PlainZIP

Princeton, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08542

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

5,189
3,868/sq mi
$105,524
Median income
$754,100
Median home value
70.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Princeton pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

Top 16%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 5%
home value, US ZIPs
3,868
people per sq mi
32%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08542 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08542 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey, home to 5,189 residents across 1.3 square miles, a density of 3,868 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08542 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $105,524 (13% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $72,582. Local economic indicators show a 4.2% poverty rate alongside 5.0% unemployment. Median home value sits at $754,100 (46% above the state average), median rent at $2,497 a month, and owner-occupancy at 32.3%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 70.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.2, and the average commute is -. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Mercer County, so you can benchmark 08542 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 08542

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Princeton, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08542.

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 08542, 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

5,189

Population

1.3

Area (sq mi)

3,868

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 08542?

37.2

Median Age

52.7%

Male

47.3%

Female

26.7%

Foreign-Born

White 54.1%
African American 14.5%
Asian 11.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 5.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.4%
Hispanic or Latino 15.3%

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?

$105,524

Median Household Income

-13% vs state

$72,582

Per Capita Income

4.2%

Poverty Rate

5.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 08542 ranks nationally

Princeton, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$105,524 Top 16% higher than 84% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $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 80.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 70.7%

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

What does housing look like?

1,357

Total Housing Units

1,264

Occupied Units

93

Vacant Units

2.00

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 32.3%
Renter 67.7%

$754,100

Median Home Value

+46% vs state

$2,497

Median Rent

1938

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

-3.5%

YoY Change (2022)

260

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+160%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08542 have decreased 3.5% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +160% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2017 +7.2% 239
2019 – 248
2020 -5.5% 234
2021 +15.0% 269
2022 -3.5% 260

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 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 371 business establishments in ZIP 08542, employing approximately 4,179 people with a combined annual payroll of $445,689,000.

371

Businesses

4,179

Employees

$445.7M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 63 17.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 63 17.0%
Accommodation and food services 54 14.6%
Other services (except public administration) 47 12.7%
Finance and insurance 43 11.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 23 6.2%
Health care and social assistance 17 4.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 15 4.0%
Construction 12 3.2%
Educational services 9 2.4%
Information 8 2.2%
Wholesale trade 6 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.4%
Manufacturing 4 1.1%

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 08542 vs 08540 →

ZIP 08542 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 08542 ranks #9 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 08542 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 08542 ranks #null 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
08540 Princeton, NJ 47,115 0.8 mi
08553 Rocky Hill, NJ 682 3.4 mi
08528 Kingston, NJ 315 3.2 mi
08536 Plainsboro, NJ 20,073 4.3 mi
08502 Belle Mead, NJ 11,317 6.6 mi
08558 Skillman, NJ 6,629 4.8 mi
08550 Princeton Junction, NJ 19,445 5.5 mi
08690 Trenton, NJ 18,567 8.8 mi
08648 Lawrence Township, NJ 32,263 5.7 mi
08852 Monmouth Junction, NJ 17,220 6.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mercer County

08540 standard
Princeton, NJ
Pop: 47,115
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

Related Areas

Mercer County Princeton, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08542 in? ▼
ZIP code 08542 (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 08542? ▼
ZIP code 08542 in Princeton, NJ has a population of 5,189 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08542? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08542 is $105,524, which is 38% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08542? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08542 is $754,100, which is 171% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08542? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08542 is White at 54.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08542? ▼
ZIP code 08542 has 371 business establishments employing approximately 4,179 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08542? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08542 are: Retail trade (63), Professional, scientific, and technical services (63), Accommodation and food services (54). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08542? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08542 decreased by 3.5% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 160%. 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 08542? ▼
In ZIP code 08542, 80.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 70.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08542? ▼
In ZIP code 08542, approximately 32.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 67.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08542? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08542 is 4.2% 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.