Ocean County, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNew Jersey | |
| Coordinates:39°52′N74°15′W / 39.87°N 74.25°W /39.87; -74.25 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| Founded | 1850[1] |
| Named after | Atlantic Ocean |
| Seat | Toms River[2] |
| Largest municipality | Lakewood Township (population) Jackson Township (area) |
| Government | |
| • Commissioner Director | John P. Kelly (R, term ends December 31, 2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 914.84 sq mi (2,369.4 km2) |
| • Land | 628.29 sq mi (1,627.3 km2) |
| • Water | 286.55 sq mi (742.2 km2) 31.3% |
| Population | |
• Total | 637,229 |
666,434 | |
| • Density | 1,060/sq mi (410/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 2nd,4th |
| Website | co |
Ocean County is acounty in theU.S. state ofNew Jersey, and the southernmost county in theNew York metropolitan area. The county borders theAtlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the state's largest county.[3] Itscounty seat isToms River.[2] The county is part of theJersey Shore region[7] and ofCentral Jersey.[8]
Since 2020, Ocean County has been the fastest-growing county in New Jersey,[9] with a population of 637,229 recorded at the2020 United States census,[4][5] its highestdecennial count ever and ranking the county as the state'ssixth-most populous county,[10][11] with an increase of 60,662 (+10.5%) from the 576,567 enumerated at the2010 census,[12] which in turn reflected an increase of 65,651 (+12.8%) from the 510,916 counted in the2000 census.[13] Since 2010, Ocean County's population has been growing faster than the United States as a whole.[14] TheUnited States Census Bureau'sPopulation Estimates Program estimated a 2023 population of 659,197, an increase of 21,968 (+3.4%) from the 2020 decennial census.[6] Ocean County’s most populous and fastest-growing place isLakewood Township, with an estimated 139,866 residents as of 2023,[15] whileJackson Township covers 100.62 square miles (260.6 km2), the largest total area of any municipality in the county.
Ocean County is located 50 miles (80 km) east ofPhiladelphia, 70 miles (110 km) south ofNew York City, and 25 miles (40 km) north ofAtlantic City, making it a prime vacation destination for residents of these cities during the summer. As with the entireJersey Shore, summer traffic routinely clogs local roadways throughout the season. Over 31% of Ocean County's total area is water.
Ocean County is part of the New York metropolitan area.[16] The county is also home to many tourist attractions frequented byPhiladelphia metropolitan area residents, including the beachfront communities ofSeaside Heights,Long Beach Island, andPoint Pleasant Beach, andSix Flags Great Adventure, an amusement park inJackson Township that was the home to the world's tallest and second-fastestroller coaster,Kingda Ka.[17] Ocean County is a gateway to New Jersey'sPine Barrens, one of the largest protected land areas on theEast Coast.
Prior to its creation, Ocean County was almost entirely withinShrewsbury Township inMonmouth County, with the exception ofTuckerton andLittle Egg Harbor Township.[18] Ocean County was established on February 15, 1850, from portions of Monmouth county; Little Egg Harbor Township was annexed fromBurlington County on March 30, 1891.[1] It derives its name from the Atlantic Ocean that it borders.
The most populous municipality in the county is the rapidly growingLakewood Township with 135,158 residents in 2020, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 42,315 (+45.6%) from its 2010 census count of 92,843.[5][19]Jackson Township, which covers 100.62 square miles (260.6 km2), is the largest municipality in Ocean County by area.[20]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 914.84 square miles (2,369.4 km2), making it the largest county in New Jersey in terms of total area (ahead ofBurlington County), of which 628.29 square miles (1,627.3 km2) was land (68.7%) and 286.55 square miles (742.2 km2) was water (31.3%).[3]
Much of the county is flat and coastal, with an extensiveshoreline and many beaches along theJersey Shore, includingBarnegat Light,Beach Haven,Harvey Cedars,Lavallette,Mantoloking,Seaside Heights,Seaside Park,Ship Bottom, andSurf City. The highest point is one of three unnamed hills (one inJackson Township, the other two inPlumsted Township) that reach at least 230 feet (70 m) in elevation.[21] The lowest elevation in the county is atsea level along the county's lengthyAtlantic Ocean andBarnegat Bay coastlines.
