Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,544, incorporated in 1861.
The best of Princeton’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a D for health. Only 24 of North Carolina’s 450 towns score higher on cost of living. Princeton has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Hastings-McKinnie House and Princeton Graded School. Princeton's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 87% of U.S. towns. Princeton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Princeton beats most towns.
Hastings-McKinnie House1,194 counted in 2010 and 1,315 in 2020; an estimated 1,544 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Princeton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 248 in 1890, 1,315 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1974 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Princeton, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Princeton.
Princeton beats the North Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 20% of Princeton adults smoke cigarettes, against 14% in North Carolina’s towns and 14% across U.S. towns. 26% of Princeton adults say their health is fair or poor.
| Princeton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 19% | 19% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Princeton | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 26.8% | 13.9% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 23.4% | 15.2% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 12.4% | 8.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Johnston County Public Schools. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Princeton High, with 988 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 770 | B− |
| Princeton HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 988 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 80% of U.S. communities. Since 2021, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Princeton.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Princeton for work: only 1% work in town. Princeton’s average trip to work is 30 minutes, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 24 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Since 2013, Princeton has lost 151 jobs, to 285 in 2023.
| Princeton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.4% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 13% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Princeton has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Princeton’s July high is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical Princeton home is worth about $271,000, up 3.3% in a year, 18% below the North Carolina typical home. 50% of households own their home in Princeton.
| Princeton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 50% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $690 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Princeton Park | 0.3 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
2 within 15 miles of the center of Princeton
About 4 of every 100 Princeton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Where Princeton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 places in Princeton on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in North Carolina, United States
Princeton is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Princeton had a population of 1,315. Each May the town celebrates Princeton Community Day, a festival dedicated to promoting community involvement and town pride. The town holds municipal elections in November in odd-number years to elect its mayor and town council.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
