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Preston Township vs Fox Township

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.9× in Fox Township) and size (4.5× in Preston Township).

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Preston Township, ILA small town of 1,601Richland County · 1,601 people
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Fox Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsJasper County · 356 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Preston TownshipA small town of 1,601
Quiet strengthsPreston Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Preston Township →
Fox TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Fox Township →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker3.9×
Fox Township is more of a job hub
Fox Township 0.98Preston Township 0.25
Size4.5×
Preston Township is the bigger place
Preston Township 1,601Fox Township 356
Homeowners+23.2 pts renters
Preston Township has more renters
Fox Township 100%Preston Township 76.8%
Property tax bill+34%
Tax bills are bigger in Fox Township
Fox Township $1,967Preston Township $1,468
Growth since 2010+8 pts
Preston Township has grown faster since 2010
Preston Township -5.7%Fox Township -13.7%
Typical home built20 yrs
Fox Township’s homes are older
Preston Township 1976Fox Township 1956
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Health
C+Preston TownshipHealthier than 39% of U.S. towns A−Fox TownshipHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Where they are

Preston Township and Fox Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Preston TownshipFox TownshipPreston TownshipFox Township
Preston Township ↔ Fox Township6.4 miles apart · They share a border
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Preston Township$770/mo
Typical home $123K (Census) · tax rate 1.19% · or rent about $617/mo · Housing →
Fox Township$810/mo
Typical home $123K (Census) · tax rate 1.59% · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Preston TownshipFox Township
Snow a year11″14″
January low21°F—
July high87°F—
Growing season (days)189d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)62nd67th
Outdoors & history
Preston TownshipFox Township
Trails12 mi22 mi
Conserved land0%8.1%
Community
Preston TownshipFox Township
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Preston TownshipFox Township
People
Population 1,601Highest 356Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.7%Highest -13.7%Lowest
Median age 44.8±15.4Lowest 15% above IL 46.6±24.8Highest 19% above IL
Fox Township and Preston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.4%±6.2Lowest IL: 21.8% 28.1%±20.2Highest IL: 21.8%
Fox Township and Preston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.6%±4.2Highest IL: 17% 11.2%±11.4Lowest IL: 17%
Preston Township and Fox Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.3%Lowest IL: 37.8% 23.6%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±1.1Lowest IL: 6.3% 5.3%±8.5Highest IL: 6.3%
Fox Township and Preston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $53,941±$5kLowest 35% below IL $129,464±$80kHighest 55% above IL
Fox Township and Preston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $123,100±$33kLowest 53% below IL $123,400±$106kHighest 53% below IL
Fox Township and Preston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $617±$103 52% below IL —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,468Lowest 72% below IL $1,967Highest 63% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 3.4%±38.4 IL: 47.9% —
Below poverty line 9.2%Highest IL: 11.8% 0%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.8%Lowest IL: 67.1% 100%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 5 yrs newer than IL 1956Lowest 15 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 18% below IL 18 minLowest 36% below IL
Work from home 6.6%±5.7Lowest IL: 15.9% 26.2%±20.7Highest IL: 15.9%
Fox Township and Preston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.6%Lowest 3.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miLowest 26.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.25Lowest 0.98Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Olney (29%)Newton (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Fox TownshipFew work in Preston Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 8.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 12.4 miLowest 21.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.6Highest 3.0Lowest
Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Preston Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Preston Township’s Town Square.

Fox Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fox Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Preston Township

G
+ Compare
German Township271 people · $210K homes
+ Compare
Olney Township9,847 people · $109K homes
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Ste. Marie Township669 people · $102K homes
D
+ Compare
Denver Township343 people · $163K homes

Towns like Preston Township

+ Compare
Mount Pulaski1,507 people · $111K homes
+ Compare
Franklin Grove Township1,330 people · $123K homes
T
+ Compare
Thornton1,940 people · $155K homes
+ Compare
Colchester Township1,610 people · $112K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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