City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Forked River, NJ

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

4,988
Residents
$87,455
Median income
$404,600
Median home
$2,328
Median rent (state)

Forked River - the verdict

Nationally, Forked River sits in the 69th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

69th
percentile, household income
78th
percentile, home value
90th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Forked River, NJ

4,988 people live in Forked River, New Jersey - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $87,455 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.5%. Home values in Forked River run a median of $404,600, and the median resident age is 48.1 years. 24.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 2 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

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. Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

4,988 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$87,455 /yr

Poverty 5.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Forked River compare to other US cities?

Where Forked River sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 69% higher than other cities
Home value 78% pricier than other cities
Median rent 90% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Forked River against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New Jersey only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New Jersey-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Forked River toward the bottom of New Jersey's cities

Among the 686 New Jersey cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Forked River ranks #544 - the 20th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Forked River only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#462 of 659
30th percentile in New Jersey
Median Gross Rent
#124 of 686
68th percentile in New Jersey
Median Home Value
#329 of 672
51st percentile in New Jersey
Poverty Rate
#213 of 680
68th percentile in New Jersey
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#544 of 686
20th percentile in New Jersey

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New Jersey only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

69thIncome percentile

69th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Forked River's home value compares nationally

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

$404,600 22nd percentile more affordable than 22% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Forked River $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 - Forked River, NJ Forked River, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Forked River, 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 Forked River, NJ median $87,455/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%
Forked River, 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 Forked River, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.0%

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

Population
4,988
Median Income
$87,455
Median Home Value
$404,600
Median Age
48.1
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Labor force participation
57.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.4%

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.7%
Carpool
4.4%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
11.3%
Other
1.1%

Based on 2,251 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 Forked River 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
96.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Mendham
4,977 people
Ampere North
4,968 people
Brielle
4,960 people
Ellisburg
5,021 people
Florence
5,027 people
Franklin
4,938 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Forked River's 4,988 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

The Pinehills, MA
4,988 people
Princeton, MN
4,988 people
Shelley, ID
4,987 people
Pleasant Garden, NC
4,989 people
Chain Lake, WA
4,989 people
Pensacola Station, FL
4,993 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Forked River's $87,455 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Goose Creek, SC
$87,437 median income
Moreno Valley, CA
$87,477 median income
Stanwood, WA
$87,477 median income
Davis, CA
$87,421 median income
Danbury, TX
$87,417 median income
Battlefield, MO
$87,414 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Forked River, 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 Forked River, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.5% 6.3% 6.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.8% White 85.5% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.3% Two or more races 6.0% 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 Forked River 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
Forked River (this city) 4,988 $87,455
Mendham 4,977 $223,750
Ampere North 4,968 $71,192
Brielle 4,960 $167,754
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Forked River, NJ?

What is the population of Forked River, NJ? +

4,988 people live in Forked River, NJ according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Forked River, NJ? +

Median annual household income in Forked River runs $87,455, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Forked River? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Forked River; 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.

What is the median home value in Forked River, NJ? +

Homes in Forked River carry a median value of $404,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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

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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.