08542 ZIP Code — Princeton, NJ
Mercer County, New Jersey
ZIP code 08542 is located in Princeton, New Jersey, within Mercer County. It covers approximately 0.39 square miles and serves a population of 2,595 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 609.
About ZIP code 08542
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $686,000. Renters make up the majority at 55%, typical of denser urban areas.
Median household income is $157,336. The poverty rate of 7% is below the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 25 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is high — 75% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national average of 33%.
2,595
population
0.39
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
08542 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 08542
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 08542. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Princeton | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
08541 Princeton (0.4 mi)
08544 Princeton (0.7 mi)
08540 Princeton (1.6 mi)
08528 Kingston (3 mi)
08553 Rocky Hill (3.3 mi)
08536 Plainsboro (3.9 mi)
08558 Skillman (4.2 mi)
08550 Princeton Junction (5.4 mi)
08648 Lawrence Township (5.9 mi)
08502 Belle Mead (6 mi)
08852 Monmouth Junction (6.4 mi)
08512 Cranbury (6.9 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 2,595 |
| Population density | 6,654 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 34 |
| County FIPS | 021 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 0.39 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.00 sq mi |
| Latitude | 40.3545 |
| Longitude | -74.6587 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 609 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 31.4% | 30.6% | 30.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 22.4% | 25.8% | 26.7% |
| $100k – $200k | 26.5% | 28.0% | 28.3% |
| Over $200k | 19.7% | 15.6% | 14.8% |
Demographics & statistics
2,595
Population
6,654
People per sq mi
37.7
Median age
$157,336
Median household income
$78,907
Per capita income
$686,000
Median home value
$2,652
Median monthly rent
45.0%
Home ownership
7.1%
Poverty rate
3.7%
Unemployment
708
Housing units
75.4%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
51
Under 5
45
51
5–9
46
48
10–14
44
33
15–19
29
35
20–24
31
404
25–34
364
211
35–44
190
184
45–54
166
121
55–59
109
83
60–64
74
94
65–74
85
51
75–84
46
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 313 | 12.1% |
| 18 and over | 2,282 | 87.9% |
| 65 and over | 276 | 10.6% |
| Median age | 37.7 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
52%
Black or African American
13.8%
Asian
12.2%
Two or more races
9.2%
Hispanic or Latino
6.6%
Other race
3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native
2.9%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,445 | 52% |
| Black or African American | 382 | 13.8% |
| Asian | 340 | 12.2% |
| Two or more races | 255 | 9.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 182 | 6.6% |
| Other race | 92 | 3.3% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 81 | 2.9% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 31.4% | 30.6% | 30.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 22.4% | 25.8% | 26.7% |
| $100k – $200k | 26.5% | 28.0% | 28.3% |
| Over $200k | 19.7% | 15.6% | 14.8% |
$10k–$15k
0.7%
$25k–$35k
6.2%
$35k–$50k
1.8%
$50k–$75k
6.8%
$75k–$100k
10.3%
$100k–$150k
19.6%
$150k–$200k
20.5%
$200k+
34.2%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| $10k–$15k | 0.7% |
| $25k–$35k | 6.2% |
| $35k–$50k | 1.8% |
| $50k–$75k | 6.8% |
| $75k–$100k | 10.3% |
| $100k–$150k | 19.6% |
| $150k–$200k | 20.5% |
| $200k+ | 34.2% |
| Median income | $157,336 |
Housing
Home values
$100k–$150k
6.1%
$150k–$200k
9.0%
$300k–$500k
16.8%
$500k–$1M
58.6%
$1M+
9.6%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $686,000 |
| Median rent / month | $2,652 |
| Owner occupied | 45.0% |
| Renter occupied | 55.0% |
| Vacant | 14.7% |
| Single-family detached | 26.5% |
| Large apartment buildings | 9.1% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% |
| Median rooms | 4.7 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.28 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 6.4% |
| 2000–2009 | 11.8% |
| 1990–1999 | 2.2% |
| 1980–1989 | 7.5% |
| 1970–1979 | 0.0% |
| 1960–1969 | 3.1% |
| 1950–1959 | 3.4% |
| 1940–1949 | 0.5% |
| 1939 or earlier | 65.0% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 8.1% |
| 1 bedroom | 21.6% |
| 2 bedrooms | 36.6% |
| 3 bedrooms | 23.7% |
| 4 bedrooms | 9.9% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 0.0% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 36.5% |
| 1 vehicle | 21.9% |
| 2 vehicles | 36.2% |
| 3 or more | 5.4% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 75.2% |
| Electricity | 18.5% |
| Fuel oil | 4.0% |
| No fuel used | 1.0% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 471 | 41.4% |
