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Neptune Township, New Jersey facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Neptune City, New Jersey.
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Neptune Township, New Jersey
Township
Row of Victorian houses in the village of Ocean Grove
Row of Victorian houses in the village of Ocean Grove
Official seal of Neptune Township, New Jersey
Seal
Nickname(s): 
The Crossroads of the Jersey Shore
Motto(s): 
Where Community, Business & Tourism Prosper
Location of Neptune Township in Monmouth County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Monmouth County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left). <mapframe text="Interactive map of Neptune Township, New Jersey" zoom="8" width="250" height="250"> { "type": "ExternalData", "service": "geoshape", "ids": "Q2641218" } </mapframe>
Location of Neptune Township in Monmouth County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Monmouth County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).

<mapframe text="Interactive map of Neptune Township, New Jersey" zoom="8" width="250" height="250"> { "type": "ExternalData", "service": "geoshape", "ids": "Q2641218" }

</mapframe>
Census Bureau map of Neptune Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Neptune Township, New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey is located in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey
Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey is located in the United States
Neptune Township, New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Monmouth
Incorporated February 26, 1879
Named for Neptune, Roman water deity
Government
 • Type Township
 • Body Township Committee
Area
 • Total 8.84 sq mi (22.90 km2)
 • Land 8.13 sq mi (21.05 km2)
 • Water 0.72 sq mi (1.86 km2)  8.11%
Area rank 222nd of 565 in state
14th of 53 in county
Elevation
52 ft (16 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 28,061
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 27,986
 • Rank 88th of 565 in state
7th of 53 in county
 • Density 3,452.8/sq mi (1,333.1/km2)
 • Density rank 196th of 565 in state
22nd of 53 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes
07753–07754
Area code(s) 732
FIPS code 3402549890
GNIS feature ID 0882111
Website

Neptune Township is a community in Monmouth County, New Jersey. It is called a "township" and is located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2020, about 28,061 people lived here.

Neptune Township is an important place on the Jersey Shore. It has a big hospital called Jersey Shore Medical Center. It also has the historic village of Ocean Grove. The township is a center for business and culture in the area. It was named after Neptune, the Roman god of the sea. This name fits well because the township is right on the Atlantic Ocean.

History of Neptune Township

Neptune Township became an official township on February 26, 1879. It was created from parts of Ocean Township.

Over the years, some parts of Neptune Township became separate towns. These include Neptune City in 1881 and Bradley Beach in 1893. The village of Ocean Grove also tried to become separate in 1920, but it was later made part of Neptune Township again in 1921.

Where is Neptune Township?

Neptune Township covers about 8.84 square miles (22.90 km2). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Several communities are located inside Neptune Township. These include Ocean Grove and Shark River Hills. Other smaller areas are Bradley Park, Green Grove, and Summerfield.

Neptune Township stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Garden State Parkway in the west. The Shark River forms its southern border. To the north, it borders Asbury Park and Ocean Township. Neptune Township is a diverse place. It has the historic seaside community of Ocean Grove and the riverside homes in Shark River Hills. It also has open spaces like Shark River Park.

Neptune Township shares borders with several other towns in Monmouth County. These include Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, and Wall Township.

Deal Lake is a large lake that borders Neptune Township. It is managed by the Deal Lake Commission. Seven towns share the shoreline of this lake.

People in Neptune Township

Shark River Hills, NJ
The Shark River Hills neighborhood
Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880 4,187 —
1890 8,333 * 99.0%
1900 7,943 * −4.7%
1910 5,551 −30.1%
1920 6,470 16.6%
1930 10,625 64.2%
1940 10,207 −3.9%
1950 13,613 33.4%
1960 21,487 57.8%
1970 27,863 29.7%
1980 28,366 1.8%
1990 28,148 −0.8%
2000 27,690 −1.6%
2010 27,935 0.9%
2020 28,061 0.5%
2023 (est.) 27,986 0.2%
Population sources:
1880–1920 1880–1890
1890–1910 1910–1930
1940–2000 2000
2010 2020
* = Lost territory in previous decade.

What the 2010 Census Showed

In 2010, there were 27,935 people living in Neptune Township. There were about 11,201 households. A household is a group of people living in one home.

About 53% of the people were White, and 38% were Black or African American. About 9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Neptune Township was 42.7 years old. About 20% of the people were under 18 years old.

Schools in Neptune Township

The Neptune Township Schools educate students from pre-kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The school district has seven schools in total.

As of the 2022–23 school year, about 3,411 students were enrolled. There were 331 teachers, meaning there were about 10 students for every teacher.

