City · Minnesota
Princeton, Minnesota
Princeton, city, mostly in Mille Lacs County (98.9% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Sherburne County, Minnesota. Princeton had 5,480 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 9.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,819 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,274 (±216). GEOID 2752522.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,480
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,819 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,274 ±216
Median household income
$62,219
±$13,110 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$218,700
±$17,634 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$991
±$152 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Princeton and what county is it in?
Princeton is a city mostly in Mille Lacs County (98.9% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Sherburne County, Minnesota. It covers 4.9 square miles of land, 977 residents per square mile in 2020.
Princeton is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 15 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mille Lacs County | 4,766 | 98.9% |
| Sherburne County | 53 | 1.1% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Princeton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,480 people lived in Princeton on July 1, 2025, up 9.3% since 2020, faster than Minnesota (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 4,819 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,274 (±216).
| Measure | Princeton | Mille Lacs County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,274 ±216 | 27,125 | +565 |
| Households | 2,039 ±146 | 10,672 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.52 ±0.18 | 2.50 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,238 ±196 | 13,069 | no clear change |
Princeton's population since 2000
From 3,933 in 2000 to 5,480 in 2025: up 39.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Princeton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Princeton?
The median resident of Princeton is 39.4 years old; 18.5% are under 18 and 24.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 1.7%.
| Measure | Princeton | Mille Lacs County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 ±2.6 | 41.2 | +6.6 |
| Under 18 years | 18.5% ±3.0 pts | 23.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.4% ±4.3 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Male | 49.5% ±2.7 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±1.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.9% ±2.3 pts | 88.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±1.2 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.2% ±1.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9% ±2.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.3% ±3.3 pts | 7.9% | – |
| With a disability | 15.5% ±5.0 pts | 15.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.9% ±3.2 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.4% ±6.0 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.6% ±4.6 pts | 18.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.9% ±2.6 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.2% ±9.3 pts | 88.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Princeton earn?
Half of Princeton's 2,039 households earn less than $62,219 a year (±$13,110), against $72,729 in Mille Lacs County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 the median was $44,552 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $17,667 after inflation. 8.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Princeton | Mille Lacs County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,219 ±$13,110 | $72,729 | +$17,667 |
| Mean household income | $79,276 ±$12,344 | $90,096 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,770 ±$4,216 | $36,173 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.5% ±3.3 pts | 10.4% | −8.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.1% ±7.2 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.4% ±6.6 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.3% ±4.7 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.2% ±5.3 pts | 87.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Princeton?
Owners occupy 62.1% of Princeton's occupied homes and renters 37.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $218,700 by its owner (±$17,634). The median renter pays $991 a month including utilities, and 35.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Princeton | Mille Lacs County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $218,700 ±$17,634 | $258,300 | +$44,557 |
| Median gross rent | $991 ±$152 | $903 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.8% ±16.6 pts | 34.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,483 ±$138 | $1,733 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.1% ±8.0 pts | 77.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 37.9% ±8.0 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Housing units | 2,238 ±196 | 13,069 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.5% ±5.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.0% ±7.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 56.0% ±8.1 pts | 73.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.6% ±4.3 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.7% ±3.3 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.1% ±6.8 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.0% ±1.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Princeton building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Princeton in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.7 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Minnesota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Princeton work and get to work?
83.3% of Princeton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 25.8 minutes.
| Measure | Princeton | Mille Lacs County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.6% ±6.4 pts | 64.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.6% ±1.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.3% ±5.4 pts | 76.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.9% ±4.7 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.6% ±1.1 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.9% ±3.7 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.8 min ±4.3 | 32.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Princeton?
1 census tract lies mostly in Princeton, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1707Mille Lacs County | 6,002 | $63,981 |
| Tract 301.03Sherburne County | 4,439 | $107,527 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Princeton) · Census block assignment files
How does Princeton compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Princeton is the 4,653rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 143rd-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Princeton ranks 480th of 558 places in Minnesota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 143rd | 855 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 40th | 556 |
| Residents per square mile | 220th | 562 |
| Median household income | 480th | 558 |
| Per capita income | 498th | 562 |
| Median home value | 420th | 559 |
| Median gross rent | 272nd | 465 |
| Poverty rate | 211th | 461 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 544th | 559 |
| Median age | 365th | 561 |
| Owner-occupied share | 502nd | 561 |
| Travel time to work | 201st | 562 |
Princeton's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Princeton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Princeton?
19 of the 57 figures for Princeton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Princeton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Princeton.