| Climate data for Jackson Township, New Jersey | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 41 (5) | 44 (7) | 51 (11) | 61 (16) | 71 (22) | 80 (27) | 85 (29) | 83 (28) | 77 (25) | 67 (19) | 57 (14) | 46 (8) | 64 (18) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22 (−6) | 24 (−4) | 30 (−1) | 39 (4) | 49 (9) | 59 (15) | 64 (18) | 62 (17) | 55 (13) | 43 (6) | 35 (2) | 27 (−3) | 42 (6) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.92 (100) | 3.30 (84) | 4.79 (122) | 4.07 (103) | 3.73 (95) | 3.80 (97) | 4.60 (117) | 4.69 (119) | 3.79 (96) | 3.90 (99) | 4.11 (104) | 4.51 (115) | 49.21 (1,251) |
| Source:[22] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Beach Haven Beach, New Jersey (1981–2010 averages) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.6 (4.8) | 42.5 (5.8) | 49.2 (9.6) | 57.7 (14.3) | 67.9 (19.9) | 77.0 (25.0) | 82.7 (28.2) | 81.6 (27.6) | 75.6 (24.2) | 65.1 (18.4) | 55.1 (12.8) | 45.3 (7.4) | 61.8 (16.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.4 (0.8) | 35.4 (1.9) | 41.7 (5.4) | 50.5 (10.3) | 60.3 (15.7) | 69.7 (20.9) | 75.4 (24.1) | 74.5 (23.6) | 68.2 (20.1) | 57.1 (13.9) | 47.7 (8.7) | 38.2 (3.4) | 54.4 (12.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26.3 (−3.2) | 28.2 (−2.1) | 34.3 (1.3) | 43.2 (6.2) | 52.7 (11.5) | 62.4 (16.9) | 68.2 (20.1) | 67.5 (19.7) | 60.7 (15.9) | 49.0 (9.4) | 40.3 (4.6) | 31.1 (−0.5) | 47.1 (8.4) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.21 (82) | 3.06 (78) | 3.97 (101) | 3.40 (86) | 2.80 (71) | 2.68 (68) | 3.80 (97) | 4.09 (104) | 2.83 (72) | 3.44 (87) | 2.90 (74) | 3.32 (84) | 39.50 (1,003) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 68.1 | 65.8 | 64.5 | 65.3 | 69.0 | 72.6 | 71.9 | 73.3 | 72.4 | 70.2 | 69.5 | 68.4 | 69.3 |
| Averagedew point °F (°C) | 24.0 (−4.4) | 25.1 (−3.8) | 30.6 (−0.8) | 39.3 (4.1) | 50.1 (10.1) | 60.5 (15.8) | 65.7 (18.7) | 65.4 (18.6) | 59.0 (15.0) | 47.5 (8.6) | 38.2 (3.4) | 28.7 (−1.8) | 44.6 (7.0) |
| Source: PRISM[23] | |||||||||||||
| Toms River, New Jersey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ocean County's area comprises 31.3% water. The coastal county along theAtlantic Ocean has ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa and including the coast). In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Toms River have ranged from a low of 24 °F (−4 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −19 °F (−28 °C) was recorded in January 1982 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly temperatures in Tuckerton near the south end range from 33.2 °F (0.7 °C) in January to 75.7 °F (24.3 °C) in July.[25]
The highest monthly average temperature for the county was 78.8 °F (26.0 °C) in July 2020; the lowest was 17.2 °F (−8.2 °C) in February 1934.[26]
Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.30 inches (84 mm) in February to 4.79 inches (122 mm) in March.[24] Areas closer to the coast typically experience more mild winters and cooler summers due to the Atlantic Ocean's influence.
The highest total monthly precipitation recorded for the county was 15.67 in (39.8 cm) in August 2011, the same monthHurricane Irene hit the New Jersey coast; the lowest was .02 in (0.051 cm) recorded in October 2024.[27]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 10,032 | — | |
| 1860 | 11,176 | 11.4% | |
| 1870 | 13,628 | 21.9% | |
| 1880 | 14,455 | 6.1% | |
| 1890 | 15,974 | 10.5% | |
| 1900 | 19,747 | 23.6% | |
| 1910 | 21,318 | 8.0% | |
| 1920 | 22,155 | 3.9% | |
| 1930 | 33,069 | 49.3% | |
| 1940 | 37,706 | 14.0% | |
| 1950 | 56,622 | 50.2% | |
| 1960 | 108,241 | 91.2% | |
| 1970 | 208,470 | 92.6% | |
| 1980 | 346,038 | 66.0% | |
| 1990 | 433,203 | 25.2% | |
| 2000 | 510,916 | 17.9% | |
| 2010 | 576,567 | 12.8% | |
| 2020 | 637,229 | 10.5% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 666,434 | 4.6% | |
| Historical sources: 1790–1990[28] 1970–2010[20] 2010[12] 2000–2010[29] 2020[4][5] 2024[6] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 637,229 and 238,812 households, with an average household size of 2.62.[30] The census also reported a population density of 1,014.2 inhabitants per square mile (391.6/km2) and a housing unit density of 470.6 per square mile (181.7/km2).[4]
The median age was 41.5 years; 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.7% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.4 males.[30]
The racial makeup of the county was 83.8% White, 3.0% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.4% from some other race, and 6.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.4% of the population.[31]
96.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 3.7% lived in rural areas.[32]
Of the 238,812 households, 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.9% were married-couple households, 15.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[30]
There were 294,429 housing units, of which 18.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.6% were owner-occupied and 22.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%.[30]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[33] | Pop 1990[34] | Pop 2000[35] | Pop 2010[36] | Pop 2020[37] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 325,934 | 403,371 | 459,174 | 495,534 | 520,578 | 94.19% | 93.11% | 89.87% | 85.95% | 81.69% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 9,166 | 11,405 | 14,431 | 16,583 | 17,649 | 2.65% | 2.63% | 2.82% | 2.88% | 2.77% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 391 | 571 | 500 | 454 | 523 | 0.11% | 0.13% | 0.10% | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,708 | 3,707 | 6,426 | 9,924 | 11,339 | 0.49% | 0.86% | 1.26% | 1.72% | 1.78% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[38] | x[39] | 75 | 92 | 111 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 395 | 199 | 392 | 558 | 3,899 | 0.11% | 0.05% | 0.08% | 0.10% | 0.61% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[40] | x[41] | 4,280 | 5,639 | 16,801 | x | x | 0.84% | 0.98% | 2.64% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8,444 | 13,950 | 25,638 | 47,783 | 66,329 | 2.44% | 3.22% | 5.02% | 8.29% | 10.41% |
