Jersey City vs Princeton, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Jersey City and Princeton, side by side with sources.
At a glance
- Lower tax billJersey City, $11,252 a year
More info
Jersey City has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $11,252 a year, $12,121 less than $23,373 in Princeton. Both are above the NJ average of $10,340.
- Peak commuteJersey City 18.5 min vs Princeton 53 min
More info
Peak commute is 18.5 minutes by PATH to 33rd Street in Jersey City and 53 minutes in Princeton, 34.5 minutes shorter in Jersey City.
- Higher school resultsPrinceton: 4-year graduation, ELA, math
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On the district results, Princeton's district is higher on 4-year graduation (92.8% vs 78.3%), ELA (76.9% vs 45.4%) and math (73.3% vs 32.8%).
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
- Jersey City$3,764 / monthMortgage $2,835 · Property tax $800 · Insurance $129 · no commute · on a $520,000 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
- Jersey City$520,00031 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Jersey City$492,50050 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Jersey City$2,835 / 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
- Jersey City$11,252 / year$912 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
- Jersey City45.4% Below NJ average
- Princeton76.9% Above NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Jersey City32.8% Below NJ average
- Princeton73.3% Above NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Jersey City78.3% Below NJ average
- Princeton92.8% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Jersey City23.7% Above NJ average
- Princeton8.2% Below NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Jersey City12:1
- Princeton11:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Princeton$549 / month
More info
Not shown for Jersey City: Not on NJ Transit's rail-to-Penn fare chart; residents typically use PATH or the NY Waterway ferry (see fares)
Peak commute time
- Jersey City18.5 minPATH from Grove Street to 33rd Street (Midtown Manhattan)
More info
Typical from Grove Street (PATH): 18.5 min, median ride time of the direct scheduled PATH trips arriving 7:00-9:00 AM in PATH's weekday GTFS schedule (service through 2026-11-13); the count is for that schedule, not for Nov 18. Based on 28 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.
PATH commute time
- Jersey City15 minNewport (PATH) to 33rd Street (PATH)
More info
Typical: 15 min, median ride time of the direct scheduled PATH trips arriving 7:00-9:00 AM in PATH's weekday GTFS schedule (service through 2026-11-13); the count is for that schedule, not for Nov 18. Based on 28 trips.
Ferry commute time
- Jersey City7 minPaulus Hook to Brookfield Place
More info
Typical: 8 min, median scheduled crossing time of the weekday ferry sailings from this terminal that arrive at the destination 7:00-9:00 AM in NY Waterway's published timetable. Based on 17 trips.
Full pages: Jersey City · Princeton. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.