Preston Heights 73 Excellent
Preston Heights Livability #281 ranked city in Illinois#5,497 ranked city in the USARanks better than 81% of areas
Is This the Right Place for You? Local Insights Report
  • Uncover the key details before you move
  • Use local data to guide a smarter investment
  • Compare neighborhoods side by side
Local Insights Report

Pros and Cons of Living in Preston Heights

PROS
  • Commute Commute

    An elevated score in the commute category points to excellent public transit accessibility and shorter-than-average work commute times in this area.

  • Cost Of Living Cost Of Living

    Taking into account the cost of goods and services like housing, groceries, transportation and utilities, the overall cost of living in this area is well below average.

  • Crime Crime

    Crime per 100,000 people is significantly lower than the national average, making it a safe place to live. These crime statistics include both violent and property crimes.

  • Housing Housing

    High scores in the housing category are a distinguishing feature of this area, possibly driven by a favorable home affordability ratio, higher home values and appreciation rates.

CONS
  • Amenities Amenities

    The majority of amenities are not ideally located within walking distance. To access these amenities, residents may be required to rely on a vehicle or public transit.

  • Employment Employment

    In the employment category, a low score could be attributed to low income levels and high unemployment in the area, suggesting potential difficulties in finding lucrative employment.

  • Schools Schools

    The low schools score could result from issues like below-average graduation rates, inadequate reading and math scores, and the unavailability of local elementary and high schools.

What's it like Living in Preston Heights?

Preston Heights, Illinois is a small city with a population of 2,583 residents. In Preston Heights, there are 3,008 people per square mile, which is well above the national population density average. Individuals of White (38%) and Black or African American (43%) backgrounds make up a significant portion of the population of the city. Additionally, more than a quarter of the population of Preston Heights are of Hispanic or Latino origin, and 22% of the population also speak Spanish. Preston Heights is very likely to be a great place to live for singles as only 44%, of the population (over fifteen) are classified as married. The average American spends about 26 minutes on their one way commute to work each day. Lower travel times can increase overall happiness and allow for more time to be spent with family and friends. While living in Preston Heights, your commute times will be about average, with a one way commute time of 24 minutes.

If you’re considering relocating to any new city, it could be a very intimidating task. However, it could also be a positive experience if you are willing to get to know the city before actually living in Preston Heights, Illinois. When searching for a new neighborhood, several key items should be considered. Safety is of utmost importance, ensuring a secure environment with low crime. Proximity to your workplace or school helps reduce commuting time and offers convenience. Access to amenities such as parks, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities enhances your daily life. Public transportation options contribute to easy mobility. A sense of community fosters a supportive and engaging environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere should align with your desired lifestyle, ensuring a fulfilling living experience. Considering these items will guide you towards finding the perfect neighborhood that fits all your needs. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like crime, cost of living, education, housing, you can easily compare the best places to live in Preston Heights and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Preston Heights to Illinois and the national average.

Preston Heights, IL receives 72 out of 100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #277 in Illinois and #5,468 in the USA. For each of the livability categories, we can establish that Preston Heights ranks very well for crime (A+), cost of living (A+) and housing (A+). There is at least one category that did not score well in Preston Heights. The following was graded with a concerning score: amenities (F), education (F) and employment (F).

Finding affordable real estate and housing in Preston Heights can be tricky. Having said that, this area might be the place to get the best of both worlds. Based on factors like home/rental affordability and appreciation rates, this area has received an above average score in the housing category. A healthy real estate market can lead to wealth appreciation for property owners, as rising property values can contribute to homeowners' equity, financial stability and the ability to build long-term wealth.

There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Preston Heights is actually affordable. The median home price for Preston Heights homes is $207,751, which is 32.7% lower than the Illinois average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Preston Heights, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.7, which is 5.7% higher than the Illinois average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Preston Heights

See all the best places to live around Preston Heights

How Do You Rate The Livability In Preston Heights?

1. Select a livability score between 1-100
0
Awful
25
Poor
50
Average
75
Good
100
Great
2. Select any tags that apply to this area
View results

Compare Preston Heights, IL Livability

City Image
    City Default Image
      vs
      Compare Neighborhoods & Addresses Local Insights Report

      Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.

      Local Insights Report

      Preston Heights transportation information

      Statistic Preston Heights Illinois National
      Average one way commute24min29min26min
      Workers who drive to work81.5%73.4%76.4%
      Workers who carpool8.5%8.3%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit6.0%9.2%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.0%0.6%0.6%
      Workers who walk0.0%3.1%2.8%
      Working from home4.1%4.4%4.6%
      Source: The Preston Heights, IL data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and include 2026 modeled data developed using proprietary methodologies.