Plainfield vs Princeton, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Plainfield and Princeton, side by side with sources.
At a glance
- Lower tax billPlainfield, $9,755 a year
More info
Plainfield has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $9,755 a year, $13,618 less than $23,373 in Princeton. Plainfield is below the NJ average of $10,340 and Princeton is above it.
- Peak commutePlainfield 59 min vs Princeton 53 min
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Peak commute is 59 minutes in Plainfield and 53 minutes in Princeton, 6 minutes shorter in Princeton.
- NJ Transit passPlainfield $376 vs Princeton $549
More info
The NJ Transit monthly pass to NY Penn is $376 in Plainfield and $549 in Princeton, $173 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 74.0%), ELA (76.9% vs 24.0%) and math (73.3% vs 18.2%).
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
- Plainfield$4,369 / monthMortgage $2,808 · Property tax $1,056 · Insurance $129 · NJ Transit pass $376 · on a $515,000 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
- Plainfield$515,000223 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Plainfield$271,4504 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Plainfield$2,808 / 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
- Plainfield$9,755 / year$585 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
More info
Bills compare better than raw tax rates, because towns assess homes at different shares of market value.
Schools
Meeting ELA standards
- Plainfield24.0% Below NJ average
- Princeton76.9% Above NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Plainfield18.2% Below NJ average
- Princeton73.3% Above NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Plainfield74.0% Below NJ average
- Princeton92.8% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Plainfield20.2% Above NJ average
- Princeton8.2% Below NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Plainfield13:1
- Princeton11:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Plainfield$376 / month
- Princeton$549 / month
Peak commute time
- Plainfield59 min
More info
Typical from Netherwood: 61 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 4 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: Plainfield · Princeton. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.