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Manhattan Township vs Jackson 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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Manhattan Township, ILKnown for its schoolsWill County · 12,424 people
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Jackson Township, ILAn outdoors townWill County · 3,875 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.

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

Manhattan Township and Jackson Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Manhattan TownshipJackson TownshipManhattan TownshipJackson Township
Manhattan Township ↔ Jackson 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
Manhattan TownshipJackson Township
Snow a year17″17″
January low17°F17°F
July high84°F84°F
Growing season (days)188d188d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th39th
Outdoors & history
Manhattan TownshipJackson Township
Trails2 mi9 mi
Conserved land3.8%25%
Settled1886—
Archive photos43
Famous people born here1—
Community
Manhattan TownshipJackson Township
Library hours a week47 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.

Manhattan TownshipJackson Township
People
Population 12,424Highest 3,875Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +25.4%Highest -4.9%Lowest
Median age 33±1.6Lowest 15% below IL 44.5±5.2Highest 14% above IL
Kids under 18 29%±3.9Highest IL: 21.8% 17.4%±3.4Lowest IL: 21.8%
Age 65+ 9.4%±2.1Lowest IL: 17% 17.7%±3.1Highest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.5%Highest IL: 37.8% 20%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±1.7Highest IL: 6.3% 2.2%±1.3Lowest 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 $129,207±$8kHighest 55% above IL $104,292±$21kLowest 25% 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 $346,800±$23kHighest 32% above IL $271,500±$15kLowest 3% above IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,213±$253Lowest 5% below IL $1,481±$814Highest 16% above 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 $9,029Highest 70% above IL $5,079Lowest 4% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.9%±22.9Highest IL: 47.9% 24.2%±25.6Lowest 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%Lowest IL: 11.8% 4.7%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 89.8%Highest IL: 67.1% 86.1%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 2003Highest 32 yrs newer than IL 1990Lowest 19 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 37 minHighest 34% above IL 30 minLowest 8% above IL
Work from home 11.6%±3.3Highest IL: 15.9% 9.4%±4.2Lowest 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 5.5%Highest 4.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miLowest 19.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.19Lowest 2.00Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (9%)Joliet (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Jackson TownshipFew work in Manhattan Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.8%Lowest 25%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 2.1 miLowest 9.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 10.5Highest 7.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #97 of 384 in IL#33 of 384 in IL
School district Manhattan SD 114Elwood CCSD 203
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.

Manhattan Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Manhattan Township’s Town Square.

Jackson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Manhattan Township

Towns like Manhattan 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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