Princeton is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 39,208 at the 2020 census, up from 22,038 at the 2010 census. History As a small town and depot along the Florida East Coast Railroad in the 1900s, the community was named by Gaston Drake after his alma mater, Princeton University. Many of the town buildings were even painted the school's colors: black and orange. Drake operated a saw mill and lumber company in Princeton supplying Miami, the Florida Keys and Cuba until the local timber gave out in 1923. Geography Princeton is located southwest of downtown Miami and northeast of Homestead at (25.535634, -80.397485). It is bordered to the north by Goulds and to the southwest by Naranja, both unincorporated. U.S. Route 1 (Dixie Highway) runs northeast to southwest through Princeton, and the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike forms the eastern edge of the community, with access from Exit 9 (Florida State Road 989). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which , or 0.67%, are water. Demographics 2020 census As of the 2020 United States census, there were 39,308 people, 8,356 households, and 7,058 families residing in the CDP. 2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 10,090 people, 2,732 households, and 2,341 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 2,906 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 53.78% White (18% were Non-Hispanic White,) 32.54% African American, 0.34% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 7.70% from other races, and 4.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47.49% of the population. There were 2,732 households, out of which 52.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 22.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.3% were non-families. 10.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.63 and the average family size was 3.85. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 36.1% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.0% who were 65 years