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Ocean County, New Jersey Demographics 2026

Ocean County, New Jersey has a population of 654,362, the 5th most populous county in New Jersey. The median household income is $89,863 and the median home value is $398,400. The poverty rate is 10.5%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Ocean County Quick Facts

Population 654,362
Median Household Income $89,863
Median Home Value $398,400
Poverty Rate 10.5%
Unemployment Rate 5.5%
Median Age 41.2 years
Homeownership Rate 80.7%
Affordability Ratio 4.4x
Bachelor's Degree+ 34.4%
High School Graduation 93.5%
Cities/Places 46
Population 654,362 5th of 21
Median Income $89,863 13% lower than state
Poverty Rate 10.5%
Unemployment 5.5%

How Ocean County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population646,434654,362+1.2%
Median household income$86,411$89,863+4.0%
Median home value$366,600$398,400+8.7%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.4%
$25K-$50K 15.7%
$50K-$100K 27.4%
$100K+ 45.5%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
3.5%
$10K-$15K
2.4%
$15K-$20K
2.2%
$20K-$25K
3.3%
$25K-$30K
3.0%
$30K-$35K
3.5%
$35K-$40K
2.9%
$40K-$45K
3.5%
$45K-$50K
2.9%
$50K-$60K
6.0%
$60K-$75K
9.3%
$75K-$100K
12.2%
$100K-$125K
10.8%
$125K-$150K
8.6%
$150K-$200K
11.9%
$200K+
14.2%

Employment

5.5% Unemployment Rate State: 6.3%|National: 5.2%
59.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.7%
Renter 19.3%
Affordability Index Moderate
4.4x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,755/mo 23.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

33out of 100
Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 66 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Ocean County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Toms River94,956$100,1375.8%$403,600
Lakewood69,585$56,96829.9%$715,500
Point Pleasant19,334$115,6254.5%$575,300
Ocean Acres19,204$121,9241.9%$402,500
Holiday City-Berkeley12,995$50,1569.6%$266,200
Beachwood11,088$106,8584.5%$352,600
Pine Lake Park9,795$91,8137.5%$414,700
Mystic Island8,259$78,71416.1%$321,500
Crestwood Village7,830$38,09112.3%$96,500
Leisure Village5,751$44,54242.2%$145,800
Forked River5,196$91,49311.6%$437,000
Beach Haven West5,120$119,3943.4%$641,700
Point Pleasant Beach4,855$141,7165.2%$850,300
Holiday City South4,270$51,6607.9%$266,700
Leisure Village East4,247$49,1988.1%$232,900
Leisure Village West3,969$52,5003.5%$222,600
South Toms River3,716$103,5037.3%$299,700
Tuckerton3,654$88,8926.7%$349,300
Barnegat3,360$108,6641.3%$481,600
Pine Ridge at Crestwood2,719$62,2358.8%$135,900
Lakehurst2,681$84,53110.2%$248,400
Leisure Knoll2,668$64,71810.7%$313,700
Seaside Heights2,478$47,58934.1%$408,200
Manahawkin2,392$77,0314.9%$465,000
Pine Beach2,306$142,9202.9%$457,800
North Beach Haven2,277$111,3325.2%$1,147,700
Vista Center2,133$135,8283.0%$549,500
Holiday Heights2,121$58,2977.2%$338,900
Waretown2,076$121,5383.1%$505,800
New Egypt2,050$74,0638.4%$355,700
Lavallette1,865$133,0564.3%$1,089,000
Seaside Park1,793$84,37510.3%$860,200
Island Heights1,720$109,2311.5%$546,800
Dover Beaches South1,601$144,8444.3%$753,400
Ocean Gate1,599$69,3976.0%$358,000
Dover Beaches North1,586$51,3645.4%$725,900
Cedar Glen Lakes1,519$31,5588.3%$100,400
Cedar Glen West1,504$65,6824.1%$82,900
Silver Ridge1,279$32,29320.6%$226,500
Bay Head1,205$181,6675.5%$1,864,000
Surf City1,195$118,7504.5%$1,034,000
Beach Haven1,055$144,1673.7%$1,472,200
Ship Bottom957$108,7503.7%$975,800
Barnegat Light500$125,4175.9%$1,107,800
Harvey Cedars487$146,2505.1%$1,224,400
Mantoloking481$250,000+4.6%$2,000,000+

Explore New Jersey Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Ocean County is located in New Jersey with a total population of 654,362. It is the 5th most populous county out of 21 in New Jersey. The county encompasses 46 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ocean County is 41.2 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. 10.3% 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 Ocean County is $89,863. This is 13% lower than the state median of $103,556. It is also 11% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.5%. This is 8% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. The unemployment rate is 5.5%. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $398,400. Housing costs are 12% lower than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 80.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ocean County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (81.1% vs 50.9%). The Black or African American population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 12.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (10.9%) is well below the state average of 22.5%. The Asian population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 10.1%.

Education

34.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 21% lower 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 93.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Ocean County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against New Jersey and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Ocean County, New Jersey?

Ocean County has a population of 654,362, making it the 5th most populous county in New Jersey.

What is the median income in Ocean County?

The median household income in Ocean County is $89,863 with a poverty rate of 10.5%.

How many cities are in Ocean County, New Jersey?

Ocean County contains 46 Census-designated places.