Newark vs Princeton, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Newark and Princeton, side by side with sources.
At a glance
- Lower tax billNewark, $7,641 a year
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Newark has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $7,641 a year, $15,732 less than $23,373 in Princeton. Newark is below the NJ average of $10,340 and Princeton is above it.
- Peak commuteNewark 18 min vs Princeton 53 min
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Peak commute is 18 minutes in Newark and 53 minutes in Princeton, 35 minutes shorter in Newark.
- NJ Transit passNewark $184 vs Princeton $549
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The NJ Transit monthly pass to NY Penn is $184 in Newark and $549 in Princeton, $365 more.
- 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 90.0%), ELA (76.9% vs 34.3%) and math (73.3% vs 22.0%).
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
- Newark$3,389 / monthMortgage $2,399 · Property tax $677 · Insurance $129 · NJ Transit pass $184 · on a $440,000 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
- Newark$440,000274 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Newark$340,000112 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Newark$2,399 / 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
- Newark$7,641 / year$2,699 below 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
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Bills compare better than raw tax rates, because towns assess homes at different shares of market value.
Schools
Commute
Peak commute time
- Newark18 min
More info
Typical from Newark Penn Station: 20 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 19 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: Newark · Princeton. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.