The Town FilesPreston, Pennsylvania
Township in Wayne County · population 1,000 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $231,100
- Household income
- $71,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 56.3
Preston is a township of 1,000 people in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $231,100, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, better for cycling than 86% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Preston ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Preston is worth $231,100, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $71,250, which is more affordable than 33% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $855 a month. 91.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Preston | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $231,100 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $855 | $996 |
| Median household income | $71,250 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 91.0% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 47.7% | — |
Who lives in Preston
| People | Preston | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 13.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 36.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Preston
July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 11.9°F. About 51.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 69.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Preston since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 18, 1991 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 28, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 23, 2012.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 15,462 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,861 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Preston itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Preston
1 public school with 144 students, about 9.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preston Sch | K-8 | 144 | 9.6 |
Towns near Preston
- Buckingham, PA6.2 mi · 506 people · home $230,600
- Ararat, PA6.6 mi · 529 people · home $260,000
- Mount Pleasant, PA7.3 mi · 1,439 people · home $323,700
- Hancock, NY9.5 mi · 908 people · home $150,000
- Herrick, PA9.5 mi · 710 people · home $280,200
- Jackson, PA10.3 mi · 856 people · home $263,100
- Harmony, PA10.3 mi · 508 people · home $112,500
- Manchester, PA11.8 mi · 785 people · home $292,200
Preston questions
Is Preston, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Preston scores better for retirees than 80% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 97%. 35.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.3).
How much does a house cost in Preston?
The median owner-occupied home in Preston is valued at $231,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,250, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $855 a month.
What is the weather like in Preston?
July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 11.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.4 inches of precipitation a year and 69.2 inches of snow.
Does Preston get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Preston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 18, 1991. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- 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)