Town guide · Burlington County
Living in Bass River, NJ
Bass River covers a lot of ground and holds few homes. It takes in about 78 square miles of pine forest, rivers and bay shore at the southeast corner of Burlington County, and every acre falls inside the Pinelands.
- County
- Burlington
- Population
- About 1,400 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 78 square miles
- Setting
- Pine forest, rivers and bay shore inside the Pinelands
- Main roads
- Garden State Parkway (Exits 50 and 52), U.S. Route 9 and County Route 542
Neighborhoods
Small places in a large forest
Bass River Township was formed in 1864 from parts of Little Egg Harbor and Washington townships. It takes its name from the Bass River, which was named for Jeremiah Basse, an early governor of both East and West Jersey. The township fronts the Bass River and Great Bay.
- New Gretna: The main village, at Parkway Exit 52, with its own 08224 ZIP code. The township's shared municipal court and the volunteer fire company are here.
- Wading River and Harrisville: Older place names that still mark parts of the township.
- Bass River State Forest: New Jersey's first state forest, listed among the township's named localities.
- Other named places: Allens Bridge, Calico, Charcoal Landing, Doctors Point, Frogtown, High Bridge, Leektown, Martha, Merrygold, Munion Field, Oak Island, Oswego Lake and Sim Place.
Homes
What you will find
- Single family homes in and around the village of New Gretna.
- Homes on larger wooded lots set among the pines.
- Homes near the water along the Bass River and the edge of Great Bay.
Worth knowing: Every part of Bass River Township sits inside the state Pinelands Area or the Pinelands National Reserve, so building, additions and land clearing can fall under Pinelands Commission rules as well as township zoning. Homes near the Bass River and Great Bay can sit in a mapped flood zone. Many rural homes in this part of the state run on a private well and septic system, and New Jersey requires the well water to be tested before a home with a private well is sold. We confirm all three on every listing.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Bass River
- 1.576%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $4,8982025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $300,000 on today's market would pay roughly $4,728 a year at Bass River's 2025 effective rate. Your actual bill depends on your assessment, so we pull the real tax record for any home you are considering.
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 general and effective tax rates. Rates are set each year.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
The Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 9 enter Bass River together from the southwest and split at Exit 50, a partial interchange. Exit 52 serves New Gretna at County Route 654. County Route 542 also crosses the township. Bass River is the only town in Burlington County with both the Parkway and Route 9. NJ Transit's 559 bus between Atlantic City and Lakewood serves the township.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Bass River State Forest: New Jersey's first state forest, started in 1905, with about 23,500 acres of pines and trails.
- Lake Absegami: A 67 acre lake inside Bass River State Forest, built in the 1930s, with swimming, boating and canoeing.
- West Pine Plains Natural Area: About 3,830 acres in the state forest that protect a rare pygmy pine forest.
- Batona Trail: The 50 mile hiking trail across the Pine Barrens passes through Bass River State Forest.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Bass River
What are property taxes in Bass River, NJ?
Bass River Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.576 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $4,898, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is New Gretna a separate town?
No. New Gretna is a village inside Bass River Township with its own 08224 ZIP code. Property taxes and town services come from Bass River Township.
Is Bass River Township in the Pinelands?
Yes. All of the township is inside either the state designated Pinelands Area or the Pinelands National Reserve. That means Pinelands Commission rules can apply to building and land use.
What Parkway exits serve Bass River?
Exit 50, where the Parkway and Route 9 split, and Exit 52 at County Route 654 in New Gretna. Both are partial interchanges, so not every direction is available at each exit.
Where does the name Bass River come from?
The township is named for the Bass River, a 4.7 mile tributary of the Mullica River. The river was named for Jeremiah Basse, who served as governor of both East and West Jersey. The township was formed in 1864.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Bass River
Buying or selling in Bass River?
New Gretna, the pines and the bay
In Bass River, the Pinelands rules, the well and the flood map can matter as much as the house. We check all three before we talk about price.
Call or text either of us directly.