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Preston

A township of 1,601 people in Richland County, Illinois
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Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.

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Around town

The places and views that make it Preston

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Outdoors in Preston

Parks & trails →
Conserved land0%6 of 26,433 acres
Trails12 mi0.3 mi per sq mi
Parks & preserves04 conserved acres per 1,000 residents

Know a trail or park that’s missing? Anyone can add it to OpenStreetMap, and it shows up here on the next refresh.

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

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Know Preston

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Preston

Township in Illinois, United States
1,176Population
41.5 sq miArea
449 ftElevation

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)

Town numbers

Living in Preston

Work & commute in Preston

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Most working residents leave Preston for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Olney (29%), Olney (8%) and Flora (5%). Half commute less than 22 miles.

Olney
29%
Olney
8%
Flora
5%
Newton
2%
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Preston →

Health in Preston

C+

Health Grade C+

Healthier than 39% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 71% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Illinois

4better than IL·9worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 19 are too close to call.

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Care nearby

Carle Richland Memorial HospitalOlney · 5.1 mi · ER · rural critical access
Sihf Healthcare - OlneyOlney · 4.5 mi · sliding-scale fees
Primary careShortage · county-wide
DentalShortage · county-wide
Mental healthShortage · county-wide
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP codes 62450, 62425 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Preston →

Natural hazards in Preston

62
High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🏚️ Earthquakes🌵 Drought
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Preston →

Climate in Preston

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Preston has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

41° / 25°Winter
65° / 44°Spring
86° / 65°Summer
67° / 46°Fall
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Preston →

Libraries near Preston

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Nearest: Olney Public LibraryOlney · 5.4 miles · 50 hrs a week
Famous people from PrestonWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Preston.Meet them →

How things work in Preston

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We left the porch light on

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01