Town · Maryland
Preston, Maryland
Preston, town, in Caroline County, Maryland. Preston had 684 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 673 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 852 (±220). GEOID 2463825.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
684
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 673 · ACS 2020-2024: 852 ±220
Median household income
$100,000
±$28,387 (90% margin)
Maryland: $103,678
Median home value
$267,000
±$17,221 (90% margin)
Maryland: $419,900
Median gross rent
$1,629
±$343 (90% margin)
Maryland: $1,705
Where is Preston and what county is it in?
Preston is a town in Caroline County, Maryland. It covers 0.5 square miles of land, 1,226 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Preston, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 684 people lived in Preston on July 1, 2025, up 1.3% since 2020, in line with Maryland (+1.4%). The 2020 Census counted 673 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 852 (±220).
| Measure | Preston | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 852 ±220 | 33,669 | no clear change |
| Households | 290 ±78 | 12,495 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.94 ±0.37 | 2.65 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 305 ±82 | 13,531 | no clear change |
Preston's population since 2000
From 566 in 2000 to 684 in 2025: up 20.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Preston as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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?
The median resident of Preston is 38.6 years old; 27.1% are under 18 and 14.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.2%.
| Measure | Preston | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 ±2.7 | 39.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.1% ±6.3 pts | 23.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.8% ±5.0 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±6.5 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.2% ±1.8 pts | 9.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.4% ±7.2 pts | 72.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.2% ±3.4 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.2% ±3.5 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 5.0% ±7.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.8% ±5.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.2% ±5.6 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.7% ±3.9 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 11.3% ±4.2 pts | 14.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.7% ±3.4 pts | 83.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.2% ±8.0 pts | 16.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.3% ±6.1 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7% ±7.2 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±4.9 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 earn?
Half of Preston's 290 households earn less than $100,000 a year (±$28,387), against $68,457 in Caroline County and $103,678 in Maryland. In 2015-2019 it was $81,020 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Preston | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,000 ±$28,387 | $68,457 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $110,175 ±$17,405 | $87,383 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,558 ±$5,731 | $34,341 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 3.8% ±3.8 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.1% ±9.9 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.5% ±13.5 pts | 17.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.8% ±4.1 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.1% ±4.5 pts | 88.3% | – |
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?
Owners occupy 78.3% of Preston's occupied homes and renters 21.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $267,000 by its owner (±$17,221). The median renter pays $1,629 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Preston | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $267,000 ±$17,221 | $290,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,629 ±$343 | $1,105 | +$376 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.0% ±37.6 pts | 37.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,750 ±$176 | $1,758 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.3% ±13.8 pts | 71.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.7% ±13.8 pts | 28.1% | – |
| Housing units | 305 ±82 | 13,531 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±17.0 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.0% ±19.3 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.1% ±4.6 pts | 77.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±13.0 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.6% ±3.8 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 38.7% ±13.3 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±13.6 pts | 5.5% | – |
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 many new homes is Preston building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Preston in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.1 across Maryland.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Preston work and get to work?
70.0% of Preston's workers drive alone and 15.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.0 minutes.
| Measure | Preston | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.2% ±7.4 pts | 63.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% ±2.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.0% ±11.2 pts | 82.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.5% ±9.8 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 2.3% ±2.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.9% ±9.4 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.0 min ±4.5 | 33.4 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?
No census tract lies mostly in Preston; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9555Caroline County | 3,885 | $81,806 |
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) · Census block assignment files
How does Preston compare with other places in Maryland?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Preston is the 11,934th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 113th-most populous of 157 in Maryland.
Preston is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 113th | 157 |
Preston's figures with every place in Maryland (CSV)
Every place in Maryland, sortable · Compare Preston 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?
25 of the 57 figures for Preston 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 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' public schools in Preston.