Princeton, New Jersey
Among the top 8% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 8% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 14% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 67% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 92% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 70% of US places
- top 7% for school quality
- top 7% for walkability
- bottom 1% for monthly owner costs
Princeton is a mid-size city in New Jersey with about 30,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include school quality, walkability, and airport distance. It rates lower on monthly rent and monthly owner costs.
Official websiteprincetonnj.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
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warm
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cold
v.cold
65%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in3.7 in
humid 76%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$177k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$57kbetter than 16% of US places
Home Value$971k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 3% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.03%better than 48% of US places
Income Tax10.70%better than 11% of US places
Sales Tax6.60%better than 71% of US places
Estimated total tax burden18.54%better than 10% of US places
Unemployment4.8%better than 41% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)31°F48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.4 in76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall23.7 inbetter than 42% of US places
Sunny Days211 daysbetter than 28% of US places
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 38% of US places
Comfortable Days79 daysbetter than 42% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk57.8better than 61% of US places
Air Quality51 AQIbetter than 20% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Community
Population30,45095th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age28.67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5387th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0054th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+415th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)62.2%25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.3%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.2%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)19.0%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.3%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 65% of US places
Walkability12.2/20better than 93% of US places
Airport Distance35 mibetter than 78% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.2%better than 73% of US places
Amenities Nearby69.95better than 47% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 64% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Princeton an affordable place to live?
- Princeton is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $57k, better than 16% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Princeton?
- The median home value in Princeton is $971k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Princeton?
- Median household income in Princeton is $177k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Princeton?
- Median gross rent in Princeton is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the weather like in Princeton?
- Princeton averages 76°F in July and 31°F in January, with 49.4 in of annual precipitation and about 211 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Princeton?
- Public-school quality in Princeton is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Princeton?
- The average one-way commute in Princeton is 24 min.
Other places in Mercer County
Places near Princeton
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)