The Town FilesManchester, New Jersey
Township in Ocean County · population 45,115 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $219,100
- Household income
- $56,885
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 64.2
Manchester is a township of 45,115 people in Ocean County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $219,100, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of New Jersey towns, easier by car than 80% of New Jersey towns, quieter than 75% of New Jersey towns.
How Manchester ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Manchester is worth $219,100, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $56,885, which is more affordable than 46% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,477 a month. 86.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Manchester | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $219,100 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,477 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $56,885 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.7% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Manchester
| People | Manchester | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 64.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 48.1% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 11.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.8% | — |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 33.3 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Manchester
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 52.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 29, 1982 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 10, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Ocean County since 1996
Ocean County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 24, 2025 | Fire | FM-5581: Jones Road Fire |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| April 28, 2021 | Snowstorm | DR-4597: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Ocean County
Ocean County had 189,912 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,452 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Manchester itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Manchester
5 public schools with 2,878 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Township High School | 9-12 | 943 | 11.0 |
| Manchester Township Middle School | 6-8 | 614 | 10.1 |
| Manchester Township Elementary School | PK-5 | 555 | 11.3 |
| Ridgeway Elementary School | PK-5 | 491 | 10.2 |
| Whiting Elementary School | PK-5 | 275 | 10.2 |
Towns near Manchester
- Crestwood Village, NJ1.3 mi · 8,426 people · home $96,500
- Pine Ridge at Crestwood, NJ3.3 mi · 2,537 people · home $135,900
- Lakehurst, NJ4.6 mi · 2,636 people · home $248,400
- Holiday City-Berkeley, NJ5.1 mi · 12,943 people · home $266,200
- Leisure Knoll, NJ6.0 mi · 2,562 people · home $313,700
- Leisure Village West, NJ6.0 mi · 3,692 people · home $222,600
- Pine Lake Park, NJ6.8 mi · 8,913 people · home $414,700
- Holiday City South, NJ7.3 mi · 4,124 people · home $266,700
Manchester questions
Is Manchester, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Manchester scores better for retirees than 71% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 75%. 48.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 64.2).
How much does a house cost in Manchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Manchester is valued at $219,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,885, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,477 a month.
What is the weather like in Manchester?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.0 inches of precipitation a year and 24.0 inches of snow.
Does Manchester get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 29, 1982. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- 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)