Jobs, pay and daily life in Princeton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Princeton is a city in Kentucky with 6,241 residents. The median household earns $47,411 a year and the median rent is $762 a month, which is 19.3% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Clarksville, TN-KY (103,220 jobs), about 29 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Princeton compares. Among the 80 largest places in Kentucky, Princeton is #76 by population, #10 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #71 for college degrees (#1 = most), #69 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Caldwell County, is #92 of 120 counties for average pay ($43,790).
Princeton has 6,241 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Kentucky. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 695 people per square mile. The median age is 40.5, 4% older than the state median (40.5 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $762 a month (rent plus utilities), 21% below the state median ($762 against $967). Over a year that is 19.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $96,600, which is 2.0 times the median household income ($47,411); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 52.8% of households own their home, 23% below the state average (52.8% against 68.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Clarksville, TN-KY, metropolitan area has 103,220 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,860 a year, 12% below the national median ($44,860 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (12,170 jobs, median $43,260); food preparation and serving related (11,350 jobs, median $27,770); transportation and material moving (10,620 jobs, median $38,550). The area is most specialised in production (1.8 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($99,410) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($76,360). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Caldwell County was 4.3%. 52.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Caldwell County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.2% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.0% walk, 5.2% work from home. 15.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 20% above the state average (15.1% against 12.5%).
16.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 39% below the state share (16.7% against 27.6%). 0.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 89% below the state share (0.5% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 15.8%, about the same as the state rate (15.8% against 16.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 34°F (1.1°C). About 1,290 mm (51 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Apr is the wettest month (132 mm) and Sep the driest (85 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Madisonville (27 miles, rent 10% higher); Hopkinsville (29 miles, rent 18% higher); Fort Campbell North (38 miles, rent 101% higher); Oak Grove (39 miles, rent 57% higher). Rent differences are against Princeton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kentucky (288) →State guide: KentuckyCountry guideCaldwell CountyKentucky rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 288 federal postings open in Kentucky (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Kentucky →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,000 | 1.56 | $26,990 | $21,670 | $34,360 | -13% |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,470 | 1.34 | $29,100 | $22,410 | $45,280 | -18% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,960 | 1.57 | $36,460 | $29,880 | $46,960 | -2% |
| Cashiers | 2,720 | 1.33 | $28,230 | $21,440 | $34,930 | -14% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,580 | 1.32 | $37,070 | $29,380 | $47,890 | -8% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,520 | 2.70 | $45,560 | $36,240 | $58,180 | +2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,920 | 0.83 | $79,320 | $42,810 | $186,370 | -25% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,670 | 0.74 | $79,450 | $57,680 | $100,590 | -19% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,610 | 0.94 | $37,650 | $28,450 | $57,430 | -16% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,570 | 1.04 | $21,790 | $15,080 | $47,440 | -38% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,560 | 1.70 | $59,760 | $39,970 | $76,780 | -7% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,410 | 0.86 | $38,380 | $25,810 | $56,430 | -15% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,380 | 1.01 | $51,470 | $38,670 | $77,640 | -12% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,300 | 1.36 | $61,620 | $38,790 | $98,450 | -11% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,270 | 0.44 | $30,580 | $27,400 | $43,420 | -15% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,170 | 0.80 | $34,990 | $25,700 | $45,590 | -5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 1,140 | 1.41 | $37,950 | $28,800 | $60,010 | -14% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,140 | 1.12 | $46,970 | $31,260 | $66,950 | -5% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,130 | 1.77 | $37,380 | $30,150 | $49,200 | -19% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,070 | 1.14 | $26,520 | $23,440 | $33,590 | -28% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Clarksville, TN-KY, about 29 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,860 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20.6% |
| Education and health care | 20.6% |
| Retail trade | 14.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.9% |
| Public administration | 8.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 5.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 5.1% |
| Construction | 4.6% |
| Other services | 2.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 1.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
| Information | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Princeton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caldwell County | 12,618 | $543 million | $43,031 | 4,693 | 380 | $43,790 | +0.0% | 4.3% | 5,921 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,183 | 35.4% | $54,646 | 3.07 |
| Retail trade | 772 | 23.1% | $34,651 | 1.65 |
| Health care and social assistance | 515 | 15.4% | $52,098 | 0.77 |
| Administrative and waste services | 355 | 10.6% | $31,719 | 1.29 |
| Finance and insurance | 124 | 3.7% | $54,984 | 0.65 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 121 | 3.6% | $54,859 | 0.61 |
| Real estate and rental | 92 | 2.8% | $55,159 | 1.26 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 89 | 2.7% | $36,818 | 0.63 |
| Construction | 68 | 2.0% | $43,783 | 0.28 |
| Educational services | 20 | 0.6% | $54,096 | 0.21 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 71.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.0% |
| Work from home | 5.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 15.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,411 |
| Income per person | $27,952 |
| Median gross rent per month | $762 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.3% |
| Median home value | $96,600 |
| Homeowners | 52.8% |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 90.9 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $44,860 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 16.7% |
| Born abroad | 0.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 52.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.1 | 34 | 88 |
| Feb | 2.8 | 37 | 107 |
| Mar | 8.6 | 47 | 121 |
| Apr | 14.6 | 58 | 132 |
| May | 19.6 | 67 | 131 |
| Jun | 24.3 | 76 | 100 |
| Jul | 26.1 | 79 | 113 |
| Aug | 26.0 | 79 | 86 |
| Sep | 22.3 | 72 | 85 |
| Oct | 15.2 | 59 | 105 |
| Nov | 8.3 | 47 | 105 |
| Dec | 3.2 | 38 | 117 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madisonville | KY | 27 mi | 19,515 | $53,860 | $838 |
| Hopkinsville | KY | 29 mi | 30,906 | $49,139 | $902 |
| Fort Campbell North | KY | 38 mi | 11,356 | $58,933 | $1,529 |
| Oak Grove | KY | 39 mi | 7,962 | $49,354 | $1,197 |
| Murray | KY | 42 mi | 18,080 | $44,091 | $870 |
| Paducah | KY | 42 mi | 26,845 | $49,915 | $834 |
| Clarksville | TN | 48 mi | 176,456 | $69,303 | $1,307 |
| Mayfield | KY | 49 mi | 9,868 | $40,965 | $644 |
| Henderson | KY | 53 mi | 27,852 | $48,186 | $771 |
| Russellville | KY | 58 mi | 7,316 | $45,484 | $738 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
6,241 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$762 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.3% of the median household income.
$47,411 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.3% (BLS county, Caldwell County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kentucky. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.