Residential comparison · 13 facts
New Brunswick, NJ vs Princeton, NJ
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in New Brunswick needs about $87,500 in Princeton to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Princeton, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $82,500 in New Brunswick.
A few differences
- Princeton is higher on median household income ($192,079 vs $65,810).
- New Brunswick is lower on cost of living index (111 vs 165).
- New Brunswick is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,828/mo vs $2,922/mo).
New Brunswick vs Princeton · facet by facet
| Facet | New Brunswick, NJ | Princeton, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $353,800 | $1,050,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,828/mo | $2,922/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| State & local income tax | 2.26% | 2.26% |
| Sales tax | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| Cost of living index | 111 | 165 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $65,810 | $192,079 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Crime index | 25/100 | 25/100 |
| School rating | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 205 days | 205 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: New Brunswick, NJ · Princeton, NJ
Questions & answers
- Is New Brunswick cheaper than Princeton?
- New Brunswick has the lower day-to-day cost index (111 vs 165 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Princeton equals $85,000 in New Brunswick?
- A household earning $85,000 in New Brunswick needs about $87,500 in Princeton to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Princeton lifestyle costs about $82,500 in New Brunswick.