Ocean County, New Jersey
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 70% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 66% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 9% for walkability
- bottom 2% for estimated total tax burden
Ocean County is a county in New Jersey with about 639,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include school quality, walkability, and park & nature access. It rates lower on monthly rent and estimated total tax burden.
Official websiteco.ocean.nj.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
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warm
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cool
cold
68%56%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in4.0 in
muggy 72%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$82k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$59kbetter than 7% of US counties
Home Value$344k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 3% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 4% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.87%better than 5% of US counties
Income Tax10.70%better than 4% of US counties
Sales Tax6.60%better than 72% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden20.69%better than 2% of US counties
Unemployment5.7%better than 31% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)34°F48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.9 in72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall15.2 inbetter than 46% of US counties
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 29% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 46% of US counties
Comfortable Days86 daysbetter than 68% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk96.2better than 4% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime551/100kbetter than 67% of US counties
Property Crime777/100kbetter than 57% of US counties
Community
Population638,69197th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.854th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2445th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9515th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)83.1%54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.8%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)9.7%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.9%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.5%26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 14% of US counties
Walkability9.2/20better than 91% of US counties
Airport Distance51 mibetter than 80% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.1%better than 68% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.09better than 24% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 86% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ocean County an affordable place to live?
- Ocean County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $59k, better than 7% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Ocean County?
- The median home value in Ocean County is $344k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Ocean County?
- Median household income in Ocean County is $82k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Ocean County?
- Median gross rent in Ocean County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Ocean County safe?
- Ocean County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 551/100k (better than 67%). Property crime is 777/100k.
- What is the weather like in Ocean County?
- Ocean County averages 77°F in July and 34°F in January, with 49.9 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Ocean County?
- Public-school quality in Ocean County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Ocean County?
- The average one-way commute in Ocean County is 31 min.
Other counties in New Jersey
Explore New Jersey
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)