CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

39.74° N · 74.28° W · GEOID 3454315

Ocean Acres

Ocean County, New Jersey · part of the New York, NY metro

New JerseyOcean Acres, NJOcean AcresOcean Acres

The short answer

Ocean Acres is home to 19,204 people. Median household income is $121,924 a year and median rent is $2,241 a month, 22.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $402,500, about 3.3x annual median household income.

What sets Ocean Acres apart is how tight household budgets are. High pay has not made renting easy. Household income is higher than in 83% of places we track, yet 68% of renters still spend 30% or more of income on rent. Also notable: Unemployment is 6.5%, against 3.8% in its closest peers.

20OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Ocean Acres scores better than 20% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 239th of 287 in New Jersey.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%51
Economy 20%54
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%3
Education 10%59
Commute 10%13
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$2,241
64% above the median place
Median household income
$121,924
52% above the median place
Median home value
$402,500
26% above the median place
Unemployment
6.5%
33% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Ocean Acres

  • Life nearbyOpenStreetMap shows 1.6 parks per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 94% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
  • Housing96% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 98% of the 2,298 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Ocean Acres

Ocean County gains about 1.9 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in21,206
Moved out20,140
Net+1,066

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Monmouth County, NJ4,6574,088+569
Burlington County, NJ6171,181−564
Kings County, NY1,548

Within New Jersey, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within New JerseyOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$99K
Leavers$88K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Ocean County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
2.8% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.2% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Ocean County report $99,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $87,600, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$89,600 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $2,241 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,317 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $402,500.
Getting to work
33 minutes each way on average; 11.2% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Shorewood, IL matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
2.8%
51% below the median place
Income of households moving in7
$99,173
41% above the median place
Income of households moving out7
$87,578
25% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureOcean AcresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year12.8%51% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.2%37% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure1.9above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$99,17341% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$87,57825% above
02

What it costs to live here

Owning with a mortgage costs only about $76 a month more than the median rent, a smaller gap than in 92% of the 2,298 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Ocean Acres22.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$89,640
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
22.1%
8% above the median place
Home price to income
3.3x
13% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
22%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$90,400
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Ocean Acres, $2,241 a month, and local prices for everything else (105.2 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Ocean Acres, but easier on the budget

Places that match Ocean Acres on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Shorewood, IL9714.5% vs 22.1%$12,100Compare
Spanish Springs, NV9618.5% vs 22.1%$17,600Compare
Manorville, NY9518.4% vs 22.1%$17,700Compare
Blandon, PA9514.6% vs 22.1%$3,600Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Ocean Acres.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Ocean Acres? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
95.8%
44% above the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
67.7%
34% above the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$6,314
93% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureOcean AcresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$2,24164% above
Rent to income122.1%8% above
Property tax rate11.6%73% above
Home price to income13.3x13% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure112.612% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,28341% above
HUD area median income4County figure$140,60031% above
Property tax paid (median)1$6,31493% above
Median home value1$402,50026% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.0%87% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure73.4%42% above
Homeownership195.8%44% above
Renters paying 30%+167.7%34% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,31724% above
Vacant homes14.8%33% below
Median year built119941% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Poverty rate1
1.9%
82% below the median place
Mean commute1
33 min
31% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Median household income$121,924 +52%
Unemployment6.5% +33%
Income per person$50,895 +27%
Works from home11.2% −10%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureOcean AcresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$121,92452% above
Income per person1$50,89527% above
Unemployment16.5%33% above
Average annual pay6County figure$58,84811% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.4%35% below
Jobs6County figure192,71528% above
Poverty rate11.9%82% below
Mean commute133 min31% above
Works from home111.2%10% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Median age is 43.6, 12% above the median place.

