Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A regional job hub with 6,035 jobs.
Princeton gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $170K for a typical one, or 3.4 years of the Bluefield area’s $51K median household income. It grades C− overall, ranked 44th of 61 in West Virginia. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 97% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and its public schools trail 79% of West Virginia towns on state tests and graduation. On the plus side, it is more walkable than 87% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 93% of U.S. towns, with 6 places on the National Register. On history, just 14 of West Virginia’s 141 towns do better.
Where Princeton beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Princeton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Princeton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 320 in 1890, a peak of 8,393 in 1960, 5,872 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1863 and 4 maps from 1916 on.
6 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 Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Princeton.
Princeton carries less natural-hazard risk than most of West Virginia (mostly inland flooding), draws workers from Bluefield and beyond and looks healthier within West Virginia than nationally.
Within West Virginia it is less healthy than 72% of the 61 graded towns: much of West Virginia scores lower on these measures.
44% of Princeton adults sleep under 7 hours, against 40% in West Virginia’s towns and 36% across U.S. towns. 22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Princeton. Princeton beats the West Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
| Princeton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 40% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 12% |
| What stands out | Princeton | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.4% | 11% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 10.5% | 8.9% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.7% | 4.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Mercer County Schools. Two of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Princeton Senior High School, with 925 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 488 | C− |
| Princeton Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 925 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
6,035 jobs are based in Princeton, 2.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 17.4 minutes, against 26.6 across West Virginia.
About one in 4 of Princeton’s working residents works in town. At 17 minutes, Princeton’s average trip to work is where West Virginia’s towns sit at 21 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Princeton’s median household income is $44,000.
| Princeton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 26% | 13% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $44,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 16% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
2.0 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. The trail density in Princeton is 0.7 miles per square mile.
| Princeton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.5% | 2.5% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Princeton City Park Walking Trails | 1.1 mi | 19 |
| 2. Princeton Youth Park | 0.8 mi | 18 |
| 3. Princeton Recreation Center | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 85% of West Virginia towns, with expected losses of about $304 per resident a year; that rating is what its B+ for hazard risk is built on.
Since 1982, 40 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Princeton.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Princeton has chilly winters and pleasant summers. Among 61 West Virginia towns, just 4 have a lower July high than Princeton.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
18% of Princeton residents are under 18. Princeton has lost 5% of its people since 2020, down to 5,578 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 24% of Princeton residents are 65 or older.
| Princeton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 18% | 20% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 21% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 21% | 29% | 29% |
| Median age | 44.2 years | 42 years | 40.5 years |
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.6 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Princeton | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.7% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.8% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.4% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.8% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.5% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.6% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.4% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.3% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.4% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.8% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 39.9% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.1% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.2% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 12.2% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.8% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
63.6% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 48.9% across West Virginia.
The typical Princeton home is worth about $170,000, up 1.4% in a year, close to the West Virginia typical home.
| Princeton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 57% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $747 a month | $882 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
3 within 15 miles of the center of Princeton
About 3 of every 100 Princeton residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
6 places in Princeton on the National Register of Historic Places.
10 notable people were born in Princeton.
City in West Virginia, United States
Princeton is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 5,872 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bluefield micropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Princeton grades C− overall, better than 23% of U.S. towns and #44 of 61 in West Virginia. It grades D− for health and C− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
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 B+.
10 notable people were born here, including Rod Thorn and William Eskridge.
