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Buying a home in Preston, Maryland

The typical owner-occupied home in Preston is worth about $267,000, 36% below the Maryland median of $419,900 and 20% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,035 a year in property taxes, about 1.14% of their home's value, higher than the Maryland rate of 0.97%. The median household earns $100,000 a year, so the median home costs 2.7 times the median income (4.1 times for Maryland). 78% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 83% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Preston at a glance

Preston Maryland U.S.
Median home value $267,000 $419,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,035 $4,093 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.14% 0.97% 0.94%
Median household income $100,000 $103,678 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 78% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 83% 71% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,750 $2,347 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.2% 20.5% 21.0%
Median rent $1,629 $1,705 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 45.0% 30.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1957 1979 1980
Vacant homes 4.9% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 852 6,206,011 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Preston

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Preston home of $267,000 with 20% down costs about $1,802 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,247, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $77,220 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 22% of the median Preston household income of $100,000; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $346,000.

The median rent here is $1,629 a month, so owning the median home costs about $173 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$53,400
Loan amount$213,600
Principal and interest$1,437
Property taxes (1.14% a year)$254
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$111
PMI$0
Total per month$1,802

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$9,345
Loan amount$262,164
Principal and interest$1,764
Property taxes (1.14% a year)$254
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$111
FHA mortgage insurance$118
Total per month$2,247

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Questions about home buying in Preston

What is the median home value in Preston?

About $267,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Preston?

Homeowners pay a median $3,035 a year, which is about 1.14% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Preston?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,802 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $77,220 a year.

More about Preston

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data