Town · North Carolina
Princeton, North Carolina
Princeton, town, in Johnston County, North Carolina. Princeton had 1,544 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 17.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,315 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,658 (±629). GEOID 3753820.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,544
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,315 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,658 ±629
Median household income
$45,500
±$25,915 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$215,400
±$84,847 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$690
±$132 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Princeton and what county is it in?
Princeton is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina. It covers 1.2 square miles of land, 1,129 residents per square mile in 2020.
Princeton is in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
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 1,544 people lived in Princeton on July 1, 2025, up 17.5% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,315 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,658 (±629).
| Measure | Princeton | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,658 ±629 | 234,263 | no clear change |
| Households | 664 ±176 | 85,591 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.50 ±0.63 | 2.72 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 784 ±186 | 91,218 | no clear change |
Princeton's population since 2000
From 1,066 in 2000 to 1,544 in 2025: up 44.8%. 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 34.0 years old; 30.8% are under 18 and 16.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 55.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 28.6%.
| Measure | Princeton | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 ±10.2 | 38.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 30.8% ±12.7 pts | 24.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.2% ±8.0 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Male | 42.9% ±5.2 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 28.6% ±24.1 pts | 16.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 55.1% ±19.7 pts | 61.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 12.4% ±7.2 pts | 16.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±2.9 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.2% ±9.7 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 20.0% ±22.6 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±3.6 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 20.0% ±6.1 pts | 13.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 13.5% ±9.1 pts | 10.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.4% ±16.5 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.3% ±6.0 pts | 28.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.4% ±3.6 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.6% ±8.0 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
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 664 households earn less than $45,500 a year (±$25,915), against $83,384 in Johnston County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $30,665 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Princeton | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,500 ±$25,915 | $83,384 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $63,953 ±$9,594 | $103,515 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,664 ±$7,087 | $38,897 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.7% ±5.7 pts | 10.6% | −10.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.9% ±10.7 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.3% ±5.9 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.2% ±1.1 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.3% ±12.7 pts | 89.4% | – |
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 49.7% of Princeton's occupied homes and renters 50.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $215,400 by its owner (±$84,847). The median renter pays $690 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Princeton | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $215,400 ±$84,847 | $305,600 | +$97,623 |
| Median gross rent | $690 ±$132 | $1,146 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 17.1% ±11.3 pts | 37.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,646 ±$266 | $1,665 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 49.7% ±11.8 pts | 76.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 50.3% ±11.8 pts | 23.9% | – |
| Housing units | 784 ±186 | 91,218 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 6.8% ±7.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.4% ±6.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 64.5% ±12.2 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.1% ±11.5 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.7% ±2.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.2% ±4.9 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.3% ±5.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.2% ±6.6 pts | 3.7% | – |
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?
Princeton last reported building permits to the Census Bureau for 2021.
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?
91.9% of Princeton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 30.1 minutes.
| Measure | Princeton | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.6% ±7.5 pts | 66.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% ±2.0 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 91.9% ±5.9 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.2% ±1.9 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±6.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.7% ±5.6 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.1 min ±7.0 | 32.2 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?
No census tract lies mostly in Princeton; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 405.01Johnston County | 4,715 | $68,000 |
| Tract 405.02Johnston County | 2,565 | $117,838 |
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 North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Princeton is the 8,627th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 289th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Princeton ranks 352nd of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 289th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 29th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 151st | 443 |
| Median household income | 352nd | 434 |
| Per capita income | 364th | 443 |
| Median home value | 266th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 359th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 247th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 355th | 421 |
| Median age | 392nd | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 381st | 443 |
| Travel time to work | 70th | 439 |
Princeton's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, 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?
23 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.