Is Ocean City, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Ocean City is a small city of 11,260 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $98,576 and a 2.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 110 (US average = 100), which is 10% above the national average.
Strengths: Ocean City stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Ocean City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ocean City 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: 110.1Ocean City's overall cost of living index is 110.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ocean City costs roughly 10% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Ocean City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $664,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,404 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $98,576 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeOcean City's violent crime rate is 115.6 per 100,000 residents — 70% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Ocean City is served primarily by Ocean City School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Ocean City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Ocean City School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 8.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Ocean City sees average highs of 43.4°F in January and 85.4°F in July, with 48.2 inches of annual precipitation and 17.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Ocean City, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 43.4°F |
| Average High — July | 85.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Ocean City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,260 | — |
| Median Age | 56.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 3.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 33.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Ocean City
Ocean City, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: