Ocean County, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ocean County
County
Sunrise at Barnegat Lighthouse on Long Beach Island, facing the Atlantic Ocean
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of New Jersey
New Jersey's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
Founded	1850
Named for	Atlantic Ocean
Seat	Toms River
Largest municipality	Lakewood Township (population) Jackson Township (area)
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  (2020)
• Total	637,229
• Estimate  (2023)	659,197
• Density	696.547/sq mi (268.9383/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 4th

Ocean County is a county located in the state of New Jersey. It's the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county touches the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern side. It is the largest county in New Jersey when you count its total area. The main town, or county seat, is Toms River. Ocean County is part of the famous Jersey Shore and is also considered part of Central Jersey.

Since 2020, Ocean County has been the fastest-growing county in New Jersey. In 2020, its population was 637,229 people. This was the highest number of people ever counted in the county. It meant the population grew by over 60,000 people since 2010. The county's population has been growing faster than the rest of the United States. In 2023, it was estimated that 659,197 people lived here. The town of Lakewood Township is the most populated and fastest-growing place in Ocean County. Jackson Township is the largest town by land area.

Ocean County is a popular vacation spot, especially in the summer. It's about 50 miles east of Philadelphia and 70 miles south of New York City. About 31% of Ocean County's total area is water. It's known for its beautiful beaches and fun attractions. These include places like Seaside Heights, Long Beach Island, and Point Pleasant Beach. You can also find Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson Township. Ocean County is also a gateway to New Jersey's Pine Barrens, a huge protected natural area.

History of Ocean County

Before Ocean County was created, most of its land was part of Monmouth County. Only a couple of towns, Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor Township, were from Burlington County. Ocean County was officially formed on February 15, 1850. It was created from parts of Monmouth County. Later, in 1891, Little Egg Harbor Township joined from Burlington County. The county got its name from the Atlantic Ocean that it borders.

Today, the most populated town is Lakewood Township. Its population grew a lot, by over 45% between 2010 and 2020. Jackson Township is the biggest town in Ocean County by land area.

Geography and Climate

Entering Ocean County on the northbound Garden State Parkway in Little Egg Harbor Township

Ocean County is the largest county in New Jersey by total area. It covers about 915 square miles. About 68.7% of this is land, and 31.3% is water.

Most of the county is flat and close to the coast. It has a very long shoreline with many beaches along the Jersey Shore. Some famous beaches include Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, and Seaside Heights. The highest points in the county are three unnamed hills. They are about 230 feet high. The lowest point is at sea level along the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay.

Ocean County's Weather

Ocean County has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. In Toms River, the average temperature in January is about 24°F. In July, it's about 85°F. However, temperatures can go much lower or higher. For example, it was -19°F in January 1982 and 105°F in July 1999.

Areas closer to the ocean usually have milder winters and cooler summers. This is because the large body of water helps to keep temperatures more steady. The county gets a good amount of rain throughout the year. The most rain in one month was over 15 inches in August 2011, when Hurricane Irene hit.

People of Ocean County

Population in 2020

In 2020, 637,229 people lived in Ocean County. Most people, about 92.2%, were White. About 3.9% were Black or African American, and 2.1% were Asian. About 10.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

About 24.6% of the people were under 18 years old. About 22.8% were 65 years or older. More than half of the population (51.3%) were female.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Ocean County had 576,567 people. The majority, about 91%, were White. About 3.15% were Black or African American, and 1.75% were Asian. About 8.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

About 23.4% of the people were under 18 years old. About 21% were 65 years or older. The average age was 42.6 years.

Economy and Jobs

In 2022, the total value of all goods and services produced in Ocean County was about $23.8 billion. This showed a 4.1% increase from the year before.

Ocean County is home to the Ocean County Mall in Toms River. It's a large shopping center.

Education in Ocean County

Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood is the world's largest yeshiva outside of Israel.

Ocean County has many schools for students of all ages.

