Princeton vs Scotch Plains, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Princeton and Scotch Plains, side by side with sources.
At a glance
- Lower tax billScotch Plains, $15,818 a year
More info
Scotch Plains has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $15,818 a year, $7,555 less than $23,373 in Princeton. Both are above the NJ average of $10,340.
- Peak commutePrinceton 53 min vs Scotch Plains 48.4 min
More info
Peak commute is 53 minutes in Princeton and 48.4 minutes in Scotch Plains, 4.6 minutes shorter in Scotch Plains.
- Higher school resultsPrinceton: ELA, math; Scotch Plains: 4-year graduation
More info
On the district results, Princeton's district is higher on ELA (76.9% vs 71.0%) and math (73.3% vs 63.0%); Scotch Plains' district is higher on 4-year graduation (97.0% vs 92.8%).
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
- Scotch Plains$7,073 / monthMortgage $5,234 · Property tax $1,710 · Insurance $129 · no commute · on a $960,000 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
- Scotch Plains$960,000199 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Scotch Plains$577,50020 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Scotch Plains$5,234 / 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
- Princeton$23,373 / year$13,033 above the NJ average
- Scotch Plains$15,818 / year$5,478 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
- Princeton76.9% Above NJ average
- Scotch Plains71.0% Above NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Princeton73.3% Above NJ average
- Scotch Plains63.0% Above NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Princeton92.8% Above NJ average
- Scotch Plains97.0% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Princeton8.2% Below NJ average
- Scotch Plains7.5% Below NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Princeton11:1
- Scotch Plains12:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Princeton$549 / month
More info
Not shown for Scotch Plains: No NJ Transit rail station in town; residents typically use Fanwood station in Fanwood Borough
Peak commute time
- 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.
- Scotch Plains48.4 min
More info
Typical: 48.4 min, median trip time of the scheduled trips on the same bus route from the same stop arriving at PABT 7:00-9:00 AM on Wed 2026-11-18. Based on 4 trips.
Full pages: Princeton · Scotch Plains. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.