Municipality · Mercer County, New Jersey

Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton is a municipality in Mercer County, New Jersey, part of the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area. It has 30,756 residents. Princeton, New Jersey has a quality-of-life score of 87 out of 100 (very high), ranking #1,997 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within New Jersey it ranks #200 of 552 cities and towns. It ranks best on bachelor's degree or higher (high), adult obesity (low) and distance to an Amtrak station (low). It ranks worst on income inequality (Gini index) (high), effective property tax rate (high) and new homes permitted (low).

87Very high

Quality-of-life score: #1,997 of 15,651 cities and towns
New Jersey: #200 of 552 in NJ
Population: 30,756 (2020-2024)
Land area: 18 mi²
Density: 1,713.8 /mi²
FIPS code: 3460900

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 76 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety50#7,862/15,637
Economy87#2,085/15,631
Housing57#6,396/14,977
Health91#1,356/15,609
Healthcare93#1,160/15,650
Environment11#13,776/15,453
Education84#2,501/15,649
Infrastructure91#1,417/15,650
Community95#830/15,651
Leisure & amenities70#4,701/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Princeton, New Jersey ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Mercer County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Bachelor's degree or higher · high84.7%
100/100New Jersey 43.6%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Adult obesity · low20.2%
99/100New Jersey 29.7%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Distance to an Amtrak station · low4 mi
99/100New Jersey 11 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauMercer County value
Depression · low14.8%
99/100New Jersey 15.6%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Frequent mental distress · low12.8%
98/100New Jersey 16.1%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Median household income · high$192,079
98/100New Jersey $104,202United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013

Weaknesses

Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.508
5/100New Jersey 0.478United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Effective property tax rate · high1.80%
12/100New Jersey 1.88%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
New homes permitted · low0.0 /1k
13/100New Jersey 2.7 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Home price to income ratio · high5.5×
15/100New Jersey 4.4×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Drought exposure · high77%
15/100New Jersey 61%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAMercer County value
Drug overdose deaths · high24.1 /100k
19/100New Jersey 15.8 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataMercer County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent-burdened householdsImproving
49.0% (2015-2019) → 36.1% (2020-2024)
−13 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$137,672 (2015-2019) → $192,079 (2020-2024)
+40%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Rent as share of incomeImproving
29.6% (2015-2019) → 24.8% (2020-2024)
−4.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
81.0% (2015-2019) → 84.7% (2020-2024)
+3.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
90.0% (2015-2019) → 93.4% (2020-2024)
+3.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Public transit commutersWorsening
10.6% (2015-2019) → 7.7% (2020-2024)
−2.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B08301US 5.0% → 3.2%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Princeton, New Jersey improved on 4 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 10 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved4

Rent burden−13 points49.0% → 36.1%
Inequality−0.0550.563 → 0.508
Rent / income−4.8 points29.6% → 24.8%
Household income+40%$137,672 → $192,079

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Princeton, New Jersey between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	26.6 min2015-2019	24.2 min2020-2024	−2.4 min	Within the margin of error	74%
Bachelor's degree or higher	81.0%2015-2019	84.7%2020-2024	+3.7 points	Within the margin of error	57%
Broadband subscriptions	90.0%2015-2019	93.4%2020-2024	+3.4 points	Within the margin of error	22%
Effective property tax rate	1.60%2015-2019	1.80%2020-2024	+0.2 points	Within the margin of error	3%
High school diploma or higher	96.3%2015-2019	97.7%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Within the margin of error	52%
Home price to income ratio	6.3×2015-2019	5.5×2020-2024	−0.8×	Within the margin of error	97%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5632015-2019	0.5082020-2024	−0.055	Improved	86%
Median household income	$137,6722015-2019	$192,0792020-2024	+40%	Improved	73%
Poverty rate	7.8%2015-2019	6.1%2020-2024	−1.7 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Public transit commuters	10.6%2015-2019	7.7%2020-2024	−2.9 points	Within the margin of error	11%
Rent as share of income	29.6%2015-2019	24.8%2020-2024	−4.8 points	Improved	82%
Rent-burdened households	49.0%2015-2019	36.1%2020-2024	−13 points	Improved	87%
Unemployment rate	3.3%2015-2019	4.3%2020-2024	+1.1 points	Within the margin of error	28%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	1.9%2015-2019	2.0%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	45%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Princeton, New Jersey five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Princeton, New Jersey in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Princeton, New Jersey itself moved +7.8 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

