Princeton, Texas
Princeton is a city of 25,229 people in Collin County, Texas, founded in 1881.
Why visit Princeton
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails and 18 places to eat in and around town.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 96°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Princeton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Princeton
Princeton is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,027 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 43,524 in 2025. Princeton, Texas, as of 2025, is currently the fastest-growing city in the United States. Its population surged by 30% in just one year, making it the fastest-growing city or town in the country, according to the U.S.
From the Wikipedia article Princeton, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Jackie Hendricks Stadium
Sports field and stadium · 1.1 mi
700 Bois D'Arc Avenue, Princeton
Restaurants and cafes18
Dutch Bros. Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.7 mi
603 West Princeton Drive, Princeton
Mo-Th 05:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 05:00-23:00; Su 05:00-22:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.0 mi
204 East Princeton Drive, Princeton
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 1.1 mi
401 East Princeton Drive, Princeton
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 08:00-23:00
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 1.3 mi
705 East Princeton Drive, Princeton
Mo-Th 09:00-01:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-03:00; Su 09:00-01:00
Wendy's
Fast food · Burger · 0.6 mi
590 West Princeton Drive, Princeton
Mo-Sa 06:30-22:00; Su 08:00-22:00
6 more on the map.
Churches and places of worship1
History
In the late 1870s T. B. Wilson and his brother George began farming near the site of future Princeton. In 1881, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad Company extended its line from Greenville to McKinney, passing through land owned by the brothers. The name "Wilson's Switch" was commonly used to designate the area. When residents applied for a post office branch, however, they learned that the name Wilson was already being used. The community then submitted the name "Princeton" in honor of Prince Dowlin, a landowner and promoter of the town. This name was accepted, and a post office was established in 1888.
In 1940, a camp of 76 cabins was built west of Princeton to house up to 400 migrant workers, who came to work during the onion and cotton seasons. In February 1945, the site became a prisoner-of-war camp for German prisoners captured during the Second World War. The local farmers paid the POWs to work on their farms. This operation continued for eight months. Under a special bill, the German prisoners were contracted to work on the City Park located across from city hall. The park was built as a living memorial and shrine to those who served and died during World War II. The Community Park/WWII P.O.W. Camp is located at 500 West College Street.
From the History section of Princeton, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries26
Healthcare4
Action Behavior Centers - ABA Therapy for Autism
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.7 mi
700 Myrick Lane, Princeton
Map of Princeton
57 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 34°F | 2.7 in |
| Feb | 60°F | 38°F | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 46°F | 3.5 in |
| Apr | 75°F | 53°F | 3.6 in |
| May | 83°F | 62°F | 4.8 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 70°F | 3.6 in |
| Jul | 95°F | 74°F | 2.0 in |
| Aug | 96°F | 73°F | 1.7 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 66°F | 2.8 in |
| Oct | 78°F | 54°F | 4.4 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 44°F | 3.2 in |
| Dec | 57°F | 36°F | 3.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mckinney Muni Ap (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Collin County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2008-09-10: Hurricane Ike (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Addison Airport (ADS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 24 miles away.
- Fairview 7 mi southwest, about 11 min by car
- Melissa 8 mi north, about 12 min by car
- McKinney 9 mi west, about 15 min by car
- Allen 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Anna 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Murphy 13 mi southwest, about 21 min by car
- Plano 17 mi southwest, about 27 min by car
- Frisco 18 mi west, about 29 min by car
- Richardson 19 mi southwest, about 30 min by car
- Garland 20 mi south, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Princeton2022Oct11, Pinecar, CC0
- Princeton Texas Water Tower, QuantumDrip, CC0
- Princeton Texas; Lois Nelson Public Library, QuantumDrip, CC0
- Princeton Texas; Steve & Judy Deffibaugh Community Center, QuantumDrip, CC0
- Princeton ISD admin building, Unknown author Unknown author, CC0
- Princeton Texas High School Name Plaque, QuantumDrip, CC0
- Princeton Texas High School Building, QuantumDrip, CC0
- Princeton Texas City Hall and Municipal Center, QuantumDrip, CC0
- Princeton Texas Municipal Center and Municipal Park, QuantumDrip, CC0
- ISS022-E-27756 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-66244 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Bandit - panoramio, SammytheRatKiller, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wolftail hairstyle., Joshualeestone, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wolftail Hairstyle Example, Joshualeestone, CC BY-SA 4.0
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