Living in Princeton, NJ
College town in New Jersey
Princeton is a college town in New Jersey, home to about 30,000 people, with 1.9 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Princeton a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Safe: violent crime is 0.08× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Family-friendly: playgrounds, family attractions and plenty of households with kids
- Big job market: about 1.9 million people live within 31 mi
- Strong healthcare: 9 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $2,267 state income tax per resident, 0.96% property tax
- Cloudier than most places
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $793k, and rent is $2,340 a month
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Princeton ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Princeton: common questions
What is the cost of living in Princeton?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $793k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,340 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 103, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Princeton?
New Jersey collects about $2,267 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.96% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Princeton safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.08× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Princeton?
Princeton has cold winters: winter days average around 43°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 24″ of snow a year.
Does Princeton get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.47 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Princeton?
The nearest major airport is EWR, about 35 mi away.
How Princeton scores
Each bar compares Princeton with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Princeton right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.