Chatham Twp vs Princeton, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Chatham Twp and Princeton, side by side with sources.
At a glance
- Lower tax billChatham Twp, $18,373 a year
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Chatham Twp has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $18,373 a year, $5,000 less than $23,373 in Princeton. Both are above the NJ average of $10,340.
- Peak commuteChatham Twp 46 min vs Princeton 53 min
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Peak commute is 46 minutes in Chatham Twp and 53 minutes in Princeton, 7 minutes shorter in Chatham Twp.
- Higher school resultsChatham Twp: 4-year graduation; Princeton: ELA, math
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On the district results, Chatham Twp's district is higher on 4-year graduation (96.5% vs 92.8%); Princeton's district is higher on ELA (76.9% vs 74.8%) and math (73.3% vs 68.5%).
Figures are from the data file, version 2.5.3. Estimates are labeled. Sources and dates are in each section below. Add a third town in the compare tool.
Monthly cost
Estimated monthly cost Estimate
- Mortgage (principal and interest)
- Property tax
- Insurance
- NJ Transit pass
- Chatham Twp$13,498 / monthMortgage $10,851 · Property tax $2,518 · Insurance $129 · no commute · on a $1,990,200 median single-family home
More info
Same math as the monthly cost calculator, at its defaults: each town's headline median sale price, single-family unless the town's label says otherwise (GSMLS, 2025 closed sales), 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan at 7.24% (Freddie Mac weekly national average, week of Oct 29, 2026), the town's 2025 effective tax rate, homeowners insurance (condo insurance for condo towns), and the town's NJ Transit pass where it has one. Excludes flood insurance, PMI, HOA, utilities and maintenance. Change the numbers in the calculator.
Home prices
Median sale price, single-family
- Chatham Twp$1,990,20096 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Chatham Twp$465,00043 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Chatham Twp$10,851 / month
More info
Principal & interest only; excludes taxes and insurance. Based on the single-family median unless a town's row says otherwise.
Source: GSMLS
Property taxes
Average residential tax bill, 2025
- Chatham Twp$18,373 / year$8,033 above the NJ average
- Princeton$23,373 / year$13,033 above the NJ average
- NJ average$10,340 / yearState total, same series as the town bills
More info
Bills compare better than raw tax rates, because towns assess homes at different shares of market value.
Schools
Meeting ELA standards
- Chatham Twp74.8% Above NJ average
- Princeton76.9% Above NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Chatham Twp68.5% Above NJ average
- Princeton73.3% Above NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Chatham Twp96.5% Above NJ average
- Princeton92.8% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Chatham Twp6.3% Below NJ average
- Princeton8.2% Below NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Chatham Twp11:1
- Princeton11:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Princeton$549 / month
More info
Not shown for Chatham Twp: No NJ Transit rail station in town; residents typically use Chatham station in Chatham Borough
Peak commute time
- Chatham Twp46 min
More info
Typical from Chatham: 53 min, median trip time of the scheduled trips arriving 7:00-9:00 AM on Wed 2026-11-18 (one itinerary per departure; dominated options excluded). Based on 6 trips.
- Princeton53 min
More info
Typical from Princeton Junction: 56.5 min, median trip time of the scheduled trips arriving 7:00-9:00 AM on Wed 2026-11-18 (one itinerary per departure; dominated options excluded). Based on 6 trips.
Full pages: Chatham Twp · Princeton. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.