Residential comparison · 13 facts
Princeton, NJ vs Trenton, 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 Princeton needs about $73,500 in Trenton to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Trenton, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $97,000 in Princeton.
A few differences
- Princeton is higher on median household income ($192,079 vs $52,537).
- Trenton is lower on cost of living index (93 vs 165).
- Trenton is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,341/mo vs $2,922/mo).
Princeton vs Trenton · facet by facet
| Facet | Princeton, NJ | Trenton, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,050,600 | $160,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,922/mo | $1,341/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 | 165 | 93 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $192,079 | $52,537 |
| 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: Princeton, NJ · Trenton, NJ
Questions & answers
- Is Princeton cheaper than Trenton?
- Trenton has the lower day-to-day cost index (93 vs 165 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Trenton equals $85,000 in Princeton?
- A household earning $85,000 in Princeton needs about $73,500 in Trenton to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Trenton lifestyle costs about $97,000 in Princeton.