The Town FilesPreston, Wisconsin
Town in Adams County · population 1,377 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,400
- Household income
- $49,219
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 52 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 56.6
Preston is a town of 1,377 people in Adams County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $160,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 87% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 78% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 73% of Wisconsin towns.
How Preston ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Preston is worth $160,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $49,219, which is more affordable than 43% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,036 a month. 87.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Preston | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,036 | $951 |
| Median household income | $49,219 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 87.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 33.4% | — |
Who lives in Preston
| People | Preston | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.1% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 12.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 12.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Preston
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 6.0°F. About 35.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.0 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Preston since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 10, 2011 about 1.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 10, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 15, 2016.
Severe weather in Adams County since 1996
Adams County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Adams County
Adams County had 4,412 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,533 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Preston itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Towns near Preston
- Friendship, WI3.6 mi · 648 people · home $115,100
- Adams, WI4.6 mi · 1,761 people · home $102,500
- Adams, WI5.6 mi · 1,378 people · home $165,100
- Big Flats, WI6.0 mi · 948 people · home $100,400
- Strongs Prairie, WI6.9 mi · 1,145 people · home $215,900
- Dellwood, WI8.6 mi · 579 people · home $200,500
- Quincy, WI10.9 mi · 1,159 people · home $201,900
- Easton, WI11.2 mi · 1,062 people · home $187,500
Preston questions
Is Preston, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Preston scores better for retirees than 45% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 87%. 32.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.6).
How much does a house cost in Preston?
The median owner-occupied home in Preston is valued at $160,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,219, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,036 a month.
What is the weather like in Preston?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 6.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.1 inches of precipitation a year and 52.0 inches of snow.
Does Preston get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Preston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 10, 2011. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)