| Cohabiting couple | 78 | 6.8% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 280 | 24.6% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 310 | 27.2% |
| Households with children under 18 | 199 | 17.5% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 202 | 17.7% |
| Average household size | 2.27 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 48.3% | 38.5% |
| Married | 42.3% | 44.1% |
| Separated | 5.8% | 1.1% |
| Widowed | 0.0% | 3.9% |
| Divorced | 3.5% | 12.4% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
0.8%
Some HS, no diploma
5.1%
HS graduate
8.0%
Some college, no degree
10.1%
Associate's degree
0.6%
Bachelor's degree
29.0%
Graduate / professional
46.4%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 94.1% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 75.4% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 25 | 5.2% |
| Kindergarten | 70 | 14.6% |
| Elementary school | 106 | 22.2% |
| High school | 109 | 22.8% |
| College / grad school | 168 | 35.1% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
53.5%
Professional & management
18.0%
Arts, food & hospitality
6.1%
Retail trade
5.2%
Manufacturing
4.5%
Public administration
3.8%
Construction
2.5%
Finance & real estate
1.8%
Other services
1.8%
Wholesale trade
1.3%
Transportation & utilities
1.1%
Information
0.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 81.1% |
| Service | 8.7% |
| Sales & office | 6.5% |
| Natural resources & construction | 2.5% |
| Production & transportation | 1.2% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 82.8% |
| Government | 14.3% |
| Self-employed | 3.0% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 32.4% |
| Carpool | 4.3% |
| Public transit | 4.3% |
| Walk | 20.3% |
| Work from home | 18.3% |
| Other means | 20.4% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 25.2 |
Poverty
All people
7.1%
Under 18 years
0.0%
18 and over
8.1%
Married-couple families
0.0%
Female-led households
13.3%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 15.7% |
| Retirement income | 15.7% |
| Supplemental Security | 0.9% |
| Cash public assistance | 2.3% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 3.5% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 21.0% |
| High blood pressure | 0.0% |
| High cholesterol | 0.0% |
| Diabetes | 4.4% |
| Heart disease | 2.5% |
| Stroke | 1.2% |
| Asthma | 8.8% |
| Arthritis | 10.6% |
| Kidney disease | 1.4% |
| Pulmonary disease | 2.3% |
| Cancer | 3.4% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 7.4% |
| Binge drinking | 20.1% |
| No physical activity | 12.8% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 29.9% |
| Depression | 16.9% |
| Fair or poor health | 6.0% |
| Poor mental health | 14.0% |
| Poor physical health | 4.6% |
| No health insurance | 11.8% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 70.8% |
| Visited dentist | 73.1% |
| Cholesterol screening | 0.0% |
| Teeth loss | 7.2% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 28 | 1.2% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 8.6% |
| Under 18 | 5.1% |
| 18–64 years | 5.4% |
| 65 and over | 35.9% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 88.4% |
| Public insurance | 17.4% |
| No insurance | 3.2% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 0.0% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 2,499 | 96.3% |
| Spanish | 213 | 8.5% |
| Other Indo-European | 132 | 5.3% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other languages | 66 | 2.6% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 1,887 | 72.7% |
| Born in same state | 1,853 | 71.4% |
| Born in different state | 720 | 27.7% |
| Foreign born | 34 | 1.3% |
| Naturalized citizen | 708 | 27.3% |
| Not a US citizen | 353 | 49.9% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| French | 283 | 10.9% |
| Italian | 235 | 9.1% |
| Arab | 60 | 2.3% |
| Dutch | 27 | 1% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English | 23 | 0.9% |
| Norwegian | 22 | 0.8% |
| Polish | 11 | 0.4% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 43.9% |
| Internet access | 97.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 08542
What city is ZIP code 08542 in?
ZIP code 08542 is primarily assigned to Princeton, New Jersey.
What county is ZIP code 08542 in?
ZIP code 08542 falls within Mercer County, New Jersey.
How educated is the population of ZIP code 08542?
75% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — well above the national average of ~33%, reflecting a highly educated population.
Is ZIP code 08542 mostly rentals?
55% of occupied units in ZIP code 08542 are renter-occupied.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 08542?
The median household income in ZIP code 08542 is $157,336, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 08542?
The median home value in ZIP code 08542 is $686,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 08542 in?
ZIP code 08542 observes the EST timezone.