| Total | 346,038 | 433,203 | 510,916 | 576,567 | 637,229 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2010 United States census counted 576,567 people, 221,111 households, and 149,250 families in the county. The population density was 917 inhabitants per square mile (354/km2). There were 278,052 housing units at an average density of 442.2 per square mile (170.7/km2). The racial makeup was 90.98% (524,577)White, 3.15% (18,164)Black or African American, 0.17% (966)Native American, 1.75% (10,081)Asian, 0.02% (129)Pacific Islander, 2.46% (14,165) fromother races, and 1.47% (8,485) from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.29% (47,783) of the population.[12]
Of the 221,111 households, 26.7% had children under the age of 18; 53.9% were married couples living together; 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 32.5% were non-families. Of all households, 27.8% were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.16.[12]
23.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 21% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.3 males.[12]
As of the2000 United States census[42] there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 inhabitants per square mile (310/km2). There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km2 (390/mi2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.05%White, 2.99%Black orAfrican American, 0.14%Native American, 1.28%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 1.24% fromother races, and 1.29% from two or more races. 5.02% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.[13][43] Among those who listed their ancestry, 25.3% were ofItalian, 23.6%Irish, 18.7%German, 8.8%Polish and 8.5%English ancestry according to Census 2000.[43][44]There were 200,402 households, out of which 28.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% weremarried couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.06.[13]
In the county, 23.30% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.60% was from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 22.20% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.40 males.[13]The median income for a household in the county was $46,443, and the median income for a family was $56,420. Males had a median income of $44,822 versus $30,717 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $23,054. About 4.8% of families and 7.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.[43][45]
As of the 2000 Census,Mantoloking wasthe wealthiest community in the state of New Jersey with a per capita money income of $114,017 as of 1999.[46]
TheBureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county'sgross domestic product was $23.8 billion in 2022, which ranked 12th of 21 in the state. This was a 4.1% increase from the prior year, the 5th largest percent change in the state. The 2022 GDP numbers reflected the second year in a row of positive growth for the county, after 2020 saw a -0.4% change from 2019.[47]
Ocean County is home to theOcean County Mall in Toms River, featuring agross leasable area of 898,000 square feet (83,400 m2).[48] The now-closedSears site will be replaced with 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of retail space.[49]
Ocean County is governed by aBoard of County Commissioners comprised of five members who are elected on anat-large basis in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms of office, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization held in the beginning of January, the board chooses a Director and a deputy director from among its members.[50] In 2016, freeholders were paid $30,000 and the freeholder director was paid an annual salary of $31,000.[51] This remained unchanged in 2018.[citation needed]
As of 2025[update], Ocean County's Commissioners are (with terms for chair and vice-chair ending every December 31):[52][53]
| Commissioner | Party, Residence, Term |
|---|---|
| Robert Arace | R,Manchester Township, 2027[54] |
| Jennifer Bacchione | R,Berkeley Township, 2027[55] |
| Virginia E. Haines | R,Toms River, 2025[56] |
| John P. Kelly | R,Eagleswood Township, 2025[57] |
| Frank Sadeghi | R, Toms River, 2026[58] |
Pursuant to Article VII Section II of theNew Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are theCounty Clerk andCounty Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and theCounty Sheriff (elected for a three-year term).[59] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are:[60] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are:
| Office | Party, Residence, Term |
|---|---|
| County Clerk Scott M. Colabella | R,Barnegat Light, 2025[61][62] |
| Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy | R, Toms River, 2025[63][64] |
| SurrogateJeffrey Moran | R,Beachwood, 2028[65][66][60] |
No Democrat has won a countywide office since 1989. The Ocean County Prosecutor is Bradley D. Billhimer, who was nominated by GovernorPhil Murphy. Billhimer was sworn in by New Jersey Attorney GeneralGurbir Grewal on October 12, 2018.[67][68] Ocean County constitutes Vicinage 14 of theNew Jersey Superior Court and is seated at the Ocean County Courthouse Complex in Toms River; the Assignment Judge forVicinage 14 is Marlene Lynch Ford.[69][70] Ocean County operates the Ocean County Southern Service Center in Manahawkin.[71] This center offers access to all of the Ocean County government services without the need for residents to travel to the county seat located about 20 miles (32 km) to the north.
