Town guide · Ocean County
Living in Bay Head, NJ
Bay Head is one of the smallest towns at the Jersey Shore, less than a square mile between the ocean and Barnegat Bay. More than half of its buildings sit inside a historic district, and NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line ends right here.
- County
- Ocean
- Population
- About 930 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 0.7 square miles, including water
- Setting
- Oceanfront and bayfront on the Barnegat Peninsula, with a large historic district
- Main roads
- Route 35 (Main Avenue) through town; Parkway exit 98 via Route 34
Neighborhoods
Small town, two waterfronts
Bay Head sits on the Barnegat Peninsula, the barrier island that separates Barnegat Bay from the ocean. It borders Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant, Mantoloking and Brick Township.
- The oceanfront: Streets along and near the beach, protected by a stone seawall from 1882 that lies buried under the sand.
- The bay side: Homes facing Barnegat Bay on the west side of town.
- Around Twilight Lake: Streets near the lake and the train station, where the North Jersey Coast Line ends.
- The historic district: Most of the town, roughly from the Point Pleasant Beach line to the Mantoloking line, with Shingle Style and Colonial Revival homes.
Homes
What you will find
- Historic shore homes: Shingle Style and Colonial Revival houses, many counted as contributing buildings in the Bay Head Historic District.
- Oceanfront homes: Homes facing the beach, behind the dunes and the old seawall.
- Bayfront homes: Homes on Barnegat Bay with water views to the west.
Worth knowing: Two things matter here. First, the Bay Head Historic District is on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places and includes 549 contributing buildings, more than half the town. Ask whether a home is a contributing building, and check with the borough about what review applies before you plan changes. Second, flood risk. The buried 1882 seawall limited damage during Superstorm Sandy, but researchers still found most oceanfront homes took on water. Ask for the flood zone, the elevation certificate and the flood history on every home. New Jersey sellers must disclose a home's flood zone and flood history.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Bay Head
- 0.646%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $18,0552025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $2,800,000 on today's market would pay roughly $18,088 a year at Bay Head'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
Route 35 is the main road through Bay Head, called Main Avenue in town. It runs north into Point Pleasant Beach and south along the barrier island through Mantoloking. Garden State Parkway exit 98 in Wall connects to Route 34 south toward Point Pleasant and Route 35. The Bay Head station, at Osborne Avenue and Birch Place, is the southern end of NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, with trains north toward Newark, Hoboken and New York Penn Station and free parking. Point Pleasant Beach is the next stop. For daily shopping, most residents head a short drive north into Point Pleasant Beach and Point Pleasant.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Bay Head beach: Run by the Bay Head Improvement Association, a nonprofit, rather than the borough, with seasonal badges in summer.
- Bay Head Historic District: One of the largest historic districts in New Jersey, with 549 contributing buildings.
- Twilight Lake: A small lake in town, bordered on one side by the train yard and its wetlands.
- The 1882 seawall: A stone seawall about 1,260 meters long, buried under the beach and credited with limiting Superstorm Sandy damage here.
- Barnegat Bay: Bay Head's western side faces the bay, which stretches south behind the barrier island.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Bay Head
What are property taxes in Bay Head, NJ?
Bay Head Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 0.646 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $18,055, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Who runs the beach in Bay Head?
The beach is run by the Bay Head Improvement Association, a nonprofit, rather than the borough. It is also the subject of Matthews v. Bay Head Improvement Association, a 1984 New Jersey Supreme Court case on public access to the beach. Badge rules and fees change each year, so check the current season's details.
Does the train go to Bay Head?
Yes. Bay Head is the southern end of NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. Trains run north through Point Pleasant Beach toward Newark, Hoboken and New York Penn Station.
Is Bay Head a historic district?
Most of it is. The Bay Head Historic District was added to the New Jersey Register in 2005 and the National Register in 2006, and it includes 549 contributing buildings, more than half of the buildings in town.
Is Bay Head part of Point Pleasant?
No. Bay Head has been its own borough since 1886. It borders Point Pleasant Beach and Point Pleasant, and each of the three towns has its own government and its own property tax rate.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Bay Head
Buying or selling in Bay Head?
We know the historic homes and the flood maps
Our office is a few minutes away in Point Pleasant. We will tell you what Bay Head homes are really selling for, and what the historic district, the flood zone and the elevation mean for your price.
Call or text either of us directly.