The Town Files

Ocean Grove, New Jersey

Community in Monmouth County · population 3,057 (2020 Census)

Map: where Ocean Grove is in New JerseyOcean Grove
Median home
$790,100
Household income
$89,286
Jan low / Jul high
25° / 84°
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
6
Median age
62.2

Ocean Grove is a community of 3,057 people in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $790,100, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks hipper than 100% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 98% of New Jersey towns, better for young professionals than 97% of New Jersey towns.

Ocean Grove in our rankings:

How Ocean Grove 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.

Ocean Grove lifestyle rankings vs other New Jersey townsRetirement90th pctFamilies1st pctQuiet34th pctWalkability98th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals97th pctVibrancy88th pctHip & trendy100th pctCollege town10th pctUpscale57th pctVacation homes91st pctSeaside character84th pctCycling95th pctTransit71st pctDriving12th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Ocean Grove is worth $790,100, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 8.8 times the median household income of $89,286, which is more affordable than 3% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,488 a month. 63.7% of households own their home.

Ocean Grove vs Monmouth County vs typical New Jersey townOcean GroveMonmouth CountyTypical New Jersey townHome value$790,100$606,100$435,600Household income$89,286$124,845$111,891Monthly rent$1,488$1,827$1,774
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Jersey towns with 500+ people.
HousingOcean GroveTypical New Jersey town
Median home value$790,100$435,600
Median rent$1,488$1,774
Median household income$89,286$111,891
Home value ÷ income8.8×3.8×
Homeownership63.7%80.8%
Median year built19381969
Seasonal / vacation homes27.4%—

Who lives in Ocean Grove

PeopleOcean GroveTypical New Jersey town
Median age62.242.7
Age 65 and over36.5%18.3%
Under 182.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher69.3%44.1%
Below the poverty line6.9%5.7%
Veterans2.0%—
Born outside the U.S.8.0%—
Work from home32.6%16.3%
Average commute36.7 min30.4 min
Homes with broadband89.7%94.6%

Weather in Ocean Grove

July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 24.8°F. About 52.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 94 nights at or below freezing.

Ocean Grove monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing42°25°Jan43°26°Feb49°32°Mar59°41°Apr68°51°May78°61°Jun84°67°Jul82°65°Aug76°59°Sep66°47°Oct56°37°Nov47°30°DecPrecipitation (in)4.23.34.33.94.14.34.46.34.34.73.84.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Long Branch-Oakhurst station (5.9 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ocean Grove since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 1, 2023 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 1, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Ocean Grove by decade11950s21960s01970s01980s01990s02000s12010s22020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 22, 2003.

Severe weather in Monmouth County since 1996

Storm events in Monmouth County since 1996 by typeHail68Heat110Drought87Dense Fog67High Wind114Lightning64Heavy Rain70Flash Flood113
NOAA Storm Events Database, Monmouth County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 43 deaths recorded.

Monmouth County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 5, 2021HurricaneDR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
September 2, 2021HurricaneEM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
December 11, 2020HurricaneDR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias
March 25, 2020BiologicalDR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3451: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Monmouth County

Monmouth County had 274,000 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,560 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Ocean Grove itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.

Largest industries in Monmouth CountyHealth care & social assistan…54,652 jobs · $74,024Retail36,002 jobs · $41,825Hotels & restaurants29,622 jobs · $30,271Professional & technical serv…19,180 jobs · $119,406Construction16,335 jobs · $90,053Administrative & support14,050 jobs · $64,862
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Monmouth County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Monmouth 3.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Ocean Grove

Ocean Grove questions

Is Ocean Grove, New Jersey a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ocean Grove scores better for retirees than 90% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 34%. 36.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 62.2).

How much does a house cost in Ocean Grove?

The median owner-occupied home in Ocean Grove is valued at $790,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,286, so homes cost about 8.8 times income. Median rent is $1,488 a month.

What is the weather like in Ocean Grove?

July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 24.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.5 inches of precipitation a year.

Does Ocean Grove get tornadoes?

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ocean Grove since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 1, 2023. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Ocean Grove's Census boundary (GEOID 3454480). Comparisons use the median of New Jersey towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.