Colleges and Universities

• Ocean County College is a two-year community college in Toms River. It opened in 1964.
• Georgian Court University is a private Roman Catholic college in Lakewood Township. It started in 1908.
• Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood is a very large yeshiva (a Jewish school for religious studies). It has 5,000 students, making it one of the biggest in the world outside of Israel.
• Stockton University has a campus in Manahawkin. It offers programs for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Local Schools

Ocean County has many public school districts. Some districts teach students from kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12). Others are just for high school students (secondary) or for younger students (elementary).

K-12 School Districts

High School Districts

• Central Regional School District
• Ocean County Vocational Technical School
• Pinelands Regional School District
• Southern Regional School District

Elementary School Districts (mostly K-6)

Toms River Regional Schools is the largest suburban school district in New Jersey. Ocean County also has a great vocational high school program called the Ocean County Vocational Technical School district. It has campuses in several towns and three special magnet schools:

• Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES)
• OCVTS Performing Arts Academy (for theater, dance, and singing)
• OCVTS Academy of Law and Public Safety (ALPS)

Fun Attractions

Ocean County has a long shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean. It's home to many popular Jersey Shore towns and boardwalks like Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant Beach.

Six Flags Great Adventure is a huge theme park in Jackson Township. It used to have Kingda Ka, one of the world's tallest roller coasters. The park also has Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, which is New Jersey's largest water park. Plus, there's the Safari Off Road Adventure, a large drive-thru animal safari.

The county has about 40 miles of barrier beaches that form the Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor Bays. These are great for water sports. You can also visit the Tuckerton Seaport, a village that shows off maritime history in Tuckerton.

Ocean County is also the northern gateway to New Jersey's Pine Barrens. It has several state parks:

• Barnegat Lighthouse State Park has the famous Barnegat Lighthouse on Long Beach Island.
• Island Beach State Park has 3,000 acres of coastal sand dunes.
• Double Trouble State Park covers 8,000 acres in the Pine Barrens.
• Brendan T. Byrne State Forest is a large forest with 37,000 acres.
• Forked River State Marina

ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood is home to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. They are a minor league baseball team linked to the Philadelphia Phillies.

National Protected Areas

• Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge protects 48,000 acres of wetlands and coastal areas.

Local Media

Ocean County is covered by daily newspapers like the Asbury Park Press and The Press of Atlantic City. There are also several weekly local newspapers published by Micromedia Publications.

For radio, 92.7 WOBM provides local news, traffic, and weather. It started broadcasting in 1968. 91.9 WBNJ also offers local news and events.

Getting Around Ocean County

Ocean County has many roads and highways. The county has over 2,900 miles of roadways. Most of these are maintained by the local towns.

Major Roads

• U.S. Route 9 (the only U.S. Highway here)
• Route 35
• Route 37
• Route 70
• Route 72
• Interstate 195 (runs only through Jackson Township)
• The Garden State Parkway goes through Ocean County for about 38.5 miles.

Public Transportation

Trains

NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line has stations at Bay Head and Point Pleasant Beach. These stations connect to New York Penn Station. There are also plans for a new train line called the Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line.

Buses

• NJ Transit: Buses connect Ocean County to places like New York City, Newark, and Philadelphia. Some routes are express, meaning they go directly without many stops.
• Ocean Ride: This is a county-wide bus system with 12 regular routes. Many of these routes stop at the Ocean County Mall. Most routes run a few days a week, but some run more often. Ocean Ride also helps people with special transportation needs.
• Other Services: Academy Bus provides service from northern Ocean County to New York City. Many retirement communities also have their own shuttle buses for residents.

Towns and Communities

Index map of Ocean County municipalities (see index key in table below)

Ocean County has 33 different towns, called municipalities. Each one has its own population, housing, and area. Some towns also have smaller, unnamed communities within them. The table below lists these towns and some of their details.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Ocean para niños