Dr. James W. Hale House · National Register of Historic Places
Princeton’s story
Princeton in pictures
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
PrincetonWV
A town of 5,736. Nearly 2.5% of it is conserved land.
Photo: Princetonnative · CC BY 4.0
Population
5,736
−8.7% since 2010
Typical home
$174K
+1.9% in a year
Household income
$44K
median
Median age
44.2
years
Jobs based here
6,035
A job hub
What makes Princeton stand out
The 3 things Princeton does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#4 most walkable in WV
2.0 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
2.5% of the town is conserved land.
6,035jobs here
Work
6,035 jobs
based in Princeton, a regional job hub
26% of working residents work in town.
$174Ktypical home
Housing
$174K typical home
3% below the WV typical home
Up 1.9% in a year.
A job hub
Every workday, about 5,463 people come to Princeton for work
Where Princeton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6,035jobs based in Princeton
26%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Princeton’s report card
Now in Princeton
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Princeton is #41 of 41 in WV for “Fastest-rising home prices”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Princeton’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →63°
Clear
H 66° · L 49°
Local news
All →- Flashback @ Noon: Jazzercise instructor, Kimberly Moore, showcases a routine (September 2018)WVVA · Sep 25
- Local jazzercise studio to host Dolly-themed classWVVA · Sep 25
- Princeton Police Department reopens 2012 murder investigationWOAY-TV · Sep 23
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Princeton. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
2.5% of Princeton is conserved land
2.0 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves.
2.5%conserved
2.5%
conserved · 49 of 1,945 acres
2.0 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
#4
most walkable in WV
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Princeton City Park Walking Trails | 1.1 mi | 19 |
| 2. Princeton Youth Park | 0.8 mi | 18 |
| 3. Princeton Recreation Center | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Princeton
About one in 4 of Princeton’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Beckley (6%), Bluefield (6%) and Charleston (2%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
26%work in town
Where working residents work
In Princeton26%
Beckley6%
Bluefield6%
Charleston2%
Bluefield2%
5 mi
median commute distance
6,035
jobs based in Princeton
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Princeton home is worth about $174K
The typical Princeton home is worth about $174,000, up 1.9% in a year, close to the West Virginia typical home.
$174KZillow home value
Typical home value
Princeton$174K
West Virginia$180K
+1.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Princeton beats the West Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
D−Health Grade
32 measures vs. West Virginia
0 better27 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Princeton | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.4% | 11% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 10.5% | 8.9% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.7% | 4.2% |
Princeton Community Hospital Assn
1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
35th
percentile among WV towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
Princeton’s public schools outperform 45% of West Virginia districts
The public schools Princeton’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 55% of West Virginia’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton Primary School | K–2 | 448 | Not graded |
| Mercer Elementary | 3–5 | 258 | C+ |
| Straley Elementary School | 3–5 | 172 | C |
| Princeton Middle School | 6–8 | 488 | C− |
| Princeton Senior High School | 9–12 | 925 | A− |
| Mercer County Technical Education Center | 9–12 | — | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduationAll 7 schools →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 29% of U.S. communities.
29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
40
paid flood claims since 1982
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Princeton has chilly winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–44°
Spring40–64°
Summer58–80°
Fall42–65°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Landmarks
6 places in Princeton on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Princeton
20 notable people were born in Princeton.
C
Charlotte CrossAmerican pornographic actress · born 1994J
John WoodsMajor League Baseball pitcher · 1898–1946D
Dale BaileyAmerican writer of speculative fiction · born 1968D
Don CaruthAmerican politician · 1950–2010About Princeton
City in West Virginia, United States
Princeton is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 5,872 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bluefield micropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 5,872
- Area
- 3.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,438 ft
- ZIP code
- 24739, 24740
- Area code
- 304
More about Princeton
Still missing for Princeton:archive photosupcoming events