The Town FilesManchester, Wisconsin
Town in Jackson County · population 825 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $232,400
- Household income
- $74,643
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 54.0
Manchester is a town of 825 people in Jackson County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $232,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for young professionals than 75% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 73% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 73% of Wisconsin towns.
How Manchester ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Manchester is worth $232,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $74,643, which is more affordable than 55% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $873 a month. 87.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Manchester | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $232,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $873 | $951 |
| Median household income | $74,643 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 87.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 20.7% | — |
Who lives in Manchester
| People | Manchester | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.0 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 18.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 27.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Manchester
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 5.6°F. About 35.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.2 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 8, 1988 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 20, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 14, 2026.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 7,758 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,504 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Manchester itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Towns near Manchester
- Brockway, WI5.7 mi · 3,035 people · home $159,000
- Black River Falls, WI7.1 mi · 3,523 people · home $171,800
- Little Falls, WI8.9 mi · 1,509 people · home $231,800
- Irving, WI9.2 mi · 853 people · home $323,500
- Adams, WI10.5 mi · 1,389 people · home $247,400
- Albion, WI11.0 mi · 1,197 people · home $238,900
- Melrose, WI12.0 mi · 544 people · home $151,600
- Komensky, WI13.7 mi · 505 people · home $140,600
Manchester questions
Is Manchester, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Manchester scores better for retirees than 46% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 50%. 28.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.0).
How much does a house cost in Manchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Manchester is valued at $232,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,643, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $873 a month.
What is the weather like in Manchester?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 5.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.6 inches of precipitation a year and 41.2 inches of snow.
Does Manchester get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 8, 1988. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)