Plainsboro Preserve
More than 1,000 acres of woods, wetlands and trails surround 50-acre McCormack Lake. The Rush Holt Environmental Education Center supports nature programming and exhibits.
Middlesex County · Plainsboro Preserve · Route 1 · Princeton Region
Plainsboro, New Jersey
A highly connected township blending preserved open space, village-style neighborhoods, international dining, major healthcare and research employers, and convenient access to the Princeton–Route 1 corridor.
1919township incorporation
08536primary ZIP code
1,000+acres at Plainsboro Preserve
50+acres at McCormack Lake
Welcome to Plainsboro
Plainsboro Township sits in southern Middlesex County between the Princeton area, West Windsor, South Brunswick and Cranbury. Its modern identity combines compact residential neighborhoods and shopping centers with the Route 1 research corridor, Princeton Medical Center, the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and extensive township-owned open space.
Boundary note: A Princeton or Cranbury mailing address does not always identify the municipality. This guide checks the physical township location before treating a place as Plainsboro. The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, for example, uses a Princeton mailing address but is physically located in Plainsboro Township.
Explore the guide
Business & Shopping
Shopping centers, healthcare, services, fitness, childcare, corporate and research employers.
Food & DrinkIndian, Thai, Chinese, sushi, Mexican, pizza, cafés, bakeries and everyday favorites.
Real EstateHousing patterns, neighborhood context, planning resources and commuter access.
Visiting & LodgingNature, history, parks, in-town hotels and nearby rail connections.
ClassifiedsCommunity posting ideas, local resources and safer transaction tips.
JobsTownship, schools, healthcare, research, corporate, hospitality and service careers.
Plainsboro at a glance
Village Center & Market Square
A walkable civic and mixed-use district centered on Market Square, the Plainsboro Public Library, restaurants, professional offices and neighborhood retail.
Princeton Medical Center
Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, at 1 Plainsboro Road, anchors a major healthcare campus with emergency care, inpatient services and specialty medicine.
Research & technology
The township includes major research and corporate facilities, including the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Novo Nordisk and other Route 1 corridor employers.
Historic Wicoff House
The township museum interprets local farming, community development and the history of Plainsboro, including the transition from agricultural settlement to a modern township.
Open space
Township planning has preserved a substantial share of Plainsboro as parks, trails, farms, wetlands and other protected open space.
Government & public services
Plainsboro Township
Municipal Center
641 Plainsboro Road
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
609-799-0909
Plainsboro Public Library
9 Van Doren Street
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
The library is part of the Village Center/Market Square civic district and provides collections, technology, programs and community meeting resources.
Parks & Recreation
Municipal Center
641 Plainsboro Road
609-799-0909 ext. 1719
Recreation manages programs, park use and facility information.
Schools & learning
Plainsboro is served by the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District. Several district schools are physically in Plainsboro, while others are in West Windsor.
Town Center Elementary
700 Wyndhurst Drive
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
J.V.B. Wicoff Elementary
510 Plainsboro Road
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Millstone River School
75 Grovers Mill Road
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Community Middle School
95 Grovers Mill Road
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
High School North
90 Grovers Mill Road
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Regional district
District offices are at 321 Village Road East in West Windsor. School assignment depends on grade and district attendance boundaries.
Parks, trails & recreation
Plainsboro Preserve
Scotts Corner Road. Trails open daily beginning at 7 a.m.; environmental center hours vary by day. Preserve rules are stricter than ordinary township parks, including no pets, bikes, fishing or swimming.
Community Park
19 Woodland Drive. Large active-recreation park with fields, courts, paths and community recreation facilities.
Mill Pond Park
Maple Avenue. Scenic access to Plainsboro Pond for picnicking, fishing and non-motorized boating.
Schalks Meadow Park
Parker Road area. Neighborhood recreation space with fields, courts, a cricket area and walking/biking paths.
Lenape Trail
A linear trail linking recreation areas around Plainsboro Pond, used for walking, jogging and biking.
Morris Davison Park
Plainsboro Road. The township announced a major renovation closure beginning around July 6, 2026, for an estimated 180 days. Check current township notices before planning a visit.
From dairy innovation to research corridor
Plainsboro was incorporated in 1919 from portions of South Brunswick and Cranbury. Agriculture shaped the community for generations, and Walker-Gordon Laboratory Company established a nationally known certified dairy operation here in the late 1800s. Its mechanized Rotolactor opened in 1930 and became one of the township’s best-known historical landmarks. Later decades brought planned residential growth, preserved open space, medical development and major research and corporate campuses.
Getting around
Road network
U.S. Route 1, Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro Road, Dey Road and Schalks Crossing Road connect the township to Princeton, West Windsor, South Brunswick and the wider central New Jersey region.
Rail access
Plainsboro does not have an NJ TRANSIT rail station. Princeton Junction station in West Windsor is the primary nearby Northeast Corridor rail connection.
Airport access
Newark Liberty and Philadelphia International are the major commercial airports for longer trips; Trenton-Mercer Airport is closer for the limited routes it serves.
Information reviewed September 2026.