Princeton, Florida

Princeton is a place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is not a city with its own government. Instead, it is part of the larger county area.

Princeton is included in the busy Miami metropolitan area in South Florida. This area is known for its warm weather and many visitors.

In 2020, the number of people living in Princeton was 39,208. This was a big increase from 2010, when only 22,038 people lived there. Over the years, Princeton has grown and is part of how towns develop near big cities.

History

Princeton began as a small town in the 1900s near the Florida East Coast Railroad. It was named by Gaston Drake after Princeton University, where he studied. He chose black and orange, the university’s colors, for many buildings. Drake also owned a saw mill and lumber company that served areas such as Miami, the Florida Keys, and Cuba until 1923.

Geography

Princeton is located about 24 miles southwest of downtown Miami and 6 miles northeast of Homestead. It borders Goulds to the north and Naranja to the southwest.

The area is crossed by U.S. Route 1, also known as Dixie Highway. The Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike marks its eastern edge, and there is a nearby exit on Florida State Road 989.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Princeton covers an area of 7.5 square miles, with a small part of that being water.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

In the 2020 census, Princeton had 39,308 people. The median age was 34.5 years. About 27% were younger than 18, and 10% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males.

There were 7,058 families in the area.

Most people, about 99%, lived in urban areas. Only about 1% lived in rural areas.

There were 11,145 households in Princeton. Over half, 51.8%, had children under 18. About 52% were married couples living together. Around 12% had a male householder without a spouse, and about 25% had a female householder without a spouse. Roughly 10% of households were made up of individuals, and about 3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

There were 11,557 housing units, with about 4% being vacant.

2010 census

According to the 2010 United States census, there were 22,038 people, 5,688 households, and 4,807 families in the area.

2000 census

In 2000, there were 10,090 people, 2,732 households, and 2,341 families. The population density was 1,373 inhabitants per square mile.

The racial makeup was about 54% White (with 18% being Non-Hispanic White), 33% African American, and smaller percentages of Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, and people from other races or multiple races. About 47% identified as Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, more than half of the households, about 52%, had children under 18. About 57% were married couples living together, around 22% had a female householder without a husband, and about 14% were non-families. About 10% of households were made up of individuals, and around 2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was about 3.6 people, and the average family size was about 3.9 people.

The population was mostly young, with about 36% under 18, and only about 6% were 65 or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 97 males.

In 2000, about half of the residents, 50%, spoke English as their first language. Around 49% spoke Spanish, and about 1% spoke French Creole as their first language.