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Compare towns

Willards vs Preston

37 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+60% in Preston) and jobs per worker (2.8× in Preston).

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Willards, MDKnown for its schoolsMaryland · 1,280 people
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Preston, MDKnown for its schoolsMaryland · 852 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.

WillardsKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 20%of MD districts Housing$294K typical home31% below the MD typical home Health73% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Willards →
PrestonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 24%of MD districts Housing$338K typical home21% below the MD typical home All about Preston →
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.

Property tax bill+60%
Tax bills are bigger in Preston
Preston $3,035Willards $1,894
Jobs per worker2.8×
Preston is more of a job hub
Preston 1.23Willards 0.44
Typical home built27 yrs
Preston’s homes are older
Willards 1984Preston 1957
Home values+24%
Homes cost more in Preston
Preston $267,000Willards $216,100
Growth since 2010+6.9 pts
Willards has grown faster since 2010
Willards +0.5%Preston -6.4%
Age 65++5.8 pts
Preston has more people 65 and up
Preston 14.8%Willards 9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $330 more a month in Preston

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.

Willards$1,760/mo
Typical home $294K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.88% · or rent about $1,460/mo · Housing →
Preston$2,090/mo
Typical home $338K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.14% · or rent about $1,629/mo · Housing →

The difference: $330 a month, about $4,000 a year, between Preston and Willards.

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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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

Schools
C−WillardsBetter than 20% of districts in the state C−PrestonBetter than 24% of districts in the state
Health
CWillardsHealthier than 27% of U.S. towns –PrestonNot graded
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
WillardsPreston
Snow a year8″14″
January low28°F29°F
July high88°F88°F
Growing season (days)201d220d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)34th46th
Outdoors & history
WillardsPreston
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land1.3%1.1%
Settled—1892
National Register places—2
Community
WillardsPreston
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.

Where they are

37 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WillardsMDPrestonMD
Willards ↔ Preston37 miles apart
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.

WillardsPreston
People
Population 1,280Highest 852Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.5%Highest MD: +7% -6.4%Lowest MD: +7%
Median age 40.3±5.6Highest about the MD average 38.6±2.7Lowest about the MD average
Willards and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.6%±7.3Lowest MD: 22.2% 27.1%±3.1Highest MD: 22.2%
Preston and Willards are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 9%±1.9Lowest MD: 16.7% 14.8%±3.8Highest MD: 16.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.8%Lowest MD: 43.4% 25.2%Highest MD: 43.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±3.9Lowest MD: 6.9% 4.3%±2.1Highest MD: 6.9%
Preston and Willards are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $75,333±$7kLowest 27% below MD $100,000±$28kHighest 4% below MD
Preston and Willards are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $216,100±$14kLowest 49% below MD $267,000±$17kHighest 36% below MD
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,460±$236Lowest 14% below MD $1,629±$343Highest 4% below MD
Preston and Willards are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,894Lowest 54% below MD $3,035Highest 26% below MD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 58.8%±28.8Lowest MD: 51.5% 65.1%±53.2Highest MD: 51.5%
Preston and Willards are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 22.1%Highest MD: 9.4% 3.8%Lowest MD: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.3%Lowest MD: 67.6% 78.3%Highest MD: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than MD 1957Lowest 22 yrs older than MD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 25% below MD 27 minHighest 13% below MD
Work from home 4.9%±5.4Lowest MD: 19.3% 15.9%±9.6Highest MD: 19.3%
Preston and Willards are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.4%Lowest 2.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miLowest 22.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.44Lowest 1.23Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Salisbury (21%)Easton (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PrestonFew work in Willards
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Highest 1.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 41.0Lowest 54.0Highest
Schools
School district Wicomico County Public SchoolsCaroline County Public Schools
High school in town None in townNone in town
Maryland 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.

Willards neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Willards’s Town Square.

Preston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Preston’s Town Square.

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Maryland towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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