Town guide · Middlesex County
Living in Plainsboro, NJ
Plainsboro was dairy country for most of its history, home of the Walker Gordon farm and its famous rotary milking parlor. Since the 1970s it has grown into a planned suburban township beside Route 1, with a village center, a large nature preserve and Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.
- County
- Middlesex
- Population
- About 24,100 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 12 square miles
- Setting
- Planned suburban communities, office parks and preserved open space
- Main roads
- U.S. Route 1, County Route 614, with New Jersey Turnpike Exits 8 and 8A nearby
Neighborhoods
A planned township
Plainsboro was formed in 1919 from parts of South Brunswick and Cranbury. The Walker Gordon dairy operated here from 1897 to 1971. Large scale residential building began in the 1970s, and the township's 1979 master plan made land preservation a goal.
- Princeton Meadows: The township's largest community, counted separately by the Census Bureau.
- Plainsboro Center: A smaller census community in the south central part of the township, along Plainsboro Pond on Cranbury Brook.
- Village Center: At Schalks Crossing and Scudders Mill roads, with a village green, the library, shops and offices, and a small number of single family homes and townhomes.
- Walker Gordon Farm: A housing community built on the site of the historic Walker Gordon dairy farm.
- Other named places: Aqueduct, Schalks and Scotts Corner.
Homes
What you will find
- Large apartment communities: Plainsboro has several large planned rental communities, including Quail Ridge, Ravens Crest and Pheasant Hollow, each with hundreds of units.
- Townhomes and single family homes: Including homes at the Village Center and the Walker Gordon Farm community.
Worth knowing: Much of Plainsboro was built as planned communities starting in the 1970s, so many homes come with an association. We read those documents early so the rules and fees are clear. Princeton Meadows and Plainsboro Center are census names, not separate towns, and homes in both pay Plainsboro taxes.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Plainsboro
- 2.294%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $12,6352025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $550,000 on today's market would pay roughly $12,617 a year at Plainsboro's 2025 effective rate. Your actual bill depends on your assessment, so we pull the real tax record for any home you are considering.
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 general and effective tax rates. Rates are set each year.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
U.S. Route 1 runs along the northwestern part of the township, and County Route 614 runs from Route 1 through the center of Plainsboro. The New Jersey Turnpike is reached at Exit 8 in East Windsor or Exit 8A in Monroe. NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line passes through the township, and the closest station is Princeton Junction, just over the line in West Windsor, with trains to New York Penn Station. The Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath connects with the township's bike paths.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Plainsboro Preserve: About 1,000 acres of woods, fields and wetlands on Scotts Corner Road, with the 50 acre McCormack Lake, miles of trails and an environmental education center.
- Village Center green and Plainsboro Library: The town green at the Village Center, home of the township library, which opened in 2010.
- Princeton Nurseries Historic District: The grounds of a commercial nursery founded in 1913, listed on the National Register in 2018 and including the Flemer Arboretum.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Plainsboro
What are property taxes in Plainsboro, NJ?
Plainsboro Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.294 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $12,635, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Princeton Meadows part of Plainsboro?
Yes. Princeton Meadows is a census designated place inside Plainsboro Township, as is Plainsboro Center. Homes there are in Plainsboro and pay Plainsboro property taxes.
Is there a train station in Plainsboro?
The Northeast Corridor Line runs through Plainsboro, but the closest station is Princeton Junction, just over the line in West Windsor. It has NJ Transit trains to New York Penn Station.
What is the Plainsboro Preserve?
It is about 1,000 acres of protected land on Scotts Corner Road, built around McCormack Lake, a 50 acre lake left from sand and gravel dredging in the 1960s. It has trails and an environmental education center.
Is Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro?
Yes. The hospital opened off Route 1 in Plainsboro in May 2012, replacing the older hospital in Princeton. It joined Penn Medicine in 2018.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Plainsboro
Buying or selling in Plainsboro?
Planned communities, clear answers
In Plainsboro, the community and its association can matter as much as the house itself. We go through the documents with you and explain every way to sell.
Call or text either of us directly.