In the curve where Interstate 84 meets Interstate 384 and Route 44, Spencer overlooks East Hartford from the west side of Manchester. Realtor Shayna McKenna, with the Lisa Campo Team at Raveis Real Estate and a lifelong Hartford local, says its convenient location is a big draw to homebuyers. “It’s easy to hop on the highways and get wherever you need to go. Plus, you’re close to several schools and all kinds of shopping,” she says.
Spencer
$164,062
Average Value
Familiar New England styles, from Cape Cods to Colonial Revivals
The homes lining these wide residential streets range from classic two-story New England Colonials and lower-profile Cape Cod cottages to brick apartment buildings and multi-story duplexes. Most feature driveways and some even have attached garages. The front lawns here are well-maintained and minimally landscaped with neatly trimmed shrubs and established oak and maple trees. At $109,000, the median sale price for a home here is a little lower than the median for Manchester, and significantly lower than the median for nearby Hartford. But properties in Spencer can range from $100,000 up to $380,000. “This area is less expensive than others, certainly. Especially as you go farther west, prices go up,” says McKenna, noting that Spencer’s proximity to the highways could be part of the reason homes here are priced so competitively. “It’s a positive in terms of convenience, but it can be seen as a negative in terms of noise and being so close to the commercial areas along them,” she says.
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From primary to post-secondary education right in Manchester
The Manchester Public Schools system serves students between preschool and 12th grade. Many go to Verplanck Elementary, Illing Middle and Manchester High. In 2023, Verplanck earned a C-plus grade from Niche and Illing earned a C. Manchester High, which earned the highest Niche grade of the three schools, earned a B-plus. Teens at Manchester can participate in a variety of academies and dual enrollment programs during their high school careers. The high school partners with three different colleges for its dual enrollment offerings: the University of Connecticut, Manchester Community College and Capital Community College. Manchester Community College is close to home, less than a mile south across Interstate 384. If students elect to go the academy route, they can choose from concentrations like education and public service, global studies or performing arts and communication.
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Go for a walk along the Laurel Marsh Trail or catch a soccer game
On Spencer’s north end just south of I-84, the 3.5-mile Laurel Marsh Trail loops around the grassy marshland on the banks of the Hockanum River and Hop Brook. The trail’s first three-quarter mile loop is stone dust and mown grass. The rest is packed dirt between boardwalk-style bridges. Daffodils bloom along parts of the trail in the spring and flowering pickleweed blooms purple in the summer. A little over half a mile south, across Thrall Road, there are sunny baseball diamonds and backstops at Leber Field. And a quarter of a mile farther south from the fields, next to Verplanck Elementary, the Olcott Street sprayground overlooks another small practice ball field. At the other end of the neighborhood, on the west side of the Manchester Community College campus, the Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex offers both sunny soccer fields and ropes course-style climbing structures.
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Find fresh produce close to home at Botticello Farms
Residents can stick close to home for groceries, with the Botticello Farms farm shop next door to the Veterans Memorial soccer fields, off Hillstown Road. The farmers market-style open-air shop offers seasonal, locally grown vegetables, as well as seasonal plants and décor from pumpkins to Christmas trees. Just half a mile north up Hillstown Road, across I-384, there’s also a ShopRite grocery store. In that same shopping center, there are also several gas stations, a veterinary clinic and several fast-food restaurants, including Wendy’s and McDonald’s.
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Written By
Megan Quintin
Photography Contributed By
Chris Mantz
Video By
Ruo Zheng
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Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Kadji Anderson
Kadji Anderson
Responds QuicklyBerkshire Hathaway NE Prop.
(959) 245-5194
143 Total Sales
1 in Spencer
$109,000 Price
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Cynthia Rabb
Cynthia Rabb
Responds QuicklyeXp Realty
(959) 335-6380
91 Total Sales
1 in Spencer
$170,000 Price
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Linda Muraski
Linda Muraski
Responds QuicklyCentury 21 Classic Homes
(959) 230-0818
78 Total Sales
1 in Spencer
$535,000 Price
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Michelle Lorenzetti
Michelle Lorenzetti
Responds QuicklyPremier Re Group LLC
(959) 777-5114
143 Total Sales
2 in Spencer
$109K - $119K Price Range
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Suzy Couture
Suzy Couture
Executive Real Estate Inc.
(860) 791-4767
280 Total Sales
1 in Spencer
$100,000 Price
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Pratima Swami
Pratima Swami
Coldwell Banker Realty
(860) 390-5904
34 Total Sales
4 in Spencer
$109K - $132K Price Range
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Parks in this Area
Wickham Park
Center Springs Park
Purdy Nature Park Bigelow Brook Loop
- Trails
- Hiking
Nicholas Foran Park
- Basketball
- Dog Park
- Picnic Area
Labor Field
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
Adams Mill Trail
- Trails
Trooper Russell A. Bagshaw Memorial Field
- Baseball/Softball
- Pool
- Playground
Transit
Reviews
Are you familiar with the Spencer neighborhood? to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes
250
Median Year Built
1969
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,331
Significantly below the national average
1,929
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,197
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
877
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
746
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
4,791
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Rent
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$1,400 - $1,895 per month
- Apex One91
- Studio - 2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 450+ Sq Ft
- 191 Spencer St
- Manchester, CT
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$2,130 - $2,325 per month
- Connect55+ Manchester Active 55+ Community
- 2 Beds
- 1.5 Baths
- 1,037 Sq Ft
- 140 Spencer St
- Manchester, CT
Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
2,544
Median Age
33
Population Density
3 ppl/acre
Population under 18
33.6%
Above the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
9.1%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$40,049
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$53,430
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
84.4%
College Graduates
40.7%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
6.4%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
63.2%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
42''
Average Winter Low Temperature
21°F
Average Summer High Temperature
84°F
Annual Snowfall
28''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
42
/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
46
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Verplanck
Small-town charm in a suburban setting on the edge of Hartford
Keeney
Roomy neighborhood with natural areas and characterful restaurants nearby
Waddell
Cozy Manchester suburb near highways and shopping
West Side
Small-town neighborhood with restaurants and craft breweries
Bowers
Classic Capes, colonials and ranches close to schools only 10 miles from Hartford
Center
Small Connecticut neighborhood with a park, shopping center and hospital
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