Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Manila gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $207K for a typical one, or 3.9 years of the Blytheville area’s $53K median household income. It grades C+ overall, 44th of 123 graded towns in Arkansas. The low prices come with trade-offs. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 88% of the country, and its police reported 23 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 82% of U.S. towns. Manila’s violent crime rate is 6.1 per 1,000 residents, against 3.6 in Arkansas’ towns and 1.6 across U.S. towns. Manila's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 94% of U.S. towns. Manila has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Herman Davis Memorial.
Where Manila beats most towns.
3,342 counted in 2010 and 3,682 in 2020; an estimated 3,773 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Manila is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 562 in 1910, 3,682 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1941 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Manila, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Manila.
Manila trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, looks healthier within Arkansas than nationally and has added a third more jobs in ten years.
1.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Manila City Park, at 22 acres.
| Manila | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.4% | 0.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Manila City Park | 0.7 mi | 22 |
| 2. Herman Davis State Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Manila School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Manila High School, with 476 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manila Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 601 | B− |
| Manila High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 476 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
Within Arkansas it is less healthy than 60% of the 123 graded towns: much of Arkansas scores lower on these measures.
28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Manila. Manila beats the Arkansas average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 21% of adults report frequent mental distress in Manila.
| Manila | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 25% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 39% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
| What stands out | Manila | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.4% | 18.6% |
| More smokers | 18.9% | 15.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Manila reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 82% report less. Within Arkansas, it does better than 45% of towns.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Jobs based here grew from 548 in 2013 to 809.
Most working residents leave Manila for work: only 18% work in town. The average trip to work in Manila is 28 minutes. Jobs based in Manila grew to 809 in 2023, 261 more than in 2013.
| Manila | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities. Since 2019, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Manila.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Manila has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Manila’s July high is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Homes are within reach (about $207K for the typical one, A for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 21 miles.
Typical home values rose 4.5% in the year to September 2026.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1 within 15 miles of the center of Manila
About 2 of every 100 Manila residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
2 places in Manila on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Manila.
City in Arkansas, United States
Manila is a city in Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,682 at the 2020 census, up from 3,342 in 2010. It was the hometown of World War I sniper Herman Davis.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Manila grades C+ overall, better than 36% of U.S. towns and #44 of 123 in Arkansas. It grades D for health, C− for safety and B for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Within Arkansas, it does better than 45% of towns.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
4 notable people were born here, including Herman Davis and Mel Wright.
