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Jackson Township vs Manhattan Township

Next-door neighbors in Will County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (10.5× in Jackson Township) and growth since 2010 (+30.3 pts in Manhattan Township).

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Jackson Township, ILAn outdoors townWill County · 3,875 people
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Manhattan Township, ILKnown for its schoolsWill County · 12,424 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Manhattan Township places higher on 13 of 20 IL lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $720 more a month in Manhattan Township

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Jackson Township$1,850/mo
Typical home $272K (Census) · tax rate 1.87% · or rent about $1,481/mo · Housing →
Manhattan Township$2,570/mo
Typical home $347K (Census) · tax rate 2.60% · or rent about $1,213/mo · Housing →

The difference: $720 a month, about $8,700 a year, between Manhattan Township and Jackson Township.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

Jackson Township and Manhattan Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Jackson TownshipManhattan TownshipJackson TownshipManhattan Township
Jackson Township ↔ Manhattan Township6.3 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Jackson TownshipManhattan Township
Snow a year17″17″
January low17°F17°F
July high84°F84°F
Growing season (days)188d188d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th48th
Outdoors & history
Jackson TownshipManhattan Township
Trails9 mi2 mi
Conserved land25%3.8%
Settled—1886
Archive photos34
Famous people born here—1
Community
Jackson TownshipManhattan Township
Library hours a week—47 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Jackson TownshipManhattan Township
People
Population 3,875Lowest 12,424Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.9%Lowest +25.4%Highest
Median age 44.5±5.2Highest 14% above IL 33±1.6Lowest 15% below IL
Kids under 18 17.4%±3.4Lowest IL: 21.8% 29%±3.9Highest IL: 21.8%
Age 65+ 17.7%±3.1Highest IL: 17% 9.4%±2.1Lowest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20%Lowest IL: 37.8% 33.5%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.2%±1.3Lowest IL: 6.3% 4.5%±1.7Highest IL: 6.3%
Manhattan Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $104,292±$21kLowest 25% above IL $129,207±$8kHighest 55% above IL
Manhattan Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $271,500±$15kLowest 3% above IL $346,800±$23kHighest 32% above IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,481±$814Highest 16% above IL $1,213±$253Lowest 5% below IL
Jackson Township and Manhattan Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,079Lowest 4% below IL $9,029Highest 70% above IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 24.2%±25.6Lowest IL: 47.9% 54.9%±22.9Highest IL: 47.9%
Manhattan Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.7%Highest IL: 11.8% 4%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86.1%Lowest IL: 67.1% 89.8%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1990Lowest 19 yrs newer than IL 2003Highest 32 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 8% above IL 37 minHighest 34% above IL
Work from home 9.4%±4.2Lowest IL: 15.9% 11.6%±3.3Highest IL: 15.9%
Manhattan Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.5%Lowest 5.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 17.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.00Highest 0.19Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Joliet (16%)Chicago (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Manhattan TownshipFew work in Jackson Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 25%Highest 3.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 9.2 miHighest 2.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 7.4Lowest 10.5Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #33 of 384 in IL#97 of 384 in IL
School district Elwood CCSD 203Manhattan SD 114
High school in town None in townNone in town
Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Jackson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson Township’s Town Square.

Manhattan Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Manhattan Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Jackson Township

Towns like Jackson Township

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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