The 2nd and 4thCongressional Districts cover the county.[72] For the119th United States Congress,New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented byJeff Van Drew (R,Dennis Township).[73] For the119th United States Congress,New Jersey's 4th congressional district is represented byChris Smith (R,Manchester Township).[74][75]
The 33 municipalities of Ocean County are covered by four legislative districts.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 3,384 | 72.59% | 1,068 | 22.91% | 210 | 4.50% |
| 1900 | 3,182 | 65.81% | 1,413 | 29.22% | 240 | 4.96% |
| 1904 | 3,666 | 65.94% | 1,709 | 30.74% | 185 | 3.33% |
| 1908 | 3,326 | 65.15% | 1,634 | 32.01% | 145 | 2.84% |
| 1912 | 919 | 18.60% | 1,858 | 37.61% | 2,163 | 43.79% |
| 1916 | 3,386 | 61.26% | 2,076 | 37.56% | 65 | 1.18% |
| 1920 | 6,840 | 74.84% | 2,138 | 23.39% | 161 | 1.76% |
| 1924 | 8,677 | 70.99% | 2,594 | 21.22% | 951 | 7.78% |
| 1928 | 12,301 | 73.19% | 4,452 | 26.49% | 54 | 0.32% |
| 1932 | 10,513 | 56.95% | 7,508 | 40.67% | 439 | 2.38% |
| 1936 | 11,293 | 52.84% | 9,889 | 46.27% | 190 | 0.89% |
| 1940 | 13,394 | 60.38% | 8,762 | 39.50% | 26 | 0.12% |
| 1944 | 13,317 | 63.32% | 7,683 | 36.53% | 32 | 0.15% |
| 1948 | 16,740 | 70.43% | 6,366 | 26.79% | 661 | 2.78% |
| 1952 | 23,490 | 72.80% | 8,660 | 26.84% | 117 | 0.36% |
| 1956 | 28,033 | 74.80% | 9,367 | 24.99% | 79 | 0.21% |
| 1960 | 31,430 | 60.56% | 20,113 | 38.75% | 355 | 0.68% |
| 1964 | 25,985 | 40.78% | 36,892 | 57.90% | 837 | 1.31% |
| 1968 | 41,995 | 53.87% | 26,909 | 34.52% | 9,059 | 11.62% |
| 1972 | 77,979 | 72.43% | 27,710 | 25.74% | 1,978 | 1.84% |
| 1976 | 77,875 | 56.93% | 56,413 | 41.24% | 2,493 | 1.82% |
| 1980 | 98,433 | 62.47% | 46,923 | 29.78% | 12,212 | 7.75% |
| 1984 | 124,391 | 70.23% | 51,012 | 28.80% | 1,710 | 0.97% |
| 1988 | 124,587 | 65.38% | 64,474 | 33.83% | 1,497 | 0.79% |
| 1992 | 95,984 | 44.39% | 75,431 | 34.88% | 44,828 | 20.73% |
| 1996 | 82,830 | 40.81% | 94,243 | 46.43% | 25,903 | 12.76% |
| 2000 | 105,684 | 48.84% | 102,104 | 47.18% | 8,605 | 3.98% |
| 2004 | 154,204 | 60.13% | 99,839 | 38.93% | 2,424 | 0.95% |
| 2008 | 160,677 | 58.43% | 110,189 | 40.07% | 4,111 | 1.50% |
| 2012 | 146,475 | 58.16% | 102,300 | 40.62% | 3,079 | 1.22% |
| 2016 | 179,079 | 64.71% | 87,150 | 31.49% | 10,496 | 3.79% |
| 2020 | 217,740 | 63.53% | 119,456 | 34.85% | 5,550 | 1.62% |
| 2024 | 227,232 | 67.22% | 105,789 | 31.30% | 5,014 | 1.48% |
In terms of percentage of registered voters, Ocean County is the most Republican county in New Jersey, a state that characteristically votes Democratic.[78] In its history, it has failed to support a Republican for president only three times. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win Ocean County wasBill Clinton in1996, who carried the county with a 46% plurality of the vote. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county wasLyndon Johnson in 1964. The only other time it did not back a Republican was in1912 when it voted forTheodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party with a plurality of the vote. In 2024, the county's Republican tilt increased in support ofDonald Trump, the best such performance sinceReagan's 1984 landslide.[79]
As of 2024, all of its state legislators, County commissioners, and countywide constitutional officers are Republicans. As of October 1, 2021, there were a total of 458,230 registered voters in Ocean County, of whom 171,085 (37.3%) were registered asRepublicans, 102,005 (22.3%) were registered asDemocrats and 179,085 (39.1%) were registered asunaffiliated. There were 6,055 voters (1.3%) registered to other parties.[80] Among the county's 2010 Census population, 63.2% were registered to vote, including 82.6% of those ages 18 and over.[81][82]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 197,040 | 63.54% | 109,610 | 35.35% | 3,441 | 1.11% |
