Town guide · Ocean County
Living in Berkeley, NJ
Berkeley stretches from the Pine Barrens to Barnegat Bay, with Bayville along the bay and the Holiday City and Silver Ridge Park adult communities west of the Parkway. Its oceanfront neighborhood, South Seaside Park, became part of Seaside Park in April 2026.
- County
- Ocean
- Population
- About 43,800 (2020 census, before South Seaside Park joined Seaside Park)
- Size
- About 54 square miles in the 2020 census, about 43 of them land
- Setting
- Pinelands and Barnegat Bay shoreline
- Main roads
- Garden State Parkway exit 77, with exit 80 at the South Toms River line; Route 9; Route 37
First things first
Why so many Berkeley addresses say Toms River
Many homes in Berkeley Township have a Toms River or Bayville mailing address. The post office name does not tell you the town. Holiday City and Silver Ridge Park, for example, use Toms River addresses but sit entirely inside Berkeley Township, which sets their property taxes and runs their local services.
Several small boroughs nearby are separate towns with their own governments, even though they touch Berkeley or were once part of it: Pine Beach, Ocean Gate, Beachwood, South Toms River and Seaside Park. On land, Ocean Gate borders only Berkeley. When we price a home, we always confirm the actual municipality first.
Neighborhoods
From the Pine Barrens to the ocean
Berkeley is a large township with very different areas inside it. Some of the names you will hear:
- Bayville the township's main bayside area along Route 9 and Barnegat Bay, with neighborhoods near the water and Butler Beach at the end of Butler Boulevard.
- Holiday City a large age restricted community off Route 37 just west of the Parkway, made up of five sections, each with its own association: Holiday City at Berkeley, Carefree, West, South and Holiday Heights.
- Silver Ridge Park the neighboring age restricted community with four sections of its own: East, West, North and the Westerly Extension.
- South Seaside Park the barrier island neighborhood between Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park. It was part of Berkeley until April 6, 2026, when it was annexed by Seaside Park after a long court fight, so homes there are now in Seaside Park. The annexation covered only that neighborhood, about 158 acres, so Island Beach State Park, just to the south, remains in Berkeley Township.
- Pinewald, Manitou Park and Glen Cove other established areas you will see on maps and deeds, along with smaller place names such as Pelican Island and Double Trouble.
Homes
What you will find
- Ranch homes in Holiday City detached, single story homes on lots of at least 50 by 100 feet, with a range of models from the original plans to heavily updated homes.
- Silver Ridge Park homes single story homes on crawl spaces with attached garages, on lots of about 60 by 100 feet.
- Other adult communities including Sonata Bay in Bayville, along with the Holiday City and Silver Ridge Park sections.
- Bayside and inland neighborhoods in Bayville, Pinewald and Manitou Park, with a mix of ranches, capes, split levels and newer construction.
Worth knowing: Adult communities are a big part of Berkeley, and each association has its own rules, fees, amenities and approval steps. They follow federal 55 and over housing rules, so it is worth knowing how a given section handles ownership and occupancy before you list or make an offer. Along the bay, flood zone matters too. New Jersey sellers must disclose a home's flood zone and flood history, and we explain what that means for a specific address.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Berkeley
- 1.498%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $5,4422025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $350,000 on today's market would pay roughly $5,243 a year at Berkeley'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
Garden State Parkway exit 77 serves Berkeley directly, and exit 80 sits just over the line in South Toms River, so the drive north toward Toms River and Monmouth County or south toward Atlantic City is easy. Route 9 runs north and south through Bayville, and Route 37 runs just north of Holiday City. To reach the ocean beaches and Island Beach State Park, you cross Barnegat Bay on Route 37 and head south on Route 35. NJ Transit bus service and Ocean Ride local routes run through the township, but there is no train station. Daily shopping is mostly along Route 9 in Bayville and along Route 37.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Island Beach State Park about 3,000 acres of undeveloped barrier island with ocean swimming, fishing, kayaking and bird watching, a short drive over the bay on Route 37 and south on Route 35.
- Double Trouble State Park historic cranberry bogs, a restored village and a nature trail along Cedar Creek, shared with Lacey Township.
- John C. Bartlett, Jr. County Park at Berkeley Island a small Ocean County park on Barnegat Bay at the end of Brennan Concourse in Bayville.
- Butler Beach and Veterans Park a bay beach at the end of Butler Boulevard and a township park on Cedar Creek.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Berkeley
What are property taxes in Berkeley, NJ?
Berkeley Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.498 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $5,442, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Holiday City in Berkeley Township or Toms River?
Holiday City at Berkeley, Carefree, West, South and Holiday Heights are all in Berkeley Township, as is Silver Ridge Park, even though their mailing addresses say Toms River. Holiday City at Silverton is a separate community in Toms River Township. The difference matters for property taxes and local services.
Does Berkeley Township have beaches?
Yes, on Barnegat Bay, including Butler Beach, Amherst Beach and Allen Road Beach. Berkeley's oceanfront neighborhood, South Seaside Park, became part of Seaside Park on April 6, 2026, so the nearest ocean beaches are now in Seaside Park and in Island Beach State Park, which is still part of Berkeley Township.
Is Pine Beach part of Berkeley Township?
No. Pine Beach became its own borough in 1925 and has its own government. Ocean Gate, Beachwood, South Toms River and Seaside Park are also separate towns, and on land Ocean Gate borders only Berkeley.
Is Berkeley Township in the Pinelands?
Much of it is. About 72 percent of Berkeley's land is inside the Pinelands National Reserve, mostly in the western part of the township. Pinelands rules can affect what can be built on a given lot, so we check before you buy land or plan an addition.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Berkeley
Buying or selling in Berkeley?
We know Holiday City section by section
We will tell you what your model is actually selling for in your section, and walk you through every way to sell, including the ones that do not involve us.
Call or text either of us directly.