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 West Virginia with 5,736 residents. The median household earns $43,900 a year and the median rent is $747 a month, which is 20.4% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Beckley, WV (43,080 jobs), about 28 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Princeton compares. Among the 40 largest places in West Virginia, Princeton is #28 by population, #37 for household income (#1 = highest), #7 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #32 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Mercer County, is #37 of 55 counties for average pay ($50,193).
Princeton has 5,736 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of West Virginia. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,903 people per square mile. The median age is 44.2, 4% older than the state median (44.2 against 42.7).
The median gross rent is $747 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($747 against $872). Over a year that is 20.4% 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 $120,300, which is 2.7 times the median household income ($43,900); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 56.8% of households own their home, 24% below the state average (56.8% against 74.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Beckley, WV, metropolitan area has 43,080 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $41,850 a year, 18% below the national median ($41,850 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (4,740 jobs, median $37,330); food preparation and serving related (4,240 jobs, median $27,000); sales and related (4,210 jobs, median $29,050). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Mercer County was 3.7%. 54.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Mercer County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.9% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 4.2% walk, 10.0% work from home. 9.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 46% below the state average (9.4% against 17.5%).
21.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13% below the state share (21.0% against 24.1%). 0.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 91% below the state share (0.2% against 1.8%). The poverty rate is 16.9%, about the same as the state rate (16.9% against 16.7%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 30°F (-1.2°C). About 1,117 mm (44 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (124 mm) and Jan the driest (73 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: Bluefield (10 miles, rent 8% higher); Beckley (28 miles, rent 16% higher); Radford (34 miles, rent 38% higher); Blacksburg (38 miles, rent 82% higher). Rent differences are against Princeton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in West Virginia (239) →State guide: West VirginiaCountry guideMercer CountyWest Virginia 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 239 federal postings open in West Virginia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in West Virginia →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,550 | 1.30 | $26,910 | $22,480 | $30,430 | -25% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,410 | 1.31 | $27,630 | $22,050 | $40,000 | -22% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,320 | 1.41 | $78,680 | $63,820 | $110,140 | -19% |
| Cashiers | 1,230 | 1.43 | $24,650 | $20,850 | $30,980 | -25% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,170 | 6.61 | $22,370 | $21,120 | $26,920 | -28% |
| General and Operations Managers | 900 | 0.93 | $79,770 | $43,160 | $174,110 | -25% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 880 | 1.55 | $51,340 | $35,530 | $72,150 | -12% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 840 | 1.07 | $31,240 | $27,420 | $43,920 | -16% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 650 | 1.04 | $33,650 | $18,540 | $58,970 | -4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 610 | 1.00 | $29,170 | $23,210 | $43,660 | -21% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 600 | 0.83 | $34,610 | $29,880 | $54,700 | -23% |
| Office Clerks, General | 600 | 0.88 | $34,380 | $23,030 | $52,130 | -24% |
| Nursing Assistants | 590 | 1.46 | $35,810 | $30,950 | $41,590 | -15% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 570 | 0.70 | $36,080 | $28,040 | $50,450 | -10% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 570 | 1.33 | $36,670 | $25,580 | $61,260 | -26% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 560 | 1.82 | $38,670 | $27,550 | $65,710 | -20% |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 500 | 3.41 | $58,250 | $45,160 | $61,450 | +40% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 490 | 2.06 | $26,670 | $22,120 | $33,650 | -25% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 490 | 1.04 | $39,350 | $28,670 | $56,670 | -17% |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 480 | 3.59 | $59,700 | $36,730 | $64,430 | -0% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 900 | 0.93 | $79,770 | $43,160 | $174,110 | -25% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,320 | 1.41 | $78,680 | $63,820 | $110,140 | -19% |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 500 | 3.41 | $58,250 | $45,160 | $61,450 | +40% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 880 | 1.55 | $51,340 | $35,530 | $72,150 | -12% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 560 | 1.82 | $38,670 | $27,550 | $65,710 | -20% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 570 | 1.33 | $36,670 | $25,580 | $61,260 | -26% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 570 | 0.70 | $36,080 | $28,040 | $50,450 | -10% |
| Nursing Assistants | 590 | 1.46 | $35,810 | $30,950 | $41,590 | -15% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 600 | 0.83 | $34,610 | $29,880 | $54,700 | -23% |
| Office Clerks, General | 600 | 0.88 | $34,380 | $23,030 | $52,130 | -24% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 650 | 1.04 | $33,650 | $18,540 | $58,970 | -4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 840 | 1.07 | $31,240 | $27,420 | $43,920 | -16% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 610 | 1.00 | $29,170 | $23,210 | $43,660 | -21% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,410 | 1.31 | $27,630 | $22,050 | $40,000 | -22% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,550 | 1.30 | $26,910 | $22,480 | $30,430 | -25% |
| Cashiers | 1,230 | 1.43 | $24,650 | $20,850 | $30,980 | -25% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,170 | 6.61 | $22,370 | $21,120 | $26,920 | -28% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Beckley, WV, about 28 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $41,850 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 15.4% |
| Retail trade | 11.9% |
| Construction | 8.4% |
| Public administration | 7.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.7% |
| Manufacturing | 6.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.0% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Other services | 1.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.7% |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 58,563 | $2,337 million | $39,898 | 19,314 | 1,682 | $50,193 | +2.2% | 3.7% | 22,870 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 4,600 | 30.1% | $55,208 | 1.66 |
| Retail trade | 2,822 | 18.5% | $37,077 | 1.46 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,050 | 13.4% | $20,897 | 1.17 |
| Manufacturing | 936 | 6.1% | $60,321 | 0.59 |
| Administrative and waste services | 823 | 5.4% | $47,361 | 0.72 |
| Construction | 734 | 4.8% | $57,554 | 0.72 |
| Wholesale trade | 694 | 4.5% | $72,551 | 0.91 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 519 | 3.4% | $44,357 | 0.89 |
| Professional and technical services | 514 | 3.4% | $58,365 | 0.38 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 392 | 2.6% | $65,663 | 0.48 |
| Finance and insurance | 348 | 2.3% | $62,662 | 0.44 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 339 | 2.2% | $23,004 | 1.04 |
| Information | 185 | 1.2% | $77,373 | 0.51 |
| Real estate and rental | 126 | 0.8% | $39,728 | 0.42 |
| Utilities | 118 | 0.8% | $96,679 | 1.61 |
| Management of companies | 39 | 0.3% | $98,333 | 0.12 |
| Educational services | 29 | 0.2% | $41,200 | 0.07 |
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 | 76.9% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 4.2% |
| Work from home | 10.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,900 |
| Income per person | $28,035 |
| Median gross rent per month | $747 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.4% |
| Median home value | $120,300 |
| Homeowners | 56.8% |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 88.4 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $41,850 |
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; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. 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: Graduated, top rate 4.82%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.0% |
| Born abroad | 0.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 54.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.2 | 30 | 73 |
| Feb | 0.3 | 33 | 80 |
| Mar | 4.9 | 41 | 89 |
| Apr | 10.9 | 52 | 106 |
| May | 15.7 | 60 | 118 |
| Jun | 19.7 | 67 | 106 |
| Jul | 21.6 | 71 | 124 |
| Aug | 21.5 | 71 | 90 |
| Sep | 18.3 | 65 | 86 |
| Oct | 11.8 | 53 | 85 |
| Nov | 5.6 | 42 | 74 |
| Dec | 1.1 | 34 | 86 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield | WV | 10 mi | 9,387 | $49,375 | $804 |
| Beckley | WV | 28 mi | 16,818 | $45,826 | $869 |
| Radford | VA | 34 mi | 16,726 | $57,348 | $1,033 |
| Blacksburg | VA | 38 mi | 45,446 | $50,182 | $1,359 |
| Christiansburg | VA | 41 mi | 22,720 | $77,147 | $1,181 |
| Oak Hill | WV | 42 mi | 7,937 | $52,466 | $847 |
| Lewisburg | WV | 47 mi | 3,835 | $49,560 | $893 |
| Salem | VA | 57 mi | 25,618 | $66,725 | $1,133 |
| Cave Spring | VA | 61 mi | 25,742 | $87,539 | $1,285 |
| Roanoke | VA | 63 mi | 98,355 | $55,378 | $996 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
5,736 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$747 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.4% of the median household income.
$43,900 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Mercer County (latest month 2026M09)).
West Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.