Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Princeton is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Princeton differs from New Jersey on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Princeton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Princeton
COPD and diabetes are less common in Princeton
Princeton runs below New Jersey on eight chronic conditions, most of all COPD (2.9% vs 5.1%), diabetes (6.9% vs 10.9%) and obesity (18.3% vs 28.9%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (New Jersey 17%). Conditions ↓
Princeton is an active town
Only 15.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across New Jersey. The town has 48 miles of trails across 28 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Few Princeton adults smoke
5.7% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 10.9% across New Jersey. Habits ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New Jersey figure falls outside Princeton’s likely range.
What’s behind Princeton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Princeton is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #15 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 93%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Princeton’s median household income is $192,079; among the 1,078 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($144K–$240K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Princeton adults…
Princeton runs below NJ on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Princeton residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
48 miles of trails across 28 parks and preserves
Care in and near Princeton
No hospital or community health center in Princeton itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Princeton; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Princeton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
How Princeton adults are doing
About the same as New Jersey on each measure.
1 in 3 Princeton adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
3.2% of Princeton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Princeton and the towns around it
Princeton has the best Health Grade of the 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton | A+ | 18.3% | 6.9% | 5.7% | CDC place |
| Montgomery Township | A+ | 21.4% | 8.6% | 5.9% | ZIP codes |
| West Windsor Township | A+ | 17% | 9% | 5.4% | ZIP codes |
| Franklin Township | A | 26.2% | 10.5% | 7.9% | ZIP codes |
| Lawrence Township | A+ | 21.1% | 8.8% | 7.7% | ZIP codes |
| Kingston | — | — | — | — | |
| Plainsboro Township | A+ | 21.7% | 8.3% | 6.1% | ZIP codes |
| South Brunswick Township | A | 24.8% | 10.4% | 7.8% | ZIP codes |
Kingston: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Princeton adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Princeton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Princeton is better than New Jersey on 20 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Princeton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Princeton | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.2%8.9–11.7 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.2%7.2–9.2 | 12.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.8–15.1 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 18.3%15.2–21.8 | 28.9% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 6.9%6–7.9 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23%20.6–25.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.9%29.9–36 | 39.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 15.8%14.1–17.6 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.2%7.3–9.3 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.2–7.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2%1.8–2.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5%4–6.2 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 5.7%4.8–6.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.7%13.4–18.2 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%13.8–19.1 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.7%27.3–36 | 37.5% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–7 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%74–80.1 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.4%71.6–76.9 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%86.3–89.4 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.1%70.3–75.5 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.4%63.1–71.2 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78%71.6–83.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.9%12.8–17.3 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%28.4–36.2 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%19.1–25.1 | 24% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.9%5.9–8.1 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.7%3.2–4.3 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4.4–5.7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.2%2.7–3.8 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 17%14.7–19.6 | 24.8% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 6.3%5.5–7.2 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.2%8.1–10.5 | 11.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 5.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.7%2.5–3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.5%4–5.1 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.8%1.6–1.9 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Princeton
Is Princeton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Princeton is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #15 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Princeton?
CDC estimates 18.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 15.2% and 21.8%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Princeton?
University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro in Plainsboro, 2.5 miles in a straight line from Princeton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Princeton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7%), against 11.3% across New Jersey.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Princeton more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Princeton.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.