Manson Franklin Backus, 1911
Manson’s story
114 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1911.
- 1912Manson is settled
MansonWA
A town of 1,462, settled in 1912.
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0
Population
1,462
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$719K
−2.2% in a year
Household income
$91K
median
Median age
52.0
years
Jobs based here
467
Balanced
Is Manson a good place to live?
Manson’s best subject grade is an A− for the outdoors; its weakest is a C− for hazard risk. 23% of residents live below the poverty line in Manson, where Washington’s towns sit at 7.9% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 6 of the 286 Washington towns we compare have a lower January low than Manson. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 73% of U.S. towns. Manson has 1 place on the National Register. Manson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Small town
1,462 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Manson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Manson is from typical.
Hazard riskavalanches tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$91K median household incomeC−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.4 of 20; 1.1% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthHealthier than 56% of U.S. towns; Lake Chelan Community Hospital 8.3 miles awayBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Manson: who provides what
Manson is unincorporated, so Chelan County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPUD No 1 of Chelan County3.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLake Chelan Reclamation DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesChelan CountyChelan County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Washington you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereChelan County AuditorChelan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2022
ZIP code9883198831 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Manson.
Who lives here
Older than Washington overall
People 65 and older are 32% of residents (17% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 12% of residents (24% statewide). Manson’s median age is 52 years, above both the Washington town median (38.5 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). 33% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across Washington.
52median age · WA 38.3
| Manson | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 30% | 29% |
MansonWashingtonUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma11%
High school28%
Some college23%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
62% women, 38% men
About 61 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.7 points). Across Washington, 49.6% of residents are women.
| Manson | WA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.1% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.3% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.1% | 15.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.8% | 14.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.5% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.9% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.1% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 17.2% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.5% | 7.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.5% | 21.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.9% | 21% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.7% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.5% | 24% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.9% | 15.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,500, single groups can be off by several points
SchoolsC
Manson’s schools rank behind 74% of Washington districts
Its public schools are run by the Manson School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
26%of WA districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 289 | – |
| Manson High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 220 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Avalanches leads a high hazard risk in Manson
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 77% of U.S. communities.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Manson are worth about $719K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Manson home is worth about $719,000, down 2.2% in a year, 22% above the Washington typical home. Manson’s median rent is $2,033 a month.
$719KZillow home value
| Manson | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,033 a month | $1,739 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 71% | 73% |
Typical home value
Manson$719K
Washington$588K
Market temperature
12
days on market
97.8%
sale-to-list price
−2.2%
value change, 1 year
5
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Manson, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Manson has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. The July high in Manson is 87°F.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–36°
Spring38–62°
Summer55–84°
Fall38–61°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
About one in seven working residents works right in Manson
Most working residents leave Manson for work: only 15% work in town. Jobs based in Manson grew to 467 in 2023, 95 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Chelan (19%), Wenatchee (6%) and Seattle (4%).
15%work in town
| Manson | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 4.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $91,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Manson15%
Chelan19%
Wenatchee6%
Seattle4%
East Wenatchee2%
9 mi
median commute distance
467
jobs based in Manson
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 27% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB
Manson stands out in Washington and nationally: a smaller share of its adults sleep under 7 hours
26% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Manson. Only 4 of the 286 Washington towns we compare have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Manson. 13% of adults smoke cigarettes in Manson.
57%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Manson | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 33% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 16% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Washington
5 better14 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Manson | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.2% | 16.6% |
| Fewer adults sleeping under 7 hours | 26% | 31.8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.9% | 5.4% |
Lake Chelan Community Hospital
8.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.8%conserved
| Manson | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
0.8%
conserved · 13 of 1,666 acres
1.9 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Singleton Park | — | 10 |
| 2. Manson Bay Park | 0.2 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Manson
17pages on Manson
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Manson; the nearest are
Wenatchee Valley CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wenatchee31.7 mi$5,267 in-state tuitionCentral Washington UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ellensburg62.8 mi$9,417 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Manson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
About Manson
Census-designated place in Washington, United States
Manson is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Chelan County in the U.S. state of Washington. It was named in 1912 for Manson F. Backus, president of the Lake Chelan Land Company. Manson is located in the north-central portion of the state on the north shore of Lake Chelan, approximately 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the city of Chelan. Manson is part of the Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The USPS ZIP code for Manson is 98831. Manson is home to a number of wineries.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,140 ft
- ZIP code
- 98831
- Area code
- 509
Questions about Manson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Manson, WA expensive?
Yes. That is 8.8 years of the area's median household income ($81,938 across the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.