PlainZIP

Princeton, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08540

Mercer County, New Jersey - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

47,115
350/sq mi
$176,983
Median income
$767,900
Median home value
82.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Princeton pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 2%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 5%
home value, US ZIPs
350
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08540 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08540 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey, with 47,115 residents across 134.5 square miles, a density of 350 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08540 skews affluent, with a median household income of $176,983 (45% above the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $89,601. Poverty here runs at 8.2%, with unemployment measured at 4.1%. Median home value sits at $767,900 (49% above the state average), median rent at $2,218 a month, and owner-occupancy at 63.7%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 82.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.6, and the average commute is 29 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 08540, plus 6 more within Mercer County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 08540

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Princeton, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08540.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 08540, Princeton, NJ · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

47,115

Population

134.5

Area (sq mi)

350

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 08540?

40.6

Median Age

49.8%

Male

50.2%

Female

38.1%

Foreign-Born

White 50.7%
African American 5.7%
Asian 33.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$176,983

Median Household Income

+45% vs state

$89,601

Per Capita Income

8.2%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

28.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08540 ranks nationally

Princeton, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$176,983 Top 2% higher than 98% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 88.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 82.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

19,622

Total Housing Units

18,609

Occupied Units

1,013

Vacant Units

2.55

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.7%
Renter 36.3%

$767,900

Median Home Value

+49% vs state

$2,218

Median Rent

1986

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+6.5%

YoY Change (2024)

269

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+169%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08540 have increased 6.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +169% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.9% 186
2021 +5.7% 197
2022 +12.0% 221
2023 +14.7% 253
2024 +6.5% 269

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 2,180 business establishments in ZIP 08540, employing approximately 48,656 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,074,201,000.

2,180

Businesses

48,656

Employees

$6.1B

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 784 36.0%
Health care and social assistance 259 11.9%
Finance and insurance 157 7.2%
Other services (except public administration) 132 6.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 129 5.9%
Accommodation and food services 121 5.5%
Retail trade 120 5.5%
Wholesale trade 88 4.0%
Educational services 85 3.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 75 3.4%
Information 62 2.8%
Construction 53 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 51 2.3%
Manufacturing 25 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 18 0.8%
Transportation and warehousing 11 0.5%
Utilities 4 0.2%
Industries not classified 3 0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 08540 vs 08542 →

ZIP 08540 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08540 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 08540 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 08540 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
08542 Princeton, NJ 5,189 0.8 mi
08553 Rocky Hill, NJ 682 2.7 mi
08528 Kingston, NJ 315 2.5 mi
08502 Belle Mead, NJ 11,317 5.9 mi
08558 Skillman, NJ 6,629 4.3 mi
08536 Plainsboro, NJ 20,073 4.4 mi
08550 Princeton Junction, NJ 19,445 6.0 mi
08852 Monmouth Junction, NJ 17,220 5.9 mi
08690 Trenton, NJ 18,567 9.6 mi
08648 Lawrence Township, NJ 32,263 6.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mercer County

08618 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 38,229
08648 standard
Lawrence Township, NJ
Pop: 32,263
08610 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 30,468
08611 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 28,038
08520 standard
Hightstown, NJ
Pop: 27,869
08638 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 22,832

Related Areas

Mercer County Princeton, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08540 in? ▼
ZIP code 08540 (Princeton) is located in Mercer County, New Jersey. Mercer County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mercer-nj.
What is the population of ZIP code 08540? ▼
ZIP code 08540 in Princeton, NJ has a population of 47,115 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08540? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08540 is $176,983, which is 132% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08540? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08540 is $767,900, which is 176% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08540? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08540 is White at 50.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08540? ▼
ZIP code 08540 has 2,180 business establishments employing approximately 48,656 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08540? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08540 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (784), Health care and social assistance (259), Finance and insurance (157). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08540? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08540 increased by 6.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 169%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 08540? ▼
In ZIP code 08540, 88.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 82.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 08540? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08540 is 28.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08540? ▼
In ZIP code 08540, approximately 63.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08540? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08540 is 8.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.