City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

South Toms River, NJ

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

3,701
Residents
$101,466
Median income
$269,200
Median home
$2,328
Median rent (state)

South Toms River - the verdict

Nationally, South Toms River sits in the 79th percentile for household income and the 66th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

79th
percentile, household income
59th
percentile, home value
90th
percentile, median rent
66th
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: South Toms River, NJ

South Toms River is a small town in New Jersey, home to 3,701 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $101,466 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.3%. Typical homes in South Toms River are valued around $269,200, and the median resident age is 33.4 years. 16.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 64.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). South Toms River reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 959.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New Jersey scores 108.8 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,328 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New Jersey's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.2 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

3,701 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$101,466 /yr

Poverty 4.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does South Toms River compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 79% higher than other cities
Home value 59% pricier than other cities
Median rent 90% pricier than other cities
Safety 66% 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, South Toms River ranks #113 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 South Toms River'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.

79thIncome percentile
66thSafety percentile

79th percentile nationally for median household income · 66th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

South Toms River's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

South Toms River'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 57 Avg. percentile National median
South Toms River'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 South Toms River's home value compares nationally

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

$269,200 41st percentile more affordable than 41% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $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. South Toms 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 - South Toms River, NJ South Toms River, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not South Toms 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 South Toms River, NJ median $101,466/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%
South Toms 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 South Toms River, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.6%

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

Population
3,701
Median Income
$101,466
Median Home Value
$269,200
Median Age
33.4
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Labor force participation
64.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
959.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
129.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
829.4
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 →
3,600 residents3,700 residents3,800 residents3,900 residents4,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,651 residents 3,895 residents ▲ +6.7%
South Toms River's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 1
2022 240
2023 360
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.8%
Carpool
11.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
4.2%
Other
7.8%

Based on 1,838 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 South Toms 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

Woodstown
3,690 people
White House Station
3,758 people
Port Reading
3,775 people
Upper Greenwood Lake
3,621 people
North Wildwood
3,620 people
Tuckerton
3,616 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to South Toms River's 3,701 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Highland-on-the-Lake, NY
3,701 people
Gamewell, NC
3,701 people
Hoschton, GA
3,700 people
Washington, GA
3,700 people
Montrose, NY
3,702 people
Westhampton, NY
3,702 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to South Toms River's $101,466 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Meyers, CA
$101,464 median income
Northlakes, NC
$101,461 median income
Bellbrook, OH
$101,455 median income
Delafield, WI
$101,482 median income
Rockville, MN
$101,447 median income
Silverdale, WA
$101,445 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - South Toms 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 South Toms River, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 44.8% 20.0% 14.9% 13.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 41.2% White 44.8% Black or African American 20.0% Asian 1.5% American Indian 5.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 14.9% Two or more races 13.4% 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 South Toms 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
South Toms River (this city) 3,701 $101,466
Woodstown 3,690 $101,855
White House Station 3,758 $85,000
Port Reading 3,775 $142,986
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about South Toms River, NJ?

What is the population of South Toms River, NJ? +

The population of South Toms River, NJ stands at 3,701 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

South Toms River households earn a median of $101,466 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in South Toms River? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for South Toms 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.

Is South Toms River, NJ safe? +

South Toms River has a total crime rate of 959.0 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 South Toms River, NJ? +

South Toms River's median home value sits at $269,200, 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.