Population 8,909 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Princeton
Household size in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.25 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.21 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.19 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Princeton are small: just 2.19 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.25, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 22 have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.9 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.8 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.3 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.3, Princeton is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 43.9, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.3% of households in Princeton, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 3.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Princeton
Renters in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.9% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.7% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.2% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.8% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Princeton rent their homes (28.8%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 43.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the west.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Princeton: 7.5% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Illinois as a whole looks much the same.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Princeton is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $572 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $603 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $682 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $797 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$225 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Princeton pays $797 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $225 a month since 2006–10, up 39%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 23.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Princeton
Bachelor's degrees in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.5% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.5% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Princeton than nationally: 26.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 7.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.9% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.1% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Princeton is above the national rate: 94.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Princeton
| Period | Princeton | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Princeton: 6.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Princeton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton | 2.19 | 44.3 | 8.3% | 28.8% | 7.5% | 1963 | $797 | 26.8% | 94.1% | 6.1% |
| Bureau | 2.43 | 41.9 | 2.5% | 10.2% | 11.1% | 1975 | $917 | 37.8% | 96.6% | 1.8% |
| Wyanet | 2.16 | 48.0 | 7.2% | 21.2% | 7.3% | 1966 | $819 | 24.3% | 95.7% | 1.3% |
| Dover | 2.50 | 46.3 | 4.2% | 9.5% | 4.3% | 1958 | $863 | 21.0% | 94.0% | 10.4% |
| Malden | 2.45 | 47.5 | 4.3% | 9.8% | 6.5% | 1955 | $856 | 21.6% | 94.3% | 9.3% |
| Tiskilwa | 2.43 | 42.7 | 9.6% | 23.3% | 13.8% | 1950 | $844 | 21.4% | 92.4% | 4.6% |
| Bureau Junction | 2.48 | 38.8 | 8.2% | 31.1% | 16.0% | 1963 | $1,091 | 18.1% | 88.0% | 6.3% |
| Hollowayville | 2.24 | 49.5 | 7.0% | 11.1% | 10.6% | 1945 | $791 | 21.6% | 92.8% | 4.9% |
| DePue | 2.72 | 42.6 | 15.2% | 18.7% | 14.2% | 1947 | $920 | 14.2% | 77.1% | 6.9% |
| Kasbeer | 2.57 | 41.9 | 8.2% | 12.1% | 13.3% | 1945 | $805 | 18.3% | 93.3% | 8.2% |
| Zearing | 2.23 | 52.3 | 4.9% | 10.7% | 15.8% | 1942 | $825 | 24.2% | 95.4% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Wellington, KS · Catlettsburg, KY · Catskill, NY · Center Line, MI · Center Moriches, NY · Center, TX · Chandler, TX · Chanute, KS · Charles City, IA · Watford City, ND
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Princeton. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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