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Is Forked River, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Forked River is a small town of 5,003 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $87,195 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Forked River stands out for solid school ratings (B+).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Forked River is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Forked River city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Forked River's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Forked River costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Forked River, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $376,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,894 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 87.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $87,195 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeForked River's violent crime rate is 12.8 per 100,000 residents — 97% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Forked River is served primarily by Lacey Township School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Forked River, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Lacey Township School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Forked River sees average highs of 41.6°F in January and 85.5°F in July, with 51.3 inches of annual precipitation and 10.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Forked River, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.6°F |
| Average High — July | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Forked River, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,003 | — |
| Median Age | 46.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 32.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 22.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Forked River
Forked River, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: