The Town FilesPrinceton, New Jersey
Town in Mercer County · population 30,681 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,050,600
- Household income
- $192,079
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 28.5
Princeton is a town of 30,681 people in Mercer County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $1,050,600, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more upscale than 99% of New Jersey towns, better for cycling than 99% of New Jersey towns, better for young professionals than 98% of New Jersey towns.
How Princeton ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Princeton is worth $1,050,600, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $192,079, which is more affordable than 12% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,636 a month. 55.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Princeton | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,050,600 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,636 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $192,079 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 55.4% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Princeton
| People | Princeton | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 84.7% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 30.9% | — |
| Work from home | 32.7% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Princeton
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 21.4°F. About 47.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.7 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 114 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Princeton since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 18, 1990 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 14, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 23, 2008.
Severe weather in Mercer County since 1996
Mercer County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Mercer County
Mercer County had 264,154 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $90,503 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Princeton itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Princeton
7 public schools with 4,115 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton High School | 9-12 | 1,532 | 11.8 |
| Princeton Middle School | 6-8 | 780 | 11.3 |
| Princeton Charter School (charter) | K-8 | 424 | 11.2 |
| Johnson Park School | PK-5 | 388 | 9.9 |
| Littlebrook School | PK-5 | 383 | 9.3 |
| Riverside School | PK-5 | 313 | 7.3 |
| Community Park School | PK-5 | 295 | 10.5 |
Towns near Princeton
- Plainsboro Center, NJ4.4 mi · 2,760 people · home $483,300
- Montgomery, NJ4.7 mi · 23,690 people · home $795,200
- Plainsboro, NJ4.7 mi · 24,084 people · home $683,100
- West Windsor, NJ5.1 mi · 29,518 people · home $776,400
- Lawrence, NJ5.1 mi · 33,077 people · home $439,700
- Heathcote, NJ5.2 mi · 7,154 people · home $567,500
- Lawrenceville, NJ5.4 mi · 3,751 people · home $411,900
- Princeton Meadows, NJ5.6 mi · 14,776 people · home $665,700
Princeton questions
Is Princeton, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Princeton scores better for retirees than 57% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 16%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.5).
How much does a house cost in Princeton?
The median owner-occupied home in Princeton is valued at $1,050,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $192,079, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $2,636 a month.
What is the weather like in Princeton?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 21.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.5 inches of precipitation a year and 23.7 inches of snow.
Does Princeton get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Princeton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 18, 1990. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)