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 U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the state's largest county. Its county seat is Toms River. The county is part of the Jersey Shore and is considered part of the Central Jersey region of the state, though it was not among the four counties explicitly listed as included in Central Jersey as part of legislation signed into law in 2023.

Since 2020, Ocean County has been the fastest-growing county in New Jersey, with a population of 637,229 recorded at the 2020 United States census, its highest decennial count ever and ranking the county as the state's sixth-most populous county, with an increase of 60,662 (+10.5%) from the 576,567 enumerated at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 65,651 (+12.8%) from the 510,916 counted in the 2000 census. Since 2010, Ocean County's population has been growing faster than the United States as a whole. The United States Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program estimated a 2023 population of 659,197, an increase of 21,968 (+3.4%) from the 2020 decennial census. Ocean County’s most populous and fastest-growing place is Lakewood Township, with an estimated 139,866 residents as of 2023, while Jackson 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 of Philadelphia, 70 miles (110 km) south of New York City, and 25 miles (40 km) north of Atlantic City, making it a prime vacation destination for residents of these cities during the summer. As with the entire Jersey 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. The county is also home to many tourist attractions frequented by Philadelphia metropolitan area residents, including the beachfront communities of Seaside Heights, Long Beach Island, and Point Pleasant Beach, and Six Flags Great Adventure, an amusement park in Jackson Township that was the home to the world's tallest and second-fastest roller coaster, Kingda Ka. Ocean County is a gateway to New Jersey's Pine Barrens, one of the largest protected land areas on the East Coast.

History

Prior to its creation, Ocean County was almost entirely within Shrewsbury Township in Monmouth County, with the exception of Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor Township. Ocean County was established on February 15, 1850, from portions of Monmouth county; Little Egg Harbor Township was annexed from Burlington County on March 30, 1891. It derives its name from the Atlantic Ocean that it borders.

The most populous municipality in the county is the rapidly growing Lakewood 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. Jackson Township, which covers 100.62 square miles (260.6 km²), is the largest municipality in Ocean County by area.

Geography

According to the U.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 of Burlington 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%).

Much of the county is flat and coastal, with an extensive shoreline and many beaches along the Jersey Shore, including Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars, Lavallette, Mantoloking, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Ship Bottom, and Surf City. The highest point is one of three unnamed hills (one in Jackson Township, the other two in Plumsted Township) that reach at least 230 feet (70 m) in elevation. The lowest elevation in the county is at sea level along the county's lengthy Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay coastlines.

Climate

Ocean County's area comprises 31.3% water. The coastal county along the Atlantic Ocean has a humid 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.

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.

Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.30 inches (84 mm) in February to 4.79 inches (122 mm) in March. 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 month Hurricane Irene hit the New Jersey coast; the lowest was .25 in (0.64 cm) recorded in October 1963.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 637,229 people and 237,729 households in the county. The population density was 1,014.2 inhabitants per square mile (391.6/km²). There were 295,648 housing units at an average density of 470.6 per square mile (181.7/km²). The racial makeup was 92.2% (587,525) White, 3.9% (24,852) Black or African American, 0.3% (1,912) Native American, 2.1% (13,382) Asian, 0.1% (637) Pacific Islander, and 1.5% (9,558) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 10.2% (64,997) of the population. The average household size was 2.62.

24.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 52.6% from 18 to 64, and 22.8% were 65 years of age or older. Females made up 51.3% of the total population.

2010 census

The 2010 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) from other 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.

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.

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.

Economy

The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross 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.

Ocean County is home to the Ocean County Mall in Toms River, featuring a gross leasable area of 898,000 square feet (83,400 m²). The now-closed Sears site will be replaced with 100,000 square feet (9,300 m²) of retail space.

Education

Tertiary education

Ocean County College is the two-year community college for Ocean County, one of a network of 19 county colleges statewide. The school is in Toms River and was founded in 1964.

Georgian Court University in Lakewood Township is a private Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy college, which opened in 1908 on the former winter estate of millionaire George Jay Gould I, son of railroad tycoon Jay Gould. Lakewood is also home to Beth Medrash Govoha, a Haredi yeshiva with 5,000 students, making it one of the largest yeshivas in the world and the largest outside the State of Israel.

Stockton University has a campus located in Manahawkin offering undergraduate and graduate colleges of the arts, sciences and professional studies of the New Jersey state system of higher education.

Primary and secondary schools

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

School districts in the county include:

K-12

Secondary

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

Elementary (K-6, except as noted)

New Jersey's largest suburban school district, Toms River Regional Schools, is located in Ocean County. Toms River is also home to the county's only Roman Catholic high school, Monsignor Donovan High School, operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, which also has six elementary schools located in the county.

