Seaside Heights, New Jersey Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Seaside Heights is a small community located in New Jersey, within Ocean County. The total population is 2,478. It ranks as the 424th most populous out of 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey.

Age Demographics

The median age in Seaside Heights is 49.9 years. This is 24% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. Only 14.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Seaside Heights is $47,589. This is 54% lower than the state median of $103,556. It is also 41% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 34.1%. This is 251% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 8.0%. This is 26% higher than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $408,200. Housing costs are 10% lower than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.6x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 39.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 37% lower than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Seaside Heights is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 20.0%. The Asian population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 10.1%.

Education

31.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% 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 81.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Seaside 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.