Princeton, Florida

Princeton is a place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is not a city with its own government, but rather a part of the larger county area. Princeton is included in the busy Miami metropolitan area in South Florida, which is known for its warm weather and many visitors.

In the year 2020, the number of people living in Princeton was counted to be 39,208. This was a big increase from the year 2010, when only 22,038 people lived there. As a community, Princeton has grown over the years and is part of the larger story of how cities and towns develop around major urban centers.

History

Princeton started as a small town in the 1900s along the Florida East Coast Railroad. It was named by Gaston Drake after Princeton University, his school. Many buildings were painted black and orange, the school’s colors. Drake also ran a saw mill and lumber company that supplied places like Miami, the Florida Keys, and Cuba until 1923.

Geography

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

The place is crossed by U.S. Route 1, also called Dixie Highway, and the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike marks its eastern edge, with 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 tiny part of that being water.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

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

There were 7,058 families living in the area.

Most people, about 99%, lived in urban areas, with only a small fraction, about 1%, living in rural areas.

There were 11,145 households in Princeton. Over half, or 51.8%, had children under 18 living in them. About 52% were married couples living together, while around 12% had a male householder without a spouse or partner, and about 25% had a female householder without a spouse or partner. 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. The rate of vacant homes owned by people was 1.5%, and the rate of vacant rental homes was 4.1%.

2010 census

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

2000 census

In the year 2000, there were 10,090 people, 2,732 households, and 2,341 families living in the area. 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% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, more than half of the households, about 52%, had children under 18 living with them. 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, the median income for a household was $39,556, and for a family, it was $41,896. Males earned about $32,101 on average, while females earned about $23,634. The average income per person was $12,918. About 20% of families and 24% of the population lived below the poverty line, including over 33% of those under 18 and around 14% of those 65 or older.

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