Housing data for Princeton, NJ
Princeton, NJ has an estimated 30,756 residents and 9,906 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a municipality in Mercer County.
44.6% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $2,636 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−0.8%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 30,756 (±72)
- Housing units
- 9,906 (±388)
- Households that rent
- 44.6%
- Median gross rent
- $2,636
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −0.8%
What stands out in Princeton
Median home value: $1,050,600 (±$46,184) in Princeton, higher than in Mercer County ($377,700).
Median household income: $192,079 (±$24,402) in Princeton, higher than in Mercer County ($100,645).
Median gross rent: $2,636 (±$281) in Princeton, higher than in Mercer County ($1,623).
Working from home: 32.7% (±4.1 points) in Princeton, higher than in Mercer County (19.5%).
- Home values in Princeton
- Income and affordability in Princeton
- Median rent in Princeton
- Commute and cars in Princeton
Housing in Princeton at a glance
- Median rent: $2,636 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $2,922 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 36.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 44.6% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $192,079 median household income
- Home values: $1,050,600 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $4,000 or more median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $10,000 or more median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 22.8% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 65.2% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 63.8% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 1.1% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 70.7% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 24.2 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 41 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −0.8% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 29.5% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 2.9% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Princeton against Mercer County, its state and the nation
| Princeton | Mercer County | New Jersey | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 30,756 (±72) | 385,864 (exact) | 9,343,809 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 9,906 (±388) | 151,138 (±116) | 3,791,354 (±469) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 44.6% (±3.9 points) | 37.8% (±1.2 points) | 36.2% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,636 (±$281) | $1,623 (±$34) | $1,720 (±$7) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $192,079 (±$24,402) | $100,645 (±$2,565) | $103,556 (±$513) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $1,050,600 (±$46,184) | $377,700 (±$6,110) | $454,400 (±$1,150) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $10,000 or more | $8,909 (±$148) | $9,590 (±$25) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 63.8% (±6.0 points) | 64.2% (±1.7 points) | 62.8% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 24.2 minutes (±2.2) | 27.1 minutes (±0.5) | 30.5 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 93.4% (±2.3 points) | 91.4% (±0.8 points) | 92.8% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 28.5 years (±1.5) | 39.5 years (±0.2) | 40.1 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Princeton covers 17.9 square miles of land, about 1,714 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Princeton has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 31,000 (±47) | 30,756 (±72) | −0.8% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 11,009 (±414) | 9,906 (±388) | −10.0% | Measurable decrease |
| Median gross rent | $1,532 (±$143) | $2,636 (±$281) | +72.1% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $866,200 (±$45,726) | $1,050,600 (±$46,184) | +21.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $137,672 (±$13,289) | $192,079 (±$24,402) | +39.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 39.8% (±2.8 points) | 44.6% (±3.9 points) | +4.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.4% (±1.1 points) | 1.1% (±1.3 points) | −0.3 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Princeton
In 2025, the Princeton Police Department reported 41 violent and 563 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Mercer County, the departments that report recorded 268 violent and 1,597 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Princeton
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08542 | 100% | 2,533 | $2,497 | $754,100 | $105,524 |
| 08544 | 100% | 4,392 | — | — | — |
| 08540 | 34% | 50,388 | $2,218 | $767,900 | $176,983 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Princeton
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston | 3.2 mi | $1,765 | $475,900 | 34.2% |
| Rocky Hill Borough | 3.3 mi | $1,799 | $597,200 | 23.6% |
| Princeton Junction | 3.4 mi | $1,661 | $709,800 | 18.0% |
| Plainsboro Center | 4.4 mi | $2,099 | $483,300 | 65.6% |
| Montgomery Township | 4.7 mi | $2,188 | $795,200 | 15.4% |
| Plainsboro Township | 4.7 mi | $2,037 | $683,100 | 52.3% |
| West Windsor Township | 5.1 mi | $2,327 | $776,400 | 34.8% |
| Lawrence Township (Mercer County) | 5.1 mi | $2,020 | $439,700 | 32.5% |
Places in New Jersey most like Princeton
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Borough | $2,253 | $943,200 | $171,471 | 36.2% |
| Cedar Knolls | $2,849 | $646,700 | $170,400 | 41.1% |
| Pine Brook | $2,366 | $767,200 | $126,488 | 35.3% |
| Springfield Township (Union County) | $2,188 | $636,600 | $155,906 | 33.2% |
| Westwood Borough | $2,458 | $606,400 | $165,781 | 37.1% |
| Morris Plains Borough | $2,835 | $643,300 | $154,923 | 28.4% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across New Jersey.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Princeton, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,561 | $1,764 | $2,242 | $2,741 | $3,081 |
HUD income limits for Princeton, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $29,300 | $48,850 | $74,800 |
| 2 people | $33,500 | $55,800 | $85,450 |
| 3 people | $37,700 | $62,800 | $96,150 |
| 4 people | $41,850 | $69,750 | $106,800 |
| 5 people | $45,200 | $75,350 | $115,350 |
| 6 people | $48,550 | $80,950 | $123,900 |
| 7 people | $51,900 | $86,500 | $132,450 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $92,100 | $141,000 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $139,800.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Local rules in Princeton
Princeton has local landlord and tenant rules of its own on top of New Jersey law.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Princeton
What is the average rent in Princeton, NJ?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Princeton is $2,636 (±$281) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Princeton?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Princeton, NJ is $1,738 (±$175) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Princeton rent-burdened?
36.0% of renting households in Princeton pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Princeton?
Princeton has an estimated 4,151 (±433) renting households, 44.6% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Princeton?
The median household income in Princeton is $192,079 (±$24,402) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Princeton, NJ?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $1,050,600 (±$46,184) for owner-occupied homes in Princeton (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Princeton growing?
In Princeton, the number of residents went from 31,000 in 2015–2019 to 30,756 in 2020–2024 (−0.8%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in Princeton?
The ZIP codes that cover Princeton are 08542, 08544, 08540.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 08542?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 08542 is $2,497 (±$543) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Princeton Police Department (ORI NJ0111000)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey (county subdivision:60900, in state:34 county:021).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .