The Town FilesLakewood, New Jersey
Township in Ocean County · population 135,158 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $466,700
- Household income
- $65,101
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 18.1
Lakewood is a township of 135,158 people in Ocean County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $466,700, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more vibrant than 74% of New Jersey towns.
How Lakewood ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lakewood is worth $466,700, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 7.2 times the median household income of $65,101, which is more affordable than 5% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,774 a month. 51.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lakewood | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $466,700 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,774 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $65,101 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 51.5% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Lakewood
| People | Lakewood | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 18.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.0% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 49.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.8% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.6% | — |
| Work from home | 14.2% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.7% | 94.6% |
Weather in Lakewood
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 52.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.7 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakewood since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 1, 2023 about 6.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 1, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Ocean County since 1996
Ocean County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 24, 2025 | Fire | FM-5581: Jones Road Fire |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| April 28, 2021 | Snowstorm | DR-4597: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Ocean County
Ocean County had 189,912 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,452 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Lakewood itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Lakewood
10 public schools with 5,967 students, about 9.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood High School | 9-12 | 1,330 | 14.0 |
| Brick Township High School | 9-12 | 1,211 | 12.6 |
| Oak Street Elem School | 2-6 | 656 | 8.7 |
| Lakewood Middle School | 7-8 | 582 | 8.6 |
| Ocean Academy Charter School (charter) | K-8 | 499 | 10.0 |
| Clifton Ave Grade School | 2-6 | 473 | 9.5 |
| Piner Elementary School | PK-K | 378 | 7.1 |
| Ella G Clarke Elementary School | 3-6 | 353 | 8.6 |
| Spruce Street Elementary School | 1-1 | 249 | 6.4 |
| Lakewood Early Childhood Center | PK-K | 236 | 5.1 |
Towns near Lakewood
- Lakewood, NJ1.4 mi · 69,398 people · home $715,500
- Leisure Village, NJ2.4 mi · 4,966 people · home $145,800
- Leisure Village East, NJ3.0 mi · 4,189 people · home $232,900
- Ramtown, NJ3.6 mi · 6,329 people · home $487,500
- Brick, NJ4.8 mi · 73,620 people · home $410,600
- Toms River, NJ5.7 mi · 92,830 people · home $403,600
- Pine Lake Park, NJ6.1 mi · 8,913 people · home $414,700
- Leisure Knoll, NJ6.3 mi · 2,562 people · home $313,700
Lakewood questions
Is Lakewood, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lakewood scores better for retirees than 13% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 5%. 9.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 18.1).
How much does a house cost in Lakewood?
The median owner-occupied home in Lakewood is valued at $466,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,101, so homes cost about 7.2 times income. Median rent is $1,774 a month.
What is the weather like in Lakewood?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.0 inches of precipitation a year and 23.7 inches of snow.
Does Lakewood get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakewood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 1, 2023. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)