Living in Toms River, NJ offers a unique coastal lifestyle with a rich history and a vibrant community. Known for its beautiful beaches and maritime heritage, Toms River is a popular destination for families and retirees alike. The city's historic downtown area is charming, with the Toms River Seaport Society and Maritime Museum highlighting the region's nautical past.
Toms River's culinary scene is diverse and exciting, featuring seafood restaurants that serve fresh catches from the Atlantic. The annual New Jersey Chili and Salsa Cook-Off is a local favorite, attracting food lovers from all over the state. The River Lady Cruise, a paddleboat tour, offers scenic views and historical insights along the Toms River.
For outdoor enthusiasts, Toms River offers plenty of recreational activities. The Cattus Island County Park features hiking trails, bird watching, and a nature center. The city's beaches, such as Ortley Beach, are perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and water sports. The Garden State Parkway provides easy access to nearby cities and attractions.
Toms River is known for its strong sense of community, with numerous events and festivals throughout the year. The annual Halloween Parade is one of the largest in the country, showcasing the city's festive spirit. The local farmers market offers fresh produce and homemade goods, supporting local farmers and artisans.
For those considering a move to the Jersey Shore, Toms River offers a perfect blend of coastal beauty, historical charm, and community warmth. Whether you're drawn by its beaches, cultural events, or friendly atmosphere, living in Toms River, NJ provides a delightful and fulfilling lifestyle.
Amenities
Conveniently located, the area boasts a variety of amenities, including grocery stores, shopping, coffee shops and entertainment options all within walking distance.
Crime
This area boasts a crime rate that is far below the national average, making it a very safe place to live. These crime statistics encompass both property and violent offenses.
Employment
With higher than average median household income, income per capita and lower unemployment rates, this area scores extremely well in the employment category.
Housing
Impressive scores in the housing category characterize this area, potentially attributed to the availability of affordable housing, strong appreciation rates and high home values.
Health & Safety
Accessible health facilities like hospitals, doctors offices, clinics and nursing homes as well as good air quality are all factors that have led to a high score in this category.
Cost Of Living
This area is known for its high cost of living, which means you should anticipate higher costs for everyday goods and services, housing, groceries, and health care.
Located in the state of New Jersey, Toms River is a moderately-sized city with a population of 93,337 residents. The majority of Toms River residents report their race to be White; this is followed by Black and Asian. Long, unnecessary commutes can be both frustrating and inconvenient when heading to work. Nationwide, the average one-way commute time takes 26 minutes, but regrettably, residing in Toms River entails a longer-than-average one-way commute time, averaging 30 minutes.
If you’re considering moving to any new city, it could be a very discouraging task. However, it could also be a good experience if you are willing to get to know the city before actually living in Toms River, New Jersey. When searching for a new neighborhood, several key items should be considered. Safety is of utmost importance, ensuring a secure environment with low crime. Proximity to your workplace or school helps reduce commuting time and offers convenience. Access to amenities such as parks, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities enhances your daily life. Public transportation options contribute to easy mobility. A sense of community fosters a supportive and engaging environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere should align with your desired lifestyle, ensuring a fulfilling living experience. Considering these items will guide you towards finding the perfect neighborhood that fits all your needs. With useful information like cost of living, commute, housing and other key data points, finding the best places to live in Toms River and in the areas around Toms River is a much easier task.
Toms River has a livability score of 81 out of 100 and is ranked #55 in New Jersey and #1,303 in the USA. Clearly, Toms River is doing something right, as this score ranks well above the average of most cities. Toms River also ranks in the top 10 percent of all cities, which is no small feat! If we dig down a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Toms River has higher than average scores for the following: amenities (A-), crime (A+), employment (A+) and housing (A+). The bad news for Toms River, there are some categories for which it does not rank well, this includes: cost of living (F).
Toms River has many conveniently situated amenities and captivating attractions that adds to the continuous enjoyment of your everyday life. Having the assurance of abundant conveniences and a wide array of activities ensures your easy access to nearby grocery stores, restaurants, bars, fitness facilities, coffee shops and exciting entertainment options. This not only simplifies daily routines but also fosters a vibrant and dynamic lifestyle within the community. With a wealth of resources at your fingertips, you can savor the convenience and variety that Toms River has to offer, making it a desirable destination for those seeking both accessibility and enjoyment in their daily lives. A few of the enjoyable things to experience and sights to see are: Cattus Island County Park, Insectropolis, the Bugseum of New Jersey, and Simply Skin Day Spa.
Low rates of violent crime, encompassing offenses such as murder, rape, robbery and assault, contribute significantly to a safer living environment. This reduction in crime minimizes the chances of personal harm, property theft, or violent incidents. Furthermore, low crime rates can have a positive impact on property values and the overall desirability of an area. There were 134 crimes per 100,000 residents, which signifies that Toms River boasts an impressively low violent crime rate that falls well below the national average.
A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Toms River has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.
Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife, parks and proximity to public transportation are all important things to look for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Toms River is real estate affordability. Median real estate prices in Toms River come in at $538,103, which is 3.1% lower than the New Jersey average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Toms River, the home price to income ratio is 4.5, which is 11.8% lower than the New Jersey average.
Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Statistic | Toms River | New Jersey | National |
| Average one way commute | 30min | 31min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 84.1% | 71.7% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 6.4% | 8.1% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 1.3% | 11.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.0% | 3.0% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 6.2% | 4.1% | 4.6% |
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