Ship Bottom, New Jersey Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 957, Ship Bottom'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

Ship Bottom is a small community located in New Jersey, within Ocean County. The total population is 957. It ranks as the 556th most populous out of 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ship Bottom is 63.6 years. This is 59% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. Only 7.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 23.7% 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 Ship Bottom is $108,750. 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 3.7%. This is 62% 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 2.3%. This is 64% lower than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $975,800. Housing costs are 115% higher than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.0x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 91.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 44% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Ship Bottom has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (91.8% vs 50.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (4.8%) is well below the state average of 22.5%. The Asian population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 10.1%.

Education

60.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% 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 98.6%. Notably, 24.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ship Bottom, 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.