Suburb with farmland between NYC and Philly
Plainsboro Township, located halfway between New York City and Philadelphia, boasts the green countryside of Central Jersey while sitting just around the corner from the nationally renowned college town of Princeton. Plainsboro originated as a farming community with “Elsie the Cow,” one of the most famous advertising icons of the 20th century, having been raised on a farm here before touring the country during the 1930s. Several midcentury family farms continue to exist among Plainsboro’s rolling fields, adding to its rustic charm. “Plainsboro has changed over time; there was a time when we had more cows than people,” says Ginger Gold Schnitzer, former committeewoman for Plainsboro Township and a long-time resident. “Now we are a community known for great planning. Over 50% of Plainsboro is permanently preserved as open space. We also have a lot of permanently preserved farmland. You can go a mile and pick your own strawberries or pumpkins at Halloween.”
Ranch-style homes from the $500,000s
Plainsboro Township offers a wide variety of housing options. There are older ranch-style and split-level homes from the 60s and 70s, as well as newer Colonial-style houses from the 90s and beyond. Depending on location, homes can sit on lots ranging from a quarter of an acre up to 1.5 acres. Older single-family homes typically sell for $500,00 to $700,000, and newer houses go for $750,000 to $1.5 million. Homebuyers looking for smaller properties can also find one- and two-bedroom condos as well as two- and three-bedroom townhouses. Condos sell for $200,000 to $400,000, and townhouses usually go for $500,000 to $700,000. The CAP Index gives the area a crime score of 2. The national average is 4.
West Windsor-Plainsboro South High partners with Princeton University
Students may start at John V.B. Wicoff Elementary School, which gets an A from Niche, for kindergarten through third grade, before going to Millstone River School, which also has an A, for fourth and fifth grade. They may then attend Community Middle School, which earns an A-plus, before transitioning to West Windsor-Plainsboro South High School, which also gets an A-plus and is partnered with Princeton University to offer college courses for 11th and 12th graders in fields like mathematics and computer science. Princeton University, a private Ivy League research college, is located just 2 miles west across Carnegie Lake. The Plainsboro Public Library is in the center of town next to Market Square.
Plainsboro Preserve, Rowland Park
The sprawling Plainsboro Preserve includes nine trails that allow hikers to explore 630 acres of woods and wetland, where river otters, red foxes and minks are a common sight. “We have this gem, where there’s great birdwatching, hiking, a huge reservoir, and an environmental nature center that offers classes,” adds Schnitzer. Just down the road from the nature reserve, Plainsboro Community Park has a large playground, and Rowland Park offers over a dozen sports facilities.
Shopping and Dining along Schalks Crossing Road
In the center of town, Plainsboro Plaza and Plainsboro Village Center offer quick access to shopping and dining. Residents can head to chains like Asian Food Market and CVS Pharmacy for essentials. Local restaurant options include Jhopri for traditional Indian cuisine and Romeo’s Restaurant with New York-style pizza.
Close to Route 1, Princeton Junction station
Plainsboro is car-dependent due to its rural and suburban streetscape. Locals can take Route 1 for direct access to Newark and Trenton. The town sits roughly equidistant from New York City and Philadelphia, both of which are accessible via a one-hour train ride from the Princeton Junction train station, just 2 miles south.