Median age1
43.6
12% above the median place
High school or higher1
95.7%
4% above the median place
No health insurance1
4.4%
31% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Household size2.7 +9%
Homes with broadband94.7% +3%
Born abroad6.8% −23%
Bachelor's or higher36.3% +13%
All 8 people measures
MeasureOcean AcresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population119,2042404th largest
Median age143.612% above
Bachelor's or higher136.3%13% above
High school or higher195.7%4% above
Household size12.79% above
Born abroad16.8%23% below
No health insurance14.4%31% below
Homes with broadband194.7%3% above
05

Life in Ocean Acres

OpenStreetMap shows 0 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 93% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 287 New Jersey places we track.

37 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents1.6 −85%
Playgrounds per 10k1.0 −89%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1.0 −91%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Pinelands National Reserve 22 miles
  • Great Egg Harbor River 36 miles
  • Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial 48 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars19.3 −7%
Shops31.4 +4%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.4 +7%
Doctors' offices and clinics22.2 +10%
Child care centers2.0 −13%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
22.2
28% below the median place
Students per teacher12
11.8
23% below the median place
Public schools12
115
above the median place (median 9)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureOcean AcresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure115above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure65,536above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure11.823% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure19.37% below
Shops per 10k8County figure31.44% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.47% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure22.210% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.013% below
Parks per 10k91.685% below
Playgrounds per 10k91.089% below
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k91.091% below
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1022.228% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles108300% above
National Register listings11County figure37185% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Wildfire risk is 95.2, 56% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Ocean Acres. Larger places are fetched first.

Wildfire risk14
95.2
56% above the median place
Hurricane risk14
93.2
32% above the median place
Tornado risk14
47.2
42% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureOcean AcresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure86°F1% below
January average low13County figure25°F3% below
Average temperature13County figure54°F1% below
Annual precipitation13County figure47.3 in8% above
Natural hazard risk14County figure96.24% above
Hurricane risk14County figure93.232% above
Tornado risk14County figure47.242% below
Wildfire risk14County figure95.256% above
Heat wave risk14County figure95.76% above
Median air quality index15County figure399% below
Good air days15County figure78.8%15% above
08

Ocean Acres in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 22% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 22% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Ocean Acres does better than 52% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 55%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,241/mo (2024)$2,860/mo$2,350 to $3,490/mo+4.2%
Median household income$121,924 (2024)$156,000$131,500 to $184,500+4.2%
Median home value$402,500 (2024)$579,000$420,000 to $797,000+6.2%

The median home would be worth 3.7 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.3 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Ocean Acres

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Camp Springs, MD$2,231$120,456Compare
Glasgow, DE$2,039$113,982Compare
Islip, NY$2,235$120,909Compare
Orange Lake, NY$2,290$109,063Compare
Orange Lake, NYIslip, NYGlasgow, DECamp Springs, MDOcean Acres, NJCamp SpringsOrange LakeCamp SpringsOrange Lake

Places built like Ocean Acres

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Ocean Acres performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Ocean Acres, NJ22.1%6.6%/yrn/a
Manorville, NY18.4%7.2%/yrn/aCompare
West Glens Falls, NY17.3%7.8%/yrn/aCompare
Blandon, PA14.6%3.4%/yrn/aCompare
Mount Sinai, NY22.8%3.6%/yrn/aCompare
Shorewood, IL14.5%2.9%/yr1.9%Compare
Williamstown, NJ17.0%1.4%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Ocean Acres a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 20 out of 100, better than 20% of the places we rate and 239th of 287 in New Jersey. OpenStreetMap shows 1.6 parks per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 94% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. 96% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 98% of the 2,298 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 93 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Ocean Acres expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 22.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $402,500.

What salary do you need to live in Ocean Acres?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $89,640 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Ocean Acres?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Camp Springs, MD, Glasgow, DE, Islip, NY and Orange Lake, NY.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Ocean Acres with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Ocean Acres itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/ocean-acres-new-jersey

Citytistics. “Ocean Acres, New Jersey.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/ocean-acres-new-jersey/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.