| 2018 | 141,902 | 63.29% | 75,597 | 33.72% | 6,723 | 3.00% |
| 2012 | 132,413 | 56.11% | 99,362 | 42.10% | 4,229 | 1.79% |
| 2006 | 92,819 | 57.24% | 64,621 | 39.85% | 4,730 | 2.92% |
| 2000 | 115,686 | 56.35% | 82,596 | 40.23% | 7,013 | 3.42% |
| 1994 | 76,250 | 54.61% | 59,405 | 42.54% | 3,976 | 2.85% |
| 1988 | 98,161 | 53.21% | 84,812 | 45.97% | 1,512 | 0.82% |
| 1982 | 67,701 | 54.76% | 55,046 | 44.53% | 878 | 0.71% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 207,751 | 63.02% | 116,036 | 35.20% | 5,882 | 1.78% |
| 2014 | 79,254 | 57.44% | 55,631 | 40.32% | 3,082 | 2.23% |
| 2013 | 68,166 | 64.38% | 36,665 | 34.63% | 1,050 | 0.99% |
| 2008 | 139,480 | 54.98% | 109,393 | 43.12% | 4,839 | 1.91% |
| 2002 | 80,592 | 52.59% | 69,328 | 45.24% | 3,315 | 2.16% |
| 1996 | 92,505 | 48.16% | 91,041 | 47.40% | 8,527 | 4.44% |
| 1990 | 76,948 | 56.08% | 54,714 | 39.88% | 5,547 | 4.04% |
| 1984 | 75,923 | 44.13% | 94,076 | 54.69% | 2,033 | 1.18% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2025 | 185,957 | 67.03% | 90,323 | 32.56% | 1,160 | 0.42% |
| 2021 | 145,756 | 67.54% | 68,615 | 31.79% | 1,439 | 0.67% |
| 2017 | 98,135 | 62.11% | 56,582 | 35.81% | 3,279 | 2.08% |
| 2013 | 125,781 | 75.76% | 37,930 | 22.85% | 2,311 | 1.39% |
| 2009 | 124,238 | 65.73% | 53,761 | 28.44% | 11,023 | 5.83% |
| 2005 | 93,693 | 54.19% | 71,953 | 41.62% | 7,242 | 4.19% |
| 2001 | 77,726 | 47.12% | 84,538 | 51.25% | 2,690 | 1.63% |
| 1997 | 84,897 | 53.76% | 57,944 | 36.69% | 15,076 | 9.55% |
| 1993 | 87,943 | 51.44% | 78,132 | 45.70% | 4,879 | 2.85% |
| 1989 | 62,700 | 42.09% | 83,587 | 56.12% | 2,669 | 1.79% |
| 1985 | 90,670 | 73.67% | 30,948 | 25.15% | 1,455 | 1.18% |
| 1981 | 78,757 | 59.48% | 52,036 | 39.30% | 1,610 | 1.22% |
| 1977 | 45,513 | 42.27% | 59,307 | 55.09% | 2,843 | 2.64% |
| 1973 | 32,502 | 37.17% | 53,688 | 61.41% | 1,240 | 1.42% |
| 1969 | 48,076 | 69.10% | 20,085 | 28.87% | 1,415 | 2.03% |
| 1965 | 28,879 | 53.58% | 23,982 | 44.49% | 1,041 | 1.93% |
| 1961 | 24,753 | 57.14% | 18,154 | 41.90% | 416 | 0.96% |
| 1957 | 18,185 | 56.00% | 14,247 | 43.87% | 44 | 0.14% |
| 1953 | 16,326 | 63.24% | 9,302 | 36.03% | 187 | 0.72% |
Ocean County College is the two-yearcommunity college for Ocean County, one of a network of 19county colleges statewide. The school is inToms River and was founded in 1964.[86]
Georgian Court University inLakewood Township is a privateRoman CatholicSisters of Mercy college, which opened in 1908 on the former winter estate of millionaireGeorge Jay Gould I, son of railroad tycoonJay Gould. Lakewood is also home toBeth Medrash Govoha, aHarediyeshiva with 5,000 students, making it one of the largest yeshivas in the world[87] and the largest outside theState of Israel.[88][89]
Stockton University has a campus located inManahawkin offeringundergraduate andgraduate colleges of the arts, sciences and professional studies of the New Jersey state system of higher education.[90]
School districts in the county include:[91][92][93]
New Jersey's largest suburban school district,Toms River Regional Schools, is located in Ocean County.[94] Toms River is also home to the county's only Roman Catholic high school,Monsignor Donovan High School, operated by theRoman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, which also has six elementary schools located in the county.[95]
In addition to multiplepublic high schools, the county has an extensive vocational high school program, known as theOcean County Vocational Technical School district. In addition to its campuses inBrick, Toms River,Waretown, andJackson, it contains threemagnet schools:[96]
Ocean County has an extensiveshoreline stretching along theAtlantic Ocean, including theJersey Shore communities and oceanfront boardwalk resorts ofSeaside Heights andPoint Pleasant Beach.
