Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Jackson Township grades B− overall, 666th among Pennsylvania's 1032 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Its schools rank ahead of 78% of Pennsylvania towns and natural-hazard risk is low. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $89K. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $248K for a typical one and 2.9 times the York metro’s $85K median household income. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 85% of U.S. towns. On civic life, just 149 of Pennsylvania’s 1,717 towns do worse. 4.5% of residents live below the poverty line in Jackson Township, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 7.6% and U.S. towns at 9.6%.
Where Jackson Township beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Grove El Sch | K–4 | 724 |
| St. Rose of Lima School | PK–6 | 113 |
| Spring Grove Area MS | 7–8 | 650 |
7,494 counted in 2010 and 8,748 in 2020; an estimated 9,301 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 6.3% since 2020, after 16.7% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Jackson Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,421 in 1860, 8,744 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and a map from 1920 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jackson Township, 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 Jackson Township.
Its public schools are run by Spring Grove Area SD. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Spring Grove Area HS, with 1,163 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Grove El SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 724 | A− |
| Spring Grove Area HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,163 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Jobs based here grew from 1,796 in 2013 to 2,627.
Most working residents leave Jackson Township for work: only 6% work in town. Jobs based in Jackson Township grew to 2,627 in 2023, 831 more than in 2013. The average trip to work in Jackson Township is 28 minutes.
| Jackson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $89,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Jackson Township’s FEMA risk score is 22 of 100. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Jackson Township since 2004.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Jackson Township has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 22° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Jackson Township beats the Pennsylvania average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 19% of Jackson Township adults binge drink.
| Jackson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 34% | 35% |
| What stands out | Jackson Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.1% | 14.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
4.5 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Jackson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 3.1% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Little Creek Park | 0.6 mi | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Jackson Township. Close and well known come first.
Big draw31 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
26 mi National MonumentCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
29 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year
20 mi Ancient siteGettysburg Battlefield
20 mi LandmarkGettysburg National Cemetery
16 mi National Military ParkGettysburg National Military Park730K visitors a yearRaven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Hersheypark: Michael Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Gettysburg Battlefield: Veggies, Public domain · Gettysburg National Cemetery: Photo: Henryhartley at en.wikipedia Statue: Randolph Rogers (1825-1892), Public domain · Gettysburg National Military Park: David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Jackson Township
About 2 of every 100 Jackson Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
Where Jackson Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Jackson Township is a township in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,744 at the 2020 census. It was founded in 1853 from parts of Paradise Township. Jackson Township education is served by the Spring Grove Area School District. Police coverage is provided by Northern York County Regional Police Department, and EMS is provided by Spring Grove Area Ambulance. The township is home to York Airport.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
6 towns share a border with Jackson Township.
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Township | #666 | B− | C | — | A− | B |
| North Codorus Township | #517 | B+ | C | — | A− | B+ |
| Paradise Township | #663 | B− | C | — | A− | B |
| Spring Grove | #257 | A | B | — | A− | B |
| Heidelberg Township | #554 | B | C | — | A− | B |
| Dover Township | #765 | C+ | C+ | — | B− | B |
| West Manchester Township | #743 | B− | C+ | C− | C+ | B |
Jackson Township, North Codorus Township, Paradise Township, Spring Grove, Heidelberg Township and Dover Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Jackson Township with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Jackson Township grades B− overall, better than 53% of U.S. towns and #666 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades B for health and A− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
