The Town FilesManhattan, Illinois
Village in Will County · population 9,385 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $332,600
- Household income
- $128,522
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 32.8
Manhattan is a village of 9,385 people in Will County, Illinois. The median home is worth $332,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 97% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 78% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 77% of Illinois towns.
How Manhattan ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Manhattan is worth $332,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $128,522, which is more affordable than 35% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,213 a month. 88.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Manhattan | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $332,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,213 | $960 |
| Median household income | $128,522 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 88.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 2005 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Manhattan
| People | Manhattan | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 37.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Manhattan
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 16.6°F. About 38.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.9 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manhattan since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on August 28, 1990 about 9.3 miles from the town center and killed 29. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 31 deaths and 451 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 23, 1961.
Severe weather in Will County since 1996
Will County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| November 26, 2013 | Tornado | DR-4157: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Will County
Will County had 263,673 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,570 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Manhattan itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Manhattan
3 public schools with 1,946 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Creek Elem Sch | PK-2 | 752 | 16.7 |
| Manhattan Jr High School | 6-8 | 603 | 15.9 |
| Anna McDonald Elem School | 3-5 | 591 | 16.9 |
Towns near Manhattan
- New Lenox, IL6.2 mi · 27,214 people · home $399,900
- Preston Heights, IL7.3 mi · 2,898 people · home $144,100
- Ingalls Park, IL7.5 mi · 3,460 people · home $157,800
- Frankfort, IL8.3 mi · 20,296 people · home $481,200
- Ridgewood, IL8.5 mi · 2,956 people · home $161,300
- Mokena, IL9.3 mi · 19,887 people · home $401,400
- Joliet, IL10.9 mi · 150,362 people · home $265,800
- Peotone, IL11.4 mi · 4,150 people · home $271,000
Manhattan questions
Is Manhattan, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Manhattan scores better for retirees than 16% of Illinois towns and quieter than 42%. 8.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).
How much does a house cost in Manhattan?
The median owner-occupied home in Manhattan is valued at $332,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $128,522, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,213 a month.
What is the weather like in Manhattan?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 16.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.0 inches of precipitation a year and 16.9 inches of snow.
Does Manhattan get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manhattan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on August 28, 1990. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- 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)