Preemption is a community in Mercer County, Illinois, home to about 127 people across 1.1 square miles. Its ZIP code is 61276, and parts of 61281 are in Preemption too.
Homes sold for a median of $126 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
All in Preemption
Mostly Sherrard; part is in Preemption
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Preemption. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Preemption’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)143 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Quad City International Airport (MLI)10 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Madison, WI136 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL152 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Preemption; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
It’s the 1303rd largest of 1,450 towns in Illinois by population.
Mercer County grew from 20,945 residents in 1900 to 15,699 in 2020.
Mercer County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 86°F in summer, and winter lows average 15°F. About 38.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 36 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Moline Quad City Intl Ap, IL weather station (11 miles away).
2,200 jobs at 258 businesses in Mercer County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2022 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Nearest hospitals
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.
Libraries
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
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Shares ZIP codes with Sherrard and Cable.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.