Is Toms River, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Toms River is a mid-sized city of 92,827 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $92,012 and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Toms River stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Toms River is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Toms 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: 112.5Toms River's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Toms River costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Toms River, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $356,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,592 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $92,012 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeToms River's violent crime rate is 134.3 per 100,000 residents — 65% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Toms River is served primarily by Toms River Regional School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Toms River, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Toms River Regional School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 12 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Toms River sees average highs of 41.6°F in January and 85.5°F in July, with 52.0 inches of annual precipitation and 23.7 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Toms River, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.6°F |
| Average High — July | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | Toms River, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,827 | — |
| Median Age | 42.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 30.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 83.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 18.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Toms River
Toms River, NJ is covered by 2 ZIP codes: