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Illinois›Richland County

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.

Small town

1,166 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
German TownshipOlney TownshipSte. Marie TownshipFox TownshipDenver TownshipWest LibertyGerman TownshipOlney TownshipSte. Marie TownshipFox TownshipDenver TownshipWest LibertyPreston Township

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 grading works

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 Preston Township: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Preston Township, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEJ Water CooperativeNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers91% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Preston Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsRichland County Community Unit School District 1Which school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereRichland County ClerkRichland County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2021
ZIP codes62450, 62425, 6244862450 64% · 62425 35% · 62448 1%Census 2020

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.

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−

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.

1%work in town
Preston TownshipIllinois townsU.S. towns
Median household income$54,000$83,000$80,000
Working residents who work in town0.6%8.3%8%
Average trip to work23 minutes26 minutes25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Preston Township1%
Olney29%
Olney Township8%
Flora5%
Newton2%
22 mi
median commute distance
123
jobs based in Preston Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 29% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

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.

11″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter25–41°
Spring44–65°
Summer65–86°
Fall46–67°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HealthC+

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.

39%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
Preston TownshipIllinois townsU.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%
32 measures vs. Illinois
4 better19 too close to call9 worse
What stands outPreston TownshipIL
Fewer uninsured adults7.4%9.9%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity10.2%13.2%
More adults with COPD9.4%6.3%
Carle Richland Memorial Hospital
5.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

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.

62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
62High riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingEarthquakesDrought

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

OutdoorsD

Preston Township has set aside 0% of its land for conservation

12 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.

0%conserved
0%
conserved · 6 of 26,433 acres
12 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Preston Township

17pages on Preston Township
After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Preston Township

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Preston Township for work

Where Preston Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

29% → Olney Olney 29% 8% → Olney Township Olney Township 8% 5% → Flora Flora 5% 2% → Newton Newton 2% 2% → Effingham Effingham 2% 2% → Chicago Chicago 2% Preston Township · 1% stay
123jobs based in Preston Township
1%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance

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+.