The Town FilesTrenton, New Jersey
City in Mercer County · population 90,871 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,700
- Household income
- $52,537
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 34.8
Trenton is a city of 90,871 people in Mercer County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $160,700, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more walkable than 98% of New Jersey towns, more vibrant than 95% of New Jersey towns, hipper than 85% of New Jersey towns.
How Trenton ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Trenton is worth $160,700, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $52,537, which is more affordable than 77% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,294 a month. 37.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Trenton | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,700 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,294 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $52,537 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 37.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Trenton
| People | Trenton | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.0% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.6% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 30.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.0% | 94.6% |
Weather in Trenton
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.7°F. About 47.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.6 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Trenton since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on February 21, 2023 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 14, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 2020.
Severe weather in Mercer County since 1996
Mercer County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Mercer County
Mercer County had 264,154 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $90,503 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Trenton itself the ACS puts it at 10.1%.
Public schools in Trenton
37 public schools with 15,862 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton Central High School - Main Campus | 10-12 | 2,138 | 13.9 |
| Foundation Academy Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 1,090 | 19.5 |
| Trenton Central High School-9th Grade Academy | 9-9 | 837 | 14.4 |
| Grace A Dunn Middle School | 7-8 | 681 | 12.8 |
| Hedgepeth Williams Intermediate School | 4-6 | 639 | 15.6 |
| Daylight/Twilight High School | 9-12 | 617 | 16.7 |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Middle School | 7-8 | 610 | 13.0 |
| Ulysses S. Grant School | 4-6 | 572 | 13.0 |
| Clara Parker Intermediate School | 4-6 | 565 | 14.9 |
| Patton J. Hill Elementary School | K-3 | 542 | 13.9 |
| Joyce Kilmer Intermediate School | 4-6 | 530 | 14.7 |
| Battle Monument Intermediate School | 4-6 | 490 | 15.3 |
Towns near Trenton
- Morrisville, PA1.4 mi · 9,809 people · home $292,200
- The College of New Jersey, NJ3.2 mi · 3,701 people · home —
- Ewing, NJ3.3 mi · 37,264 people · home $294,400
- Falls, PA3.3 mi · 34,716 people · home $361,900
- Mercerville, NJ3.9 mi · 13,447 people · home $358,600
- White Horse, NJ4.0 mi · 9,791 people · home $308,200
- Yardley, PA4.1 mi · 2,605 people · home $480,300
- Hamilton, NJ4.8 mi · 92,297 people · home $335,500
Trenton questions
Is Trenton, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Trenton scores better for retirees than 2% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 4%. 12.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Trenton?
The median owner-occupied home in Trenton is valued at $160,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,537, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,294 a month.
What is the weather like in Trenton?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.4 inches of precipitation a year and 26.6 inches of snow.
Does Trenton get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Trenton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on February 21, 2023. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)