular basketball, football and soccer teams, and it's common to see residents come out on game night to show support. You can venture out of Keeney and cross I-384 to eat at some of Manchester's popular restaurants. Locals love Cosmic Omelet for breakfast food. This community staple serves out-of-this-world egg-centric dishes and hearty sandwiches for lunch. The restaurant's interior is creative and quirky, and the first detail that gives away the restaurant's character, other than its name, is the message written on the host booth: "Follow the Yellow Brick Road." A painted yellow brick road along the floor leads diners to a small arcade room, and past that space, you'll find an art gallery full of works by local artists. The dining area suggests a classic diner, with metal stools lining the counter and dark green leather booths throughout the area. For a welcoming environment, creative atmosphere, and creative egg-based dishes, The Cosmic Omelet has Keeney locals covered. Keeney's environment means you'll have plenty of spots to relax in nature, like the Botti Farm Pavilion, maintained by The Manchester Conservation Land Trust, a local nonprofit. This 62-acre expanse of nature is one of Keeney's crown jewels. Threaded with trails and populated by all manner of wildlife, the Botti Farm Pavilion is a true treat for Keeney residents who enjoy nature. Life in Manchester often looks like relaxing mornings on the porch, listening to birds and enjoying the forests so common in the neighborhood. For a homebuyer looking for a calm and secluded neighborhood with easy access to the interstate, quirky restaurants, and natural space, Keeney is an option worth considering.