In addition to multiple public high schools, the county has an extensive vocational high school program, known as the Ocean County Vocational Technical School district. In addition to its campuses in Brick, Toms River, Waretown, and Jackson, it contains three magnet schools:

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

Attractions

Ocean County has an extensive shoreline stretching along the Atlantic Ocean, including the Jersey Shore communities and oceanfront boardwalk resorts of Seaside Heights and Point 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 contains Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, New Jersey's largest water park, and the 2,200-acre (890 ha) Safari Off Road Adventure, the largest drive-thru animal safari outside of Africa.

Approximately 40 miles (64 km) of barrier beaches form the Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor Bays, offering ample watersports. It also is home of the Tuckerton Seaport, a 40-acre (160,000 m²) maritime history village in Tuckerton. In addition to being the northeast gateway to New Jersey's Pine Barrens, Ocean County is also home to several state parks:

• Barnegat Lighthouse State Park covers 32 acres (13 ha) surrounding Barnegat Lighthouse at the northern tip of Long Beach Island.
• Island Beach State Park has 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) of coastal dunes.
• Double Trouble State Park includes 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) of land in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
• Brendan T. Byrne State Forest includes 37,000 acres (15,000 ha) and was formerly known as Lebanon State Forest.
• Forked River State Marina

ShoreTown Ballpark located in Lakewood, opened in 2001 with 6,588 reserved seats and is home of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, the High-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.

National protected area

• Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge covers 48,000 acres (19,000 ha) of wetlands and coastal habitat in Atlantic and Ocean counties.

Media

The Asbury Park Press and The Press of Atlantic City are daily newspapers that cover Ocean County. Micromedia Publications publishes six weekly local newspapers in the county; their seventh covers Howell Township, New Jersey in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

92.7 WOBM provides news, traffic and weather updates. WOBM-FM radio started broadcasting from the Bayville section of Berkeley Township in March 1968. The station relocated to studios in Toms River in 2013.

91.9 WBNJ provides local news, PSAs and events; as well as weather updates.

Transportation

Roads and highways

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

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 the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 38.59 miles (62.10 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Ocean County has various major roads that pass through. Those routes are listed below:

• U.S. Route 9 (The only U.S. Highway in the county)
• Route 13
• Route 35
• Route 37
• Route 70
• Route 72
• Route 88
• Route 166
• Interstate 195 (The only Interstate to pass through Ocean County; It runs entirely in Jackson Township)
• The Garden State Parkway extends 38.5 miles (62.0 km) from Bass River Township in Burlington County in the south to Wall Township in Monmouth County to the north.

Several prominent 500 series county highways make up an important portion of the automobile corridors in Ocean County. These include County 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, and County Road 571.

Public transportation

Train

NJ Transit's (NJT) North Jersey Coast Line, which serves New York Penn Station and passes through Middlesex and Monmouth counties, offers service at the Bay Head and Point Pleasant Beach stations, located at the northernmost corner of the county. The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line is a passenger rail project proposed by NJT to serve the northern central part of the county. Southern Ocean County is also located about 25 miles from the Atlantic City Line, which provides service to Philadelphia.

Bus

NJ Transit

Bus service is provided on NJ Transit bus routes 130, 132, 136, and 139 to and from Lakewood Bus Terminal on the U.S. Route 9 corridor. Expanded use Route 9 BBS (bus bypass shoulder lanes) is under study. Bus route 559 provides service along Route 9 between Lakewood and Pleasantville before continuing to Atlantic City.

Bus route 137 provides service in three variants. One is a nonstop express between Toms River and New York City that operates seven days a week. The other two are rush hour only services, one operating along County Route 549 between Toms River and Brick Township before continuing onto New York City. The Other begins and ends in Lakewood, operating via County Line Road to the Brick park and ride before continuing to New York.

Bus route 67 operates between Toms River and Newark, providing service along County Route 549 between Toms River and Brick before continuing onto Lakewood and points north. Bus Route 317 crosses the county in an east–west fashion on its route between Philadelphia and Asbury Park. This route also provides service to Fort Dix, Camden, and other destinations. Bus route 319 makes a single stop in Toms River on its route between Atlantic City and New York.

Ocean Ride

Ocean Ride is a county wide system with 12 regular routes, many serving Ocean County Mall, which acts as transfer hub. 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.

Other services

Academy Bus provides service between various areas in the northern part of the county and New 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.

Municipalities

The 33 municipalities in Ocean County with 2010 census data for population, housing units, and area in square miles are: Other, unincorporated communities in the county are listed alongside their parent municipality (or municipalities). Most of these areas are census-designated places that have been created by the United States Census Bureau for enumeration purposes within a Township. The numbers in parentheses stand for the numbers on the map.

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

Former municipalities

• Island Beach (1933-1965)

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Ocean para niños