New Brunswick vs Princeton
New Brunswick, New Jersey versus Princeton, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Princeton edges out New Brunswick on overall objective livability (45 vs 35 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | New Brunswick | Princeton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $177k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $57k |
| Home Value | $290k | $971k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.03% | 1.03% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.15% | 18.54% |
| Unemployment | 6.5% | 4.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.5 in | 49.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.0 in | 23.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 170 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 74 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.4 | 57.8 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2307/100k | — |
| Property Crime | 2165/100k | — |
| Community | ||
| Population | 55,718 | 30,450 |
| Median Age | 24.0 | 28.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.72 | 0.53 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.09 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+22 | D+41 |
| White (%) | 27.4% | 62.2% |
| Black (%) | 13.8% | 7.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 46.9% | 6.2% |
| Asian (%) | 8.8% | 19.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 15.1/20 | 12.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 20 mi | 35 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 80.6% | 92.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 79.87 | 69.95 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is New Brunswick or Princeton more affordable?
- Princeton has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with New Brunswick's $60k and Princeton's $57k. Median rent is $2k in New Brunswick versus $2k in Princeton.
- Are homes cheaper in New Brunswick or Princeton?
- The median home value is $290k in New Brunswick and $971k in Princeton, so homes are more affordable in New Brunswick.