Six Flags Great Adventure, America's largest Six Flags theme park, was home to the world's tallest and formerly fastest roller coaster,Kingda Ka, which closed in November 2024. The park also containsSix Flags Hurricane Harbor, New Jersey's largestwater park, and the 2,200-acre (890 ha)Safari Off Road Adventure, the largest drive-thru animal safari outside of Africa.[98]
Approximately 40 miles (64 km) of barrier beaches form the Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor Bays, offering ample watersports. It also is home of theTuckerton Seaport, a 40-acre (160,000 m2) maritime history village inTuckerton. In addition to being the northeast gateway to New Jersey'sPine Barrens, Ocean County is also home to severalstate parks:
ShoreTown Ballpark located in Lakewood, opened in 2001 with 6,588 reserved seats and is home of theJersey Shore BlueClaws, the High-A affiliate of thePhiladelphia Phillies.[104]
TheAsbury Park Press andThe Press of Atlantic City are daily newspapers that cover Ocean County.[106]Micromedia Publications publishes six weekly local newspapers in the county; their seventh coversHowell Township, New Jersey inMonmouth County, New Jersey.[107]
92.7 WOBM provides news, traffic and weather updates. WOBM-FM radio started broadcasting from theBayville section ofBerkeley Township in March 1968. The station relocated to studios inToms River in 2013.[108]
91.9 WBNJ provides local news, PSAs and events; as well as weather updates.
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The county had a total of 2,958.5 miles (4,761.2 km) of roadways, of which 2,164.2 miles (3,482.9 km) are maintained by the municipality, 615.5 miles (990.6 km) by Ocean County and 140.19 miles (225.61 km) by theNew Jersey Department of Transportation and 38.59 miles (62.10 km) by theNew Jersey Turnpike Authority.[109]
Ocean County has various major roads that pass through. Those routes are listed below:[110]
Several prominent500 series county highways make up an important portion of the automobile corridors in Ocean County. These includeCounty Road 526,County Road 527,County Road 528,County Road 530,County Road 532,County Road 539,County Road 547,County Road 549,County Road 554, andCounty Road 571.
NJ Transit's (NJT)North Jersey Coast Line, which servesNew York Penn Station and passes throughMiddlesex County andMonmouth counties, offers service at theBay Head andPoint Pleasant Beach stations, located at the northernmost corner of the county.[111] TheMonmouth Ocean Middlesex Line is a passenger rail project proposed by NJT to serve the northern central part of the county.[112] Southern Ocean County is also located about 25 miles (40 km) from theAtlantic City Line, which provides service toPhiladelphia.
Bus service is provided onNJ Transit bus routes 130, 132, 136, and 139 to and fromLakewood Bus Terminal on theU.S. Route 9 corridor. Expanded useRoute 9 BBS (bus bypass shoulder lanes) is under study. Bus route 559 provides service along U.S. Route 9 between Lakewood Township andPleasantville before continuing toAtlantic City.
Bus route 137 provides service in three variants. One is a nonstop express between Toms River and thePort Authority Bus Terminal inMidtown Manhattan that operates seven days a week. The other two are rush hour only services, one operating alongCounty Route 549 between Toms River andBrick Township before continuing to New York City. The other begins and ends inLakewood Township, operating via County Line Road to the Brick park and ride before continuing to New York.[113]
Bus route 67 operates between Toms River andNewark, providing service along County Route 549 between Toms River and Brick before continuing onto Lakewood and points north.[114] Bus Route 317 crosses the county in an east–west fashion on its route betweenPhiladelphia andAsbury Park. This route also provides service toFort Dix,Camden, and other destinations. Bus route 319 makes a single stop in Toms River on its route between Atlantic City and New York.[115]
Ocean Ride is a county wide system with 12 regular routes, many servingOcean County Mall, which acts as transfer hub.[116][117] Of these routes, only the OC 10 (Lavallette to Toms River) operates Monday-Saturday, with the OC 4 (Point Pleasant to Lakewood) operating Monday-Friday. All other routes run 2–3 days a week. Ocean Ride also provides paratransit service throughout the county.
Academy Bus provides service between various areas in the northern part of the county andNew York City. Many of the retirement communities contract for the operation of shuttle buses to connect the communities with various shopping centers in the county.
