A centrally-located city home to the Bonnaroo Festival
In June, tens of thousands of out-of-towners flood the small city of Manchester, Tennessee, for the Bonnaroo Musical Festival. It's four days of rock, reggae and Americana at the Great Stage Park, and past acts have included A-listers like Elton John, Bob Dylan and Radiohead. The event brings in millions of dollars to Manchester's economy each year; motels fill, and visitors stock up on essentials at the local Walmart. For the vast majority of the year, however, just 10,000 individuals call Manchester home and it's still the type of place where people know one another by name. "It's a very friendly town," says Dana Dillinger of Re/Max 1st Realty, who's been a resident for over 30 years. "When you go to Walmart, it's like a little reunion. There's no quick trip to the grocery store here because you're going to run into someone." Interstate 24 connects the city to Nashville, just 65 miles away, and Chattanooga] is 70 miles away; Dillinger says Manchester's "central" location has also contributed to its popularity. It's a midway point, a quiet country escape for the vast majority of the year and — over the span of a few days in June — a bustling hub of entertainment. "It's a great place to live, raise a family and work," says Dillinger.
Manchester is the county seat of Coffee County with a growing population of over 12,000 people.
Thousands of people flock to Manchester to camp and listen to music at the Bonnaroo Musical Festival.
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Housing prices still below the national median
According to Dillinger, "We have a lot of transplants that are still coming in from other states," and new housing developments have sprung up to accommodate. Throughout Manchester, prospective buyers will find a mix of modest, midcentury options on compact lots, with new construction options on the city's outer edges. Prices start around $200,000 for older homes and can reach upwards of $400,000 for post-2000s builds, many of which feature two-car garages and yard spaces for backyard trampolines. As is consistent with national trends, sale prices in Manchester are on the rise; the median cost of a single-family home now hovers around $340,000, which is still significantly less than the national median of $420,000.
Midcentury ranch homes are one of the most prominent style of homes in Manchester.
Newer home developments in Manchester have larger homes with two car garages.
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Mom-and-pops, breweries and big-box retail
Shopping and dining are spread out across the city and range from century-old businesses along Main Street in Manchester's downtown to the big-box retailers and fast-food chains along Hillsboro Boulevard. The Walmart Supercenter near Bonnaroo gets especially crowded during festival season, and Dillinger says it's not uncommon to spot musicians wandering the aisles themselves or dining out at O'Charley's. Restaurants here represent a variety of cuisines; there are sushi dives, taco joints and American comfort foods smothered in gravy. Dillinger also highlights mom-and-pop options like Jiffy Burger, a generational staple, and Common John Brewing Co. is especially busy on karaoke and trivia nights. On Saturdays from May through October, locals can shop for fresh produce at the Coffee County Farmers Market.
Jiffy Burger has been serving fresh made burgers to Manchester locals since 1965.
Manchester residents can visit the Coffee County Farmers Market every Saturday from May to October.
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Access to Interstate 24 and a new industrial mega-site
Core to Manchester's appeal is its location. "It's a good central hub about an hour from Nashville, approximately. And an hour to Chattanooga," says Dillinger. Although public transportation is limited, Interstate 24 makes for easy commutes. Most residents book commercial flights from international airports in larger cities, and medical care is readily accessible at Unity Medical Center on Interstate Drive. Although the population swells to nearly 10 times its typical size during Bonnaroo, the festival's organizers have taken care to prevent congestion in town. "You almost wouldn't know it's happening unless you stop by the Walmart," says Dillinger, adding, "Live Nation took over a few years ago and basically streamlined everything." The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development's recent purchase of a 2,000-acre industrial mega-site off of I-24 will result in more growth; new housing developments and shopping centers are in the works, according to Dillinger, and she also highlights "new hotels going in all over Manchester." The Arnold Airforce Base and Arnold Engineering Development Complex, or the AEDC, also employs thousands in the area.
Crime data and community organizations
"There's a lot of community service that people volunteer and help with," says Dillinger, highlighting Manchester's small-town feel. "We have a local food pantry and plenty of community services like Blue Monarch that help women and children, specifically," she says. The city's crime rates have declined dramatically within the last decade or so, dropping by more than a third between 2015 and 2023.
Public parks, river walks and archaeological sites
Manchester is also known for its outdoor recreation options, like the softball fields and playground in Dave King Park to the picnic area along the Little Duck River Greenway. "We've also got the Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park, and it's got a 2,000-year-old wall that goes around it," says Dillinger. Visitors can explore the site's hiking paths, take part in guided kayaking trips along the Duck River or learn about Native American history from park rangers. Not too far outside the city, there are also opportunities for caving at the Cumberland Caverns. "We get all the seasons here, so we're not always covered in snow or boiling in heat," says Dillinger. In the summertime, kids can splash in the rec center's outdoor pool, make the transition to laps inside when the weather gets chilly, or use the racquetball courts and gym equipment.
Visitors to the Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park can gaze upon the beautiful waterfalls on the Duck River in Manchester.
The Little Duck River Greenway is the perfect place to take a stroll and enjoy the river in Manchester.
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Manchester City Schools and Coffee County in high school
The Manchester City School District, which has an overall B grade from Niche, is home to three schools: College Street Elementary, Westwood Elementary and Westwood Middle. In ninth grade, students travel outside the district to Coffee County Central High School, which also earns a B. There are more learning opportunities at the city's public library, which has book clubs, sensory story times and STEM Workshops.
Coffee County High School enrolls around 1,200 students every year in Manchester.
College Street Elementary School enrolls over 500 students every year in Manchester.
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Written By
Sara Caskey
Photography Contributed By
Chase Brock
Video By
Jason Jacot
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
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