The schools in the district include:

  • Gables Elementary School (PreK–5)
  • Green Grove Elementary School (PreK–5)
  • Midtown Community Elementary School (PreK–5)
  • Shark River Hills Elementary School (PreK–5)
  • Summerfield Elementary School (PreK–5)
  • Neptune Middle School (grades 6–8)
  • Neptune High School (grades 9–12)

Ocean Grove: A Historic Place

Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association District
Ocean Grove Auditorium and Stokes Statue.jpg
A statue of Ellwood H. Stokes and the Great Auditorium facing Ocean Pathway – once named one of the ten most beautiful streets in America
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Location Bounded by Fletcher Lake, NJ Route 71, Lake Wesley, and the Atlantic Ocean
Area 220 acres (89 ha)
Architectural style Bungalow/craftsman, Stick/eastlake, Queen Anne
NRHP reference No. 76001170
Significant dates
Added to NRHP April 12, 1976

Ocean Grove is a special community within Neptune Township. It had a population of 3,057 people in 2020. It was started in 1869 by a group of Methodist religious leaders.

This historic community is located on the Jersey Shore. It is between Asbury Park and Bradley Beach. Ocean Grove is famous for its many beautiful Victorian style houses. It also has the Great Auditorium, which is a very impressive wooden building.

  • Ocean Grove Welcome Sign

    Ocean Grove Welcome Sign

  • Glimpses of New Jersey coast resorts. A collection of choice photographic views of Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Avon, Belmar, Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Allenhurst, Interlaken, Deal, Elberon, Hollywood, (14597175627)

    Photograph of Ocean Grove from the early 20th century

  • North End Hotel (Ocean Grove NJ)

    Street scene of Ocean Grove from atop of the North End Hotel from the early 20th century

  • Ocean Grove, NJ street

    Modern Ocean Grove cityscape

  • CENTENNIAL COTTAGE, OCEAN GROVE, MONMOUTH, NJ

    Centennial Cottage, an example of Victorian architecture in this village

  • Great Auditorium Ocean Grove NJ1A

    The Great Auditorium

Getting Around Neptune Township

Roads and Highways

2021-07-30 10 03 13 View north along New Jersey State Route 18 from the overpass for Monmouth County Route 17 (West Bangs Avenue) in Neptune Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Route 18 northbound in Neptune Township

Neptune Township has many roads. In 2010, there were about 129 miles of roads. Most of these roads are managed by the township itself.

Major highways that go through Neptune Township include Route 18, Route 33, and Route 35.

The Garden State Parkway is just west of the township. You can easily get to it from exits 100 and 102.

Public Transportation

You can take NJ Transit trains from the Bradley Beach station. These trains can take you to places like Newark Penn Station and New York Penn Station.

NJ Transit also offers bus services. You can take buses to Philadelphia or use local routes within the township.

Healthcare in Neptune Township

Jersey shore university medical center hope tower
HOPE Tower at Jersey Shore University Medical Center

Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) is a very large hospital in Neptune Township. It has 691 beds and is a non-profit hospital. It is also a teaching hospital, which means doctors in training learn there.

This hospital serves the northern Jersey Shore region. It is a major partner of the Hackensack Meridian Health network. JSUMC is also connected with Rutgers University and the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

JSUMC is a special "Level II trauma center." This means it can handle very serious injuries. It even has a helipad on its roof for medevac patients.

The hospital also has the K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital. This part of the hospital treats babies, children, and young adults up to age 21. JSUMC is a big teaching hospital with many interns and residents (doctors in training).

Famous People from Neptune Township

Many interesting people have connections to Neptune Township. They were either born there, lived there, or are closely linked to the community.

  • Lynn Ahrens (born 1948), a writer for musicals, TV, and movies.
  • Jack Armstrong (born 1965), a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
  • Nicole Atkins (born 1978), a singer-songwriter.
  • Pat Battle (born 1959), a TV reporter and anchor for WNBC-TV.
  • Fanny Crosby (1820–1915), who wrote over 8,000 hymns and gospel songs.
  • Vinny Curry (born 1988), a defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles.
  • Danny DeVito (born 1944), a famous actor.
  • Jack Nicholson (born 1937), another very famous actor.
  • Shep Pettibone (born 1959), a record producer and remixer.
  • Rusty Schweickart (born 1935), an astronaut.
  • Southside Johnny (born 1948), a singer and songwriter.
  • Tim Wright (born 1990), a tight end who played in the NFL.
  • Ajee' Wilson (born 1994), a middle-distance runner.

Images for kids

  • Shark River Hills, NJ

    The Shark River Hills neighborhood

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Municipio de Neptune para niños

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