The 33 municipalities in Ocean County with 2010 census data for population, housing units, and area in square miles are:[118] Other,unincorporated communities in the county are listed alongside their parent municipality (or municipalities).[119] Most of these areas arecensus-designated places that have been created by theUnited States Census Bureau for enumeration purposes within aTownship.[20] The numbers in parentheses stand for the numbers on the map.
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| Municipality (map index) | Map key | Mun. type | Pop. | Housing units | Total area | Water area | Land area | Pop. density | Housing density | School district | Unincorporated communities/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnegat | 29 | township | 24,296 | 9,085 | 40.78 | 6.41 | 34.38 | 609.0 | 264.35 | Barnegat Township | Barnegat CDP (3,894),Howardsville, Ocean Acres (part; 925),Warren Grove |
| Barnegat Light | 6 | borough | 640 | 1,282 | 0.85 | 0.12 | 0.73 | 785.1 | 1,753.6 | Southern Regional (7–12) Long Beach Island (PK-6) | |
| Bay Head | 16 | borough | 930 | 1,023 | 0.70 | 0.12 | 0.58 | 1,662.8 | 1,757.3 | Point Pleasant Beach (9–12) (S/R) Bay Head (K-8) | |
| Beach Haven | 2 | borough | 1,027 | 2,667 | 2.32 | 1.34 | 0.98 | 1,196.0 | 2,726.2 | Southern Regional (7–12) Beach Haven (PK-6) | |
| Beachwood | 12 | borough | 10,859 | 3,826 | 2.85 | 0.00 | 2.85 | 3,878.4 | 1,343.5 | Toms River | |
| Berkeley Township | 26 | township | 43,754 | 23,818 | 56.00 | 13.13 | 42.86 | 962.5 | 555.7 | Central Regional (7–12) Berkeley Township (PK-6) | Bayville (20,512),Cedar Beach, Crossley,Glen Cove,Holiday City-Berkeley CDP (12,943),Holiday City South CDP (4,124),Holiday Heights CDP (2,143),Holly Park, Pelican Island,Silver Ridge CDP (1,167) |
| Brick | 23 | township | 73,620 | 33,677 | 32.32 | 6.60 | 25.72 | 2,919.4 | 1,309.6 | Brick | Adamston,Breton Woods,Burrsville, Cedarcroft,Herbertsville,Laurelton,Osbornsville,Parkway Pines |
| Eagleswood | 31 | township | 1,722 | 760 | 18.86 | 2.80 | 16.06 | 99.8 | 47.3 | Pinelands Regional (7–12) Eagleswood (PK-6) | West Creek |
| Harvey Cedars | 5 | borough | 391 | 1,214 | 1.19 | 0.63 | 0.56 | 604.6 | 2,178.0 | Southern Regional (7–12) Long Beach Island (PK-6) | |
| Island Heights | 10 | borough | 1,650 | 831 | 0.91 | 0.30 | 0.61 | 2,738.3 | 1,360.2 | Central Regional (7–12) Islands Heights (K-6) | |
| Jackson | 21 | township | 58,544 | 20,342 | 100.62 | 1.38 | 99.24 | 552.7 | 205.0 | Jackson | Bennetts Mills,Cassville,Harmony, Holmeson (part; 5,231),Jackson Mills,Prospertown,Vista Center CDP (2,370),Whitesville |
| Lacey Township | 27 | township | 28,655 | 11,573 | 98.53 | 15.27 | 83.26 | 332.0 | 139.0 | Lacey Township | Aserdaten,Barnegat Pines,Forked River CDP (5,274),Lanoka Harbor |
| Lakehurst | 19 | borough | 2,636 | 943 | 1.01 | 0.09 | 0.91 | 2,900.8 | 1,030.7 | Manchester (9–12) (S/R) Lakehurst (PK-8) | |
| Lakewood | 22 | township | 135,158 | 26,337 | 24.98 | 0.41 | 24.58 | 3,777.7 | 1,071.6 | Lakewood | Lakewood CDP (69,398),Leisure Village CDP (4,966),Leisure Village East CDP (4,189) |
| Lavallette | 14 | borough | 1,787 | 3,207 | 0.95 | 0.15 | 0.81 | 2,319.2 | 3,966.8 | Point Pleasant Beach (9–12) (S/R) Lavallette (K-8) | |
| Little Egg Harbor | 33 | township | 20,784 | 10,324 | 73.05 | 25.69 | 47.37 | 423.6 | 218.0 | Pinelands Regional (7–12) Little Egg Harbor (PK-6) | Mystic Island CDP (8,301),Nugentown, ParkertownWarren Grove,West Tuckerton |
| Long Beach | 32 | township | 3,153 | 9,216 | 22.04 | 16.59 | 5.44 | 560.5 | 1,693.0 | Southern Regional (7–12) Long Beach Island (PK-6) | High Bar Harbor,Loveladies,North Beach Haven CDP (2,198) |
