The Town Files

Manchester, Pennsylvania

Township in Wayne County · population 785 (2020 Census)

Map: where Manchester is in PennsylvaniaManchester
Median home
$292,200
Household income
$68,333
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 82°
Snow a year
59 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
4
Median age
51.9

Manchester is a township of 785 people in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $292,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks quieter than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 70% of Pennsylvania towns.

How Manchester ranks

Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.

Manchester lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement70th pctFamilies66th pctQuiet99th pctWalkability2nd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals11th pctVibrancy2nd pctHip & trendy62nd pctCollege town7th pctUpscale36th pctVacation homes99th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit65th pctDriving61st pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Manchester is worth $292,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $68,333, which is more affordable than 5% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $778 a month. 81.4% of households own their home.

Manchester vs Wayne County vs typical Pennsylvania townManchesterWayne CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$292,200$242,100$214,250Household income$68,333$62,381$75,278Monthly rent$778$1,038$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingManchesterTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$292,200$214,250
Median rent$778$996
Median household income$68,333$75,278
Home value ÷ income4.3×2.8×
Homeownership81.4%81.5%
Median year built19821971
Seasonal / vacation homes44.9%—

Who lives in Manchester

PeopleManchesterTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age51.944.2
Age 65 and over29.1%21.1%
Under 1818.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher23.0%23.8%
Below the poverty line7.2%8.5%
Veterans8.3%—
Born outside the U.S.7.6%—
Work from home8.2%10.6%
Average commute28.6 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband83.9%89.0%

Weather in Manchester

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.3 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.

Manchester monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing33°15°Jan37°17°Feb46°24°Mar59°35°Apr71°45°May78°54°Jun82°59°Jul80°57°Aug74°49°Sep62°39°Oct49°29°Nov38°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.516.12.513.13.513.13.82.03.84.84.34.64.74.80.13.33.83.711.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Milanville station (11.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 27, 2024 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 27, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Manchester by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s11990s22000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on September 7, 1998.

Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996

Storm events in Wayne County since 1996 by typeHail49Flood10Tornado12High Wind23Lightning6Heavy Snow87Flash Flood58Winter Storm44
NOAA Storm Events Database, Wayne County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Wayne County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 11, 2024Tropical StormDR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
October 1, 2013Severe StormDR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy

Jobs and pay in Wayne County

Wayne County had 15,462 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,861 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Manchester itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.

Largest industries in Wayne CountyHealth care & social assistan…2,524 jobs · $56,962Retail2,192 jobs · $37,801Hotels & restaurants1,928 jobs · $30,512Construction1,192 jobs · $66,439Other services802 jobs · $34,736Manufacturing658 jobs · $51,611
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Wayne County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Wayne 3.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Manchester

Manchester questions

Is Manchester, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Manchester scores better for retirees than 70% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 99%. 29.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.9).

How much does a house cost in Manchester?

The median owner-occupied home in Manchester is valued at $292,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,333, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $778 a month.

What is the weather like in Manchester?

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 59.3 inches of snow.

Does Manchester get tornadoes?

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 27, 2024. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Manchester's Census boundary (GEOID 4212746856). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.