ManawaWisconsinDowntown1, 2009
Manawa’s story
152 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1874Manawa is settled
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,411
2025 Census estimate · −2.5% since 2020
Typical home
$265K
+5.7% in a year
Household income
$88K
median
Median age
44.6
years
Jobs based here
848
Balanced
Is Manawa a good place to live?
Manawa’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a C− for schools. On cost of living, just 27 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. Manawa’s average trip to work is 18 minutes, below both the Wisconsin town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 85 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score lower on the outdoors. Manawa has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Manawa stand out
Where Manawa beats most towns.
Small town
1,411 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Manawa grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Manawa is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 17% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SchoolsC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.7 of 20; 3.1% of households have no car; 1.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthThedacare Medical Center - New London 10.8 miles awayC+Open →Jobs & income$88K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life5.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 44.6; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Manawa: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Manawa, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterManawa WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpGFLTrash haulerTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCity of Manawa ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5494954949 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Manawa.
SchoolsC−
Manawa’s public schools trail 81% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Manawa School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
19%of WI districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manawa ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 221 | C− |
| Little Wolf HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 195 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Manawa
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 83% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Manawa since 2024.
17risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2024
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
Homes in Manawa are worth about $265K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Manawa home is worth about $265,000, up 5.7% in a year, 21% below the Wisconsin typical home. At $819 a month, Manawa’s median rent is against $1,078 a month in Wisconsin’s towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. 62% of households own their home in Manawa.
$265KZillow home value
| Manawa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 62% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $819 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Manawa$265K
Wisconsin$337K
+5.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Manawa
Manawa has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Manawa’s July high is 82°F.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–28°
Spring33–55°
Summer57–79°
Fall37–57°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
A job hub: Manawa has 1.2 jobs for every working resident and draws in 770 commuters
Most working residents leave Manawa for work: only 11% work in town. Since 2013, Manawa has lost 178 jobs, to 848 in 2023. The top destinations are Waupaca (12%), New London (4%) and Appleton (4%).
11%work in town
| Manawa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $88,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Manawa11%
Waupaca12%
New London4%
Appleton4%
Oshkosh3%
22 mi
median commute distance
848
jobs based in Manawa
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 33% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Manawa
Manawa's reported crime rate is well below Wisconsin's. The violent crime rate in Manawa is 0 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Manawa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.8 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 5 per 1,000 residents | 8.8 | 13.1 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Manawa0
Wisconsin3
U.S.3.9
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Manawa5
Wisconsin12.6
U.S.19.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2023
7
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
HealthC+
Residents of Manawa are less healthy than 55% of U.S. towns
Manawa tracks Wisconsin closely on all 32 CDC measures. 21% of Manawa adults binge drink.
45%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Manawa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Thedacare Medical Center - New London
10.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Manawa
19pages on Manawa
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 81% of WI districts · 4 schoolsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthC+Better than WI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$265K typical home · up 5.7% in a yearWork & commuteB−$88K median household income · 848 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 17% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Manawa; the nearest are
Fox Valley Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Appleton25.9 mi$5,040 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens PointUniversity or college · Public · Stevens Point32.4 mi$9,488 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Manawa residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Manawa
City in Wisconsin, United States
Manawa is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,441 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 817 ft
- ZIP code
- 54949
- Area code
- 920
Questions about Manawa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Manawa, WI expensive?
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.
What is Manawa, WI known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Melvin O. Handrich and Ed Bruyette.