The Town FilesPrinceton, Texas
City in Collin County · population 17,027 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $331,000
- Household income
- $105,200
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 32.4
Princeton is a city of 17,027 people in Collin County, Texas. The median home is worth $331,000, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Texas towns, better for families than 88% of Texas towns, more upscale than 75% of Texas towns.
How Princeton ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Princeton is worth $331,000, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $105,200, which is more affordable than 45% of Texas towns. Median rent is $2,239 a month. 75.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Princeton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $331,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $2,239 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $105,200 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 75.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 2014 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Princeton
| People | Princeton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 30.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.5% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Princeton
July highs average 95.0°F and January lows 33.9°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 97 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 48 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Princeton since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 12, 1969 about 2.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 177 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 13, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 127 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 28, 2024.
Severe weather in Collin County since 1996
Collin County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Collin County
Collin County had 546,526 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $88,091 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Princeton itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Princeton
14 public schools with 8,688 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRINCETON H S | 9-12 | 1,741 | 16.9 |
| SOUTHARD MIDDLE | 6-8 | 809 | 15.3 |
| LOWE EL | PK-5 | 706 | 15.7 |
| HARPER EL | PK-5 | 696 | 15.8 |
| SMITH EL | PK-5 | 670 | 16.3 |
| GODWIN EL | PK-5 | 662 | 15.4 |
| LACY EL | PK-5 | 652 | 14.5 |
| LOVELADY H S | 9-9 | 637 | 14.8 |
| MAYFIELD EL | PK-5 | 627 | 16.1 |
| MATTEI MIDDLE | 6-8 | 619 | 16.7 |
| CLARK MIDDLE | 6-8 | 505 | 14.9 |
| CANUP EARLY CHILDHOOD | PK-PK | 364 | 19.2 |
Towns near Princeton
- Fairview, TX6.7 mi · 10,372 people · home $597,300
- Lucas, TX7.1 mi · 7,612 people · home $941,900
- Melissa, TX7.7 mi · 13,901 people · home $454,000
- Farmersville, TX8.8 mi · 3,612 people · home $289,400
- McKinney, TX9.0 mi · 195,308 people · home $471,800
- Wylie, TX10.8 mi · 57,526 people · home $387,000
- Parker, TX10.9 mi · 5,462 people · home $859,600
- Allen, TX11.0 mi · 104,627 people · home $464,100
Princeton questions
Is Princeton, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Princeton scores better for retirees than 18% of Texas towns and quieter than 22%. 7.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.4).
How much does a house cost in Princeton?
The median owner-occupied home in Princeton is valued at $331,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $105,200, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $2,239 a month.
What is the weather like in Princeton?
July highs average 95.0°F and January lows 33.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Princeton get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Princeton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 12, 1969. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)