Preston TownshipIL
A town of 1,166.
Is Preston Township a good place to live?
The best of Preston Township’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for incomes. On cost of living, just 34 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 71% of U.S. towns. Preston Township's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 96% of U.S. towns. Only 79 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns score lower on the outdoors. Preston Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
1,166 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
How Preston Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Preston Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to Preston Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Preston 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 Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Preston Township.
Fewer of Preston Township’s working residents work locally than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
0.6% of Preston Township working residents work locally, where Illinois’ towns sit at 8.3% and U.S. towns at 8%. Since 2013, Preston Township has added 88 jobs, to 123 in 2023. The median household income in Preston Township is $54,000.
| Preston Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.6% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Preston Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
Preston Township has chilly winters and warm summers. Preston Township’s July high is 87°F, against 84°F in Illinois’ towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
On CDC estimates, Preston Township is less healthy than 61% of U.S. towns
Preston Township beats the Illinois average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 39% of adults have high blood pressure in Preston Township.
| Preston Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| What stands out | Preston Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.4% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.2% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.4% | 6.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
High risk in Preston Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Preston Township has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
12 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Preston Township
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Preston Township
About 0 of every 100 Preston Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
99% of working residents leave Preston Township for work
Where Preston Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Preston Township
Township in Illinois, United States
Preston Township is located in Richland County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,247 and it contained 635 housing units. Before May 2, 1859, this locale was known as Douglas Township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 42 sq mi
- Elevation
- 449 ft
Questions about Preston Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Preston Township, IL 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+.