Princeton, NJ
Census place 3460900 · pop 30,756
Home of Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study, where Albert Einstein spent his final decades.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$1,050,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$3,442/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-0.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
55.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
5 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
93/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.95% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
723 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
6.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
49 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
6.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
13.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
15.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$192,079 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
5.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
18.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
84.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Frequently asked
- Is Princeton, NJ a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Princeton scores 57/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is housing cost. New Jersey overall ranks #43 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Princeton, NJ?
- Princeton reports 49 violent crimes per 100k and 723 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Princeton, NJ expensive to live in?
- Princeton has a median home value of $1,050,600 and typical rent around $3,442/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Princeton, NJ?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($1,050,600) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Princeton, NJ best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (84.7%) — 100/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study, where Albert Einstein spent his final decades.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.