City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Bay Head, NJ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bay Head - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,201
Residents
$145,417
Median income
$1,679,000
Median home
$2,328
Median rent (state)

Bay Head - the verdict

Bay Head ranks in the 93rd percentile for household income and the 60th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

93rd
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
90th
percentile, median rent
60th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bay Head, NJ

Bay Head is a small town in New Jersey, home to 1,201 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $145,417 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.8%. Bay Head's housing stock carries a median value of $1,679,000, and the median resident age is 57.9 years. Educational attainment runs 75.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 11 residential building permits were authorized in Bay Head (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Bay Head reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1101.1 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New Jersey at 108.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,328 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across New Jersey, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 96.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

1,201 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$145,417 /yr

Poverty 1.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Bay Head compare to other US cities?

Bay Head measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 93% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 90% pricier than other cities
Safety 60% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to New Jersey alone, Bay Head ranks #129 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Bay Head's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New Jersey, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

93rdIncome percentile
60thSafety percentile

93rd percentile nationally for median household income · 60th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bay Head's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bay Head's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 53 Avg. percentile National median
Bay Head's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bay Head's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,679,000 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Bay Head $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bay Head, NJ Bay Head, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bay Head, NJ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bay Head, NJ median $145,417/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bay Head, NJ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bay Head, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 75.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,201
Median Income
$145,417
Median Home Value
$1,679,000
Median Age
57.9
Poverty Rate
1.8%
Labor force participation
55.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
75.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1101.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1101.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
920 residents940 residents960 residents980 residents 202020212022202320242025 930 residents 968 residents ▲ +4.1%
Bay Head's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
11
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 11
2020 6
2021 9
2022 15
2023 5
2024 11

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.0%
Carpool
6.3%
Public Transit
3.7%
Walk
6.1%
Work from Home
14.8%
Other
6.1%

Based on 575 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Jersey - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Jersey state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New Jersey state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bay Head sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,328/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Auburn
1,209 people
Surf City
1,225 people
Silver Ridge
1,176 people
Deans
1,166 people
William Paterson University of New Jersey
1,240 people
Elmer
1,152 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bay Head's 1,201 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Eclectic, AL
1,201 people
Salamatof, AK
1,201 people
Elkhorn, CA
1,201 people
Center Hill, FL
1,201 people
Long Beach, IN
1,201 people
Kinderhook, NY
1,201 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bay Head's $145,417 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Walnut Creek, NC
$145,417 median income
Terramuggus, CT
$145,391 median income
Elmhurst, IL
$145,374 median income
Meadowbrook, AL
$145,464 median income
Grant, MN
$145,357 median income
Kirkwood, CA
$145,341 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bay Head, NJ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bay Head, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.4% White 94.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 2.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 3.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bay Head compares to nearby New Jersey cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bay Head (this city) 1,201 $145,417
Auburn 1,209 $201,648
Surf City 1,225 $118,333
Silver Ridge 1,176 $35,056
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bay Head, NJ?

What is the population of Bay Head, NJ? +

The population of Bay Head, NJ stands at 1,201 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bay Head, NJ? +

Median annual household income in Bay Head runs $145,417, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bay Head? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bay Head; the closest available measure is the New Jersey state average, a cost of living index of 108.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Jersey vary by metro area.

Is Bay Head, NJ safe? +

Bay Head has a total crime rate of 1101.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bay Head, NJ? +

Homes in Bay Head carry a median value of $1,679,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.