Overview / New Jersey

Ocean

county · 15 metrics · 5y change · report

Median gross rent
$1,702
+19.2% over 5y · rank 15/21
Median household income
$86,411
+21.9% over 5y · rank 11/21
Median owner-occupied home value
$366,600
+31.4% over 5y · rank 6/21
Total population
646,434
+8.4% over 5y · rank 1/21
Renters paying over 30% of income on housing
0.55
-1.6% over 5y · rank 11/21
Area median income (HUD)
$130,600
+19.4% over 5y · rank 12/21
Low-income limit, 80% AMI, 4-person household
$97,800
+24.6% over 5y · rank 6/21
Net migration, tax returns
1,077
-22.0% over 5y · rank 16/21
Residential units permitted
4,434
+96.4% over 5y · rank 3/21
Home value to area median income
3.91
+34.0% over 5y · rank 19/21
Home value to household income
5.46
+27.7% over 5y · rank 16/21
Annual rent to household income
0.33
+19.6% over 5y · rank 15/16
Unemployment rate
4.6%
-29.2% over 5y · rank 13/21
Home value index, single-family
$554,887
+44.9% over 5y · rank 3/21
Observed rent index, all homes
$2,708
+38.4% over 5y · rank 3/17

Home value index, single-family

Home value index, single-family · 318 observations
$108,369$348,166$587,9632000-012026-06

Hover the chart for a value.

Show the underlying values and their sources
PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2026-06-01$554,887zillow_zhvifips
2026-05-01$553,037zillow_zhvifips
2026-04-01$551,360zillow_zhvifips
2026-03-01$549,545zillow_zhvifips
2026-02-01$547,701zillow_zhvifips
2026-01-01$545,891zillow_zhvifips
2025-12-01$543,969zillow_zhvifips
2025-11-01$541,269zillow_zhvifips
2025-10-01$538,513zillow_zhvifips
2025-09-01$535,801zillow_zhvifips
2025-08-01$533,730zillow_zhvifips
2025-07-01$532,152zillow_zhvifips
2025-06-01$530,695zillow_zhvifips
2025-05-01$529,362zillow_zhvifips
2025-04-01$528,436zillow_zhvifips
2025-03-01$527,498zillow_zhvifips
2025-02-01$527,111zillow_zhvifips
2025-01-01$526,194zillow_zhvifips
2024-12-01$525,615zillow_zhvifips
2024-11-01$524,492zillow_zhvifips
2024-10-01$522,958zillow_zhvifips
2024-09-01$520,419zillow_zhvifips
2024-08-01$517,272zillow_zhvifips
2024-07-01$514,373zillow_zhvifips

Observed rent index, all homes

Observed rent index, all homes · 138 observations
$1,259$2,037$2,8152015-012026-06

Hover the chart for a value.

Show the underlying values and their sources
PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2026-06-01$2,708zillow_zorifips
2026-05-01$2,696zillow_zorifips
2026-04-01$2,688zillow_zorifips
2026-03-01$2,664zillow_zorifips
2026-02-01$2,635zillow_zorifips
2026-01-01$2,604zillow_zorifips
2025-12-01$2,618zillow_zorifips
2025-11-01$2,631zillow_zorifips
2025-10-01$2,664zillow_zorifips
2025-09-01$2,636zillow_zorifips
2025-08-01$2,651zillow_zorifips
2025-07-01$2,623zillow_zorifips
2025-06-01$2,628zillow_zorifips
2025-05-01$2,626zillow_zorifips
2025-04-01$2,601zillow_zorifips
2025-03-01$2,597zillow_zorifips
2025-02-01$2,556zillow_zorifips
2025-01-01$2,568zillow_zorifips
2024-12-01$2,540zillow_zorifips
2024-11-01$2,539zillow_zorifips
2024-10-01$2,511zillow_zorifips
2024-09-01$2,515zillow_zorifips
2024-08-01$2,488zillow_zorifips
2024-07-01$2,502zillow_zorifips

Median household income

Median household income · 5 observations
$69,669$78,660$87,6512015-012019-01

Hover the chart for a value.

Show the underlying values and their sources
PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2019-01-01$86,411census_acsfips
2018-01-01$82,379census_acsfips
2017-01-01$76,644census_acsfips
2016-01-01$72,679census_acsfips
2015-01-01$70,909census_acsfips

Current values

Each metric’s most recent reading, ranked against peers by value rather than by change. The MOD-IV assessment aggregates appear only here: they are a single published snapshot, and a change needs two observations.

MetricValueRankAs ofSource
Median gross rent$1,7028 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Median household income$86,41116 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Median owner-occupied home value$366,60012 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Total population646,4345 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Renters paying over 30% of income on housing0.5521 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Area median income (HUD)$130,6004 / 212024-12-31hud
Low-income limit, 80% AMI, 4-person household$97,8005 / 212024-12-31hud
Net migration, tax returns1,0771 / 212022-12-31irs_migration
Residential units permitted4,4342 / 212024-12-31census_permits
Home value to area median income3.9111 / 212024-12-31hip_derived
Home value to household income5.4616 / 212023-12-31hip_derived
Annual rent to household income0.3317 / 182023-12-31hip_derived
Unemployment rate4.6%13 / 212025-12-31bls
Home value index, single-family$554,88712 / 212026-06-30zillow_zhvi
Observed rent index, all homes$2,7085 / 192026-06-30zillow_zori

Interpretation

written by Gemma 4 E4B · ollama

The underlying figures have changed since this was written. Treat it as out of date until it is regenerated.

Ocean County has shown significant growth across several key metrics. The region ranks first among its peers for total population, which increased by 8.4%. Development activity is particularly strong, with residential units permitted showing a massive increase of 96.4%, ranking third among all counties. Housing values have also appreciated significantly, with the single-family home value index rising 44.9%, ranking third among comparable regions. Rent prices have kept pace, with the observed rent index increasing 38.4%, also ranking third among its peer group.

Despite strong appreciation in housing and rent values, affordability metrics indicate strain. The home value to area median income ratio increased by 34.0%, placing the region in the 19th rank of 21 counties, indicating poor affordability relative to income. Similarly, the annual rent to household income ratio rose 19.6%, ranking 15th out of 16 peers. While the median household income increased by 21.9% and the area median income (HUD) rose 19.4%, the rate of housing value growth has outpaced income growth, as shown by the home value to area median income ratio.

It is important to note several caveats when interpreting these figures. The affordability ratios are computed by the platform and are not published by the source agencies. Furthermore, the Zillow observed rent index is based on a smaller cohort of locations than the home-value index, meaning its rank is against a thinner base. Finally, the American Community Survey 5-year estimates overlap by four years, meaning consecutive estimates should not be treated as independent measurements.

Generated by a local language model from this region's analysis packet. It is interpretation of computed metrics, not a measurement, and not advice.

Caveats