Barnegat Light, New Jersey Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 500, Barnegat Light's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Barnegat Light is a small community located in New Jersey, within Ocean County. The total population is 500. It ranks as the 613th most populous out of 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey.

Age Demographics

The median age in Barnegat Light is 62.7 years. This is 56% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. 22.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Barnegat Light is $125,417. This is 21% higher than the state median of $103,556. It is also 55% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.9%. This is 39% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. The unemployment rate is 21.5%. This is 241% higher than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $1,107,800. Housing costs are 144% higher than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.8x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 94.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 49% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Barnegat Light is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.8% of the population. Asian residents account for 15.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (79.8% vs 50.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 22.5%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (15.2% vs 10.1%).

Education

73.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Barnegat Light in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 68% higher than the state rate of 43.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 99.3%. Notably, 37.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Barnegat Light, New Jersey is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New Jersey state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.