The Town FilesPreston, Iowa
City in Jackson County · population 949 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,900
- Household income
- $74,063
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 46.1
Preston is a city of 949 people in Jackson County, Iowa. The median home is worth $163,900, close to the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 78% of Iowa towns, better for cycling than 77% of Iowa towns.
How Preston ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Preston is worth $163,900, close to the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $74,063, which is more affordable than 56% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $765 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Preston | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $765 | $820 |
| Median household income | $74,063 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1950 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Preston
| People | Preston | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 13.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.7% | 88.5% |
Weather in Preston
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 36.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.7 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Preston since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 20, 1974 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 26 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 25, 2024.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4732: Flooding |
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 5,869 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,236 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Preston itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Preston
1 public school with 211 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easton Valley Junior High / High School | 7-12 | 211 | 13.2 |
Towns near Preston
- Sabula, IA11.1 mi · 506 people · home $133,300
- Delmar, IA11.4 mi · 542 people · home $147,500
- Savanna, IL13.6 mi · 2,783 people · home $72,400
- Maquoketa, IA13.7 mi · 6,128 people · home $132,500
- Bellevue, IA14.6 mi · 2,363 people · home $216,500
- Thomson, IL15.5 mi · 1,610 people · home $117,000
- Hanover, IL15.6 mi · 863 people · home $89,500
- Clinton, IA16.3 mi · 24,469 people · home $118,200
Preston questions
Is Preston, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Preston scores better for retirees than 5% of Iowa towns and quieter than 34%. 24.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.1).
How much does a house cost in Preston?
The median owner-occupied home in Preston is valued at $163,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,063, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $765 a month.
What is the weather like in Preston?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.7 inches of precipitation a year and 30.7 inches of snow.
Does Preston get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Preston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 20, 1974. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)