30,756 residents (±72)

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

9,300 households (±378)

Princeton, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Under $25k7.9%732
$25k–50k5.9%†552
$50k–75k8.5%793

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

9,300 households (±378)

Princeton, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Own55%5,149
Rent45%4,151

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (−4.8 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

14,885 workers (±520)

Princeton, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Drive alone32%4,776
Carpool2.1%†309
Public transit7.7%1,139

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Mercer County, the county holding most of Princeton's residents.

Mercer County has 9,683 employer establishments, 247 for every 10,000 residents (1.00× the US rate of 248; 0.98× New Jersey's), with 208,192 paid employees at an average annual pay of $86,384. The Census Bureau also counts 35,660 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 9,683; 35,660 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 247; US 248 · New Jersey 253
Paid employees: 208,192
Average annual pay: $86,384; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Mercer County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	836	21.4	1.02×About typical	11,087	$67,986	1,473
Restaurants and other eating places	707	18.1	0.98×About typical	10,512	$24,976	248
Computer systems design and related services	453	11.6	2.67×More than typical	4,630	$120,746	633
Specialty trade contractors	395	10.1	0.65×Fewer than typical	3,072	$84,285	1,659
Services to buildings and dwellings	360	9.2	1.36×More than typical	2,696	$38,482	1,943
Management, scientific and technical consulting	335	8.6	1.28×More than typical	3,344	$108,148	1,883
Offices of physicians	313	8	1.24×About typical	3,284	$93,976	302
Lessors of real estate	312	8	0.65×Fewer than typical	2,124	$68,918	3,301
Full-service restaurants	301	7.7	1.00×About typical	5,297	$28,861	114
Construction of buildings	288	7.4	0.97×About typical	1,507	$93,035	1,067
Limited-service restaurants	284	7.3	0.90×About typical	3,853	$21,616	93
Personal care services	272	6.9	1.46×More than typical	1,555	$27,332	1,036

Rank places for an industry Open Mercer County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 391,369 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $88.3M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Princeton, New Jersey: $2,873 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $88.3M; +29% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2,873; US $1,994
Sole-source: 12%; US 30%
Single offer: 54%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

National Aeronautics and Space Administration$35M40%
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services$20.4M23%
Defense Logistics Agency$9.2M10%
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration$8.9M10%
Department of the Air Force$3.7M4.2%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources$3.1M3.5%
Health Resources and Services Administration$2.9M3.2%
Departmental Offices$1.5M1.7%

Top recipients

THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY$33.8M38%
MATHEMATICA INC.$23.4M26%
SRI INTERNATIONAL$10.4M12%
SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION$8.6M9.7%
APPRISE INC$4.4M5.0%

Spending by fiscal year

52.8MFY2017
73.1MFY2018
55.6MFY2019
47.9MFY2020
51.6MFY2021
78.6MFY2022
54.1MFY2023
85.2M

Top industries (NAICS)

Scientific research and development services · 5417$59.2M67%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$16.1M18%
Computer systems design and related services · 5415$8.7M9.8%
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing · 3254$910.3K1.0%
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing · 3345$721.3K0.8%

Largest awards whose ZIP code lies mostly in Princeton, New Jersey

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Princeton, New Jersey, so they do not add up across cities.

Princeton, New Jersey's figures are part of those of Mercer County, NJ ($242.9M in FY2026), never added to them: 36% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Princeton is mostly in Mercer County.

See federal money in Mercer County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Princeton, New Jersey is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Mercer County73100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Trenton-Princeton, NJ77

Other cities and towns in Mercer County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/3460900

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends