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Buying a home in Princeton, Minnesota

The typical owner-occupied home in Princeton is worth about $218,700, 34% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 34% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,839 a year in property taxes, about 1.30% of their home's value, higher than the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $62,219 a year, so the median home costs 3.5 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 62% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 55% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Princeton at a glance

Princeton Minnesota U.S.
Median home value $218,700 $329,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,839 $3,357 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.30% 1.02% 0.94%
Median household income $62,219 $89,062 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 62% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 55% 64% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,483 $1,947 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.7% 19.7% 21.0%
Median rent $991 $1,280 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 26.5% 29.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1974 1979 1980
Vacant homes 8.9% 9.3% 10.1%
Population 5,274 5,739,445 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Princeton

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Princeton home of $218,700 with 20% down costs about $1,505 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,869, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $64,501 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 29% of the median Princeton household income of $62,219; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $211,000.

The median rent here is $991 a month, so owning the median home costs about $514 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$43,740
Loan amount$174,960
Principal and interest$1,177
Property taxes (1.30% a year)$237
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$91
PMI$0
Total per month$1,505

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,654
Loan amount$214,739
Principal and interest$1,445
Property taxes (1.30% a year)$237
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$91
FHA mortgage insurance$97
Total per month$1,869

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Questions about home buying in Princeton

What is the median home value in Princeton?

About $218,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Princeton?

Homeowners pay a median $2,839 a year, which is about 1.30% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Princeton?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,505 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $64,501 a year.

More about Princeton

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data