Census-designated place · Illinois
Preston Heights, Illinois
Preston Heights, census-designated place, in Will County, Illinois. Preston Heights had 2,898 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,449 (±404). GEOID 1761860.
Residents, 2020 Census
2,898
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,449 ±404
Median household income
$51,625
±$7,275 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$144,100
±$23,209 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$1,197
±$204 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Preston Heights and what county is it in?
Preston Heights is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Will County, Illinois. It covers 1.2 square miles of land, 2,503 residents per square mile in 2020.
Preston Heights is in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 13 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Preston Heights lies entirely within Joliet Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Preston Heights, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 2,898 residents in Preston Heights, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,449 (±404).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Preston Heights is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Preston Heights | Will County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,449 ±404 | 701,462 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,016 ±161 | 244,273 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.39 ±0.23 | 2.84 | −0.56 |
| Housing units | 1,080 ±155 | 254,278 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Preston Heights?
The median resident of Preston Heights is 39.4 years old; 20.4% are under 18 and 16.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 48.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 25.0%. 12.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Preston Heights | Will County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 ±3.2 | 39.1 | +5.1 |
| Under 18 years | 20.4% ±5.3 pts | 23.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.5% ±4.0 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Male | 45.4% ±6.6 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 23.3% ±8.4 pts | 19.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 25.0% ±7.8 pts | 58.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 48.2% ±8.2 pts | 11.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 6.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.5% ±3.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 12.5% ±5.5 pts | 13.5% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 21.9% ±7.8 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.6% ±4.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| With a disability | 28.4% ±9.5 pts | 10.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.5% ±5.0 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 77.8% ±6.8 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.1% ±3.7 pts | 37.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.9% ±2.1 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.5% ±7.3 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.6% ±2.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Preston Heights earn?
Half of Preston Heights's 1,016 households earn less than $51,625 a year (±$7,275), against $109,984 in Will County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $60,545 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 22.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Preston Heights | Will County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,625 ±$7,275 | $109,984 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $59,847 ±$7,537 | $134,181 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,593 ±$2,795 | $47,516 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 22.8% ±9.5 pts | 7.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 44.5% ±24.3 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 34.6% ±9.9 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.1% ±4.9 pts | 97.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.3% ±7.6 pts | 94.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Preston Heights?
Owners occupy 58.0% of Preston Heights's occupied homes and renters 42.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $144,100 by its owner (±$23,209). The median renter pays $1,197 a month including utilities, and 64.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Preston Heights | Will County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $144,100 ±$23,209 | $319,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,197 ±$204 | $1,462 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 64.2% ±17.0 pts | 43.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,454 ±$213 | $2,255 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 58.0% ±10.4 pts | 82.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.0% ±10.4 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Housing units | 1,080 ±155 | 254,278 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.0% ±5.0 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.5% ±8.5 pts | 74.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.6% ±7.5 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.5% ±3.0 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.1% ±5.4 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.0% ±7.4 pts | 3.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Preston Heights work and get to work?
71.6% of Preston Heights's workers drive alone and 8.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.7 minutes.
| Measure | Preston Heights | Will County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.6% ±7.3 pts | 68.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% ±5.0 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 71.6% ±10.4 pts | 72.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.1% ±8.9 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.4% ±3.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.4% ±4.9 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.7 min ±3.2 | 31.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Preston Heights?
No census tract lies mostly in Preston Heights; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8831Will County | 4,057 | $65,078 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Preston Heights) · Census block assignment files
How does Preston Heights compare with other places in Illinois?
Preston Heights ranks 1,261st of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 859th | 1,383 |
| Residents per square mile | 202nd | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,261st | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,323rd | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 864th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 381st | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 78th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,351st | 1,369 |
| Median age | 884th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,300th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 712th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 942nd | 1,382 |
Preston Heights's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Preston Heights with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Preston Heights?
14 of the 57 figures for Preston Heights on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Preston Heights are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.