| Manchester Township | 25 | township | 45,115 | 25,886 | 82.69 | 1.07 | 81.62 | 527.7 | 317.2 | Manchester | Bullock,Cedar Glen Lakes CDP (1,517),Cedar Glen West CDP (1,379),Crestwood Village CDP (8,426),Leisure Knoll CDP (3,692),Leisure Village West (3,493),Pine Lake Park CDP (8,913),Pine Ridge at Crestwood CDP (2,537),Ridgeway, Roosevelt City,Wheatland,Whiting |
| Mantoloking | 15 | borough | 331 | 535 | 0.64 | 0.26 | 0.39 | 767.9 | 1,387.9 | Point Pleasant Beach (9–12) (S/R) | |
| Ocean Gate | 9 | borough | 1,932 | 1,203 | 0.45 | 0.01 | 0.45 | 4,490.3 | 2,686.1 | Central Regional (7–12) Ocean Gate (PK-6) | |
| Ocean Township | 28 | township | 8,835 | 4,291 | 32.04 | 11.49 | 20.56 | 405.3 | 208.8 | Southern Regional (7–12) (S/R) (9–12) Ocean Township (PK-6) | Brookville,Waretown CDP (1,483) |
| Pine Beach | 11 | borough | 2,139 | 903 | 0.62 | 0.00 | 0.61 | 3,465.4 | 1,471.2 | Toms River | |
| Plumsted | 20 | township | 8,072 | 3,067 | 40.15 | 0.44 | 39.71 | 212.1 | 77.2 | Plumsted Township | Archertown,Brindletown,New Egypt CDP (2,357) |
| Point Pleasant | 18 | borough | 18,941 | 8,331 | 4.17 | 0.68 | 3.49 | 5,272.1 | 2,388.1 | Point Pleasant | |
| Point Pleasant Beach | 17 | borough | 4,766 | 3,373 | 1.74 | 0.32 | 1.43 | 3,270.1 | 2,364.4 | Point Pleasant Beach | Clark's Landing |
| Seaside Heights | 8 | borough | 2,440 | 3,003 | 0.75 | 0.13 | 0.62 | 4,662.9 | 4,850.2 | Central Regional (7–12) Seaside Heights (PK-6) | |
| Seaside Park | 7 | borough | 1,436 | 2,703 | 0.77 | 0.12 | 0.65 | 2,429.4 | 4,158.7 | Central Regional (7–12) Lavallette (K-6) (Opt. 1) Toms River (K-6) (Opt. 2) | |
| Ship Bottom | 3 | borough | 1,098 | 2,066 | 1.00 | 0.29 | 0.71 | 1,620.6 | 2,896.3 | Southern Regional (7–12) Long Beach Island (PK-6) | |
| South Toms River | 13 | borough | 3,643 | 1,160 | 1.23 | 0.06 | 1.17 | 3,146.7 | 990.8 | Toms River | |
| Stafford Township | 30 | township | 28,617 | 13,604 | 54.88 | 9.03 | 45.85 | 578.8 | 296.7 | Southern Regional (7–12) Stafford Township (PK-6) | Beach Haven West CDP (4,143),Cedar Run,Manahawkin CDP (2,413),Mayetta,Ocean Acres (part; 15,217),Warren Grove |
| Surf City | 4 | borough | 1,243 | 2,566 | 0.92 | 0.17 | 0.75 | 1,616.5 | 3,442.4 | Southern Regional (7–12) Long Beach Island (PK-6) | |
| Toms River | 24 | township | 95,438 | 43,334 | 52.88 | 12.40 | 40.49 | 2,253.5 | 1,070.3 | Toms River | Cattus Island,Chadwick Beach Island, Dover Beaches North CDP (1,277),Dover Beaches South CDP (1,331),Gilford Park,Pelican Island,Silverton,Toms River CDP (92,830) |
| Tuckerton | 1 | borough | 3,577 | 1,902 | 3.80 | 0.44 | 3.36 | 995.1 | 565.5 | Pinelands Regional (7–12) Tuckerton (PK-6) | |
| Ocean County | county | 637,229 | 278,052 | 915.40 | 286.62 | 628.78 | 917.0 | 442.2 |
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, nowhere in New Jersey has been growing as fast as Ocean County..Ocean County grew by nearly 3 percent — the largest increase in the state. Four of the five fastest growing towns in New Jersey are in Ocean..Lakewood, which has been the fastest growing town in New Jersey for decades, retained its title. But seven other Ocean County towns, likeBrick Township,Toms River, andJackson Township, also bucked state trends and experienced significant population growth.
The population of Ocean County, New Jersey in 2021 was 648,998, 12.4% up from the 577,574 who lived there in 2010. For comparison, the US population grew 7.3%
Beth Medrash Gohova is said to be the world's largest Jewish-affiliated university outside of Israel.
The sea change can be pinned to one event: The founding of the Beth Medrash Govoha yeshiva in the mid-20th century. The Orthodox Jewish community has set down roots en masse around the religious school, which is now the largest yeshiva in North America.
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