City Profile

Toms River, New Jersey

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Toms River is a vibrant township located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County, New Jersey, serving as the county seat. Originally incorporated in the late 18th century and formerly known as Dover Township, it adopted its current name in 2006. Known for its rich maritime history, scenic waterways, and proximity to coastal beaches, it blends a suburban bedroom community atmosphere with a major commercial hub role for central New Jersey.

About New Jersey

New Jersey, known as the "Garden State," offers a diverse character ranging from dense urban areas to charming suburban towns and rural landscapes. Its robust economy, with a GDP of over $815 billion, is driven by major industries such as pharmaceuticals and life sciences, financial services, technology, advanced manufacturing, and transportation and logistics. Living in New Jersey is generally more expensive than the national average, with housing costs being a primary factor. The state experiences a humid subtropical climate across most of its area, characterized by warm, humid summers and moderately cold, occasionally snowy winters, with distinct seasonal changes. Residents enjoy a lifestyle that balances proximity to major metropolitan areas like New York City and Philadelphia with access to beaches, mountains, and various recreational opportunities.

101,621

Population

$72K

Avg Salary

115

Cost Index

59.7

Quality Score

How this 60/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 76 / 100	76.0	30%	22.8
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 115.0	25.0	25%	6.3
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $99,547 Income needed to live here: $65,000 Unemployment rate: 4.3%	81.3	20%	16.3
Growth	Population growth rate: 0.72% Job growth rate: 1.8%	49.5	15%	7.4
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 70 / 100	70.0	10%	7.0
Overall score				59.7

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (Tier 3 (deep think), q=70), last refreshed 12 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Toms River is moderately higher than the national average, largely driven by housing demands, property taxes typical of New Jersey, and its desirable coastal positioning. Everyday goods, services, and utilities track slightly above standard benchmarks, though they remain somewhat more manageable than prices found closer to New York City or immediate northern New Jersey commuter zones.

Average Rent

$2,800/mo

Groceries

$460/mo

Transport

$130/mo

Utilities

$190/mo

Healthcare

$260/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$50.00

Cinema ticket

$15.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$25.00

Monthly groceries

$420.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$160.00

Income

Salary Insights

Toms River boasts a robust local economy anchored by healthcare, education, retail trade, and tourism services tied to the Jersey Shore. Major regional employers include healthcare networks, local government entities, and school districts, while many residents also commute to nearby commercial centers or work remotely. The entrepreneurship climate benefits from steady regional population growth and a strategic location along major transportation arteries.

The average salary in Toms River is $72,000 per year. You would need approximately $65,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +1.20% Healthcare +2.80% Educational Services +1.50% Tourism and Hospitality +2.20% Professional Services +2.00%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

55°F

Avg Temp

☀️

82°F

Summer High

❄️

27°F

Winter Low

🌧️

41.30"

Annual Rain

💧

65.00%

Humidity

🌤️

243

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Getting around Toms River relies predominantly on personal vehicles, with major highways like the Garden State Parkway and Route 9 providing key access corridors. While public transit options like local bus services exist, the community maintains a car-dependent layout typical of suburban coastal New Jersey. Average commute times hover around 30 minutes as residents travel regionally for work.

30 min

Avg Commute

42.00/10

Transit Score

45.00/10

Walkability

High

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Median household income is strong at approximately $99,547, outperforming national averages per U.S. Census Bureau data.

Proximity to the Jersey Shore provides unmatched access to beaches, boating, and coastal recreation.

High homeownership rate of over 81% reflects a stable, family-oriented community fabric.

Crime rates remain lower than the national average, ensuring safe neighborhoods across the township.

Extensive local parks, recreational programs, and community events enhance everyday lifestyle quality.

Drawbacks

Overall cost of living and property taxes are significantly higher than the national median.

Heavy reliance on personal vehicles leads to seasonal traffic congestion along primary travel routes.

Average monthly rent prices exceed $2,800, creating affordability hurdles for prospective renters.

Summer tourism influx causes temporary crowding on local roadways and beaches.

Vulnerability to severe coastal weather events requires ongoing infrastructure and insurance considerations.

Head to Head

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Toms River VS Hamilton Township Toms River VS Binghamton Toms River VS Cincinnati Toms River VS Toledo

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Community Q&A

Questions about Toms River

What people ask about living in and moving to Toms River, New Jersey.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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