Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Princeton, New Jersey
A $1,040,000 home here costs
$7,904per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.32% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $339,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,715. The real number is $2,189 higher every month, 38% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Mercer County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Princeton against Mercer County and New Jersey
| Measure | Princeton | Mercer County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,040,400 | $351,000 |
| Median property tax | $10,001 | $8,804 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.961% | 2.508% |
| Median gross rent | $2,448 | $1,515 |
| Population | 30,451 | 383,286 |
The weather behind that power bill
Princeton sits in Mercer County, which averages a high of 86.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.3°F in its coldest, with 45.63" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,050 cooling and 4,977 heating degree days, which is what sets the $167 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Mercer County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Mercer County
Full Mercer County cost breakdown · Every county in New Jersey
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Princeton averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Princeton every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Princeton I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Princeton?
A $1,040,000 home in Princeton, New Jersey costs approximately $7,904 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $5,715 principal and interest, $833 property tax, $255 homeowners insurance, $235 utilities and $867 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Princeton?
Princeton has an effective property tax rate of 0.961%, based on a median home value of $1,040,400 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Mercer County average of 2.508%.
What is the average home price in Princeton?
The median owner-occupied home value in Princeton, New Jersey is $1,040,400, against $351,000 across Mercer County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Princeton?
Median gross rent in Princeton is $2,448 a month, against $7,904 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Princeton?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Princeton, New Jersey at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $339,000 a year. That covers the full $7,904 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Princeton, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for New Jersey.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.