Island Heights, New Jersey Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Island Heights is a small community located in New Jersey, within Ocean County. The total population is 1,720. It ranks as the 486th most populous out of 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey.

Age Demographics

The median age in Island Heights is 52.6 years. This is 31% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. 10.8% 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 Island Heights is $109,231. This is 5% higher than the state median of $103,556. It is also 35% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 1.5%. This is 85% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 2.6%. This is 58% lower than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $546,800. Housing costs are 20% higher than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.0x. 94.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 47% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Island Heights has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (93.1% vs 50.9%). The Black or African American population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 12.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.3%) is well below the state average of 22.5%.

Education

50.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% 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 98.0%. Notably, 19.9% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Island Heights, 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.