Town guide · Monmouth County
Living in Deal, NJ
Deal is a small oceanfront borough of about 1.3 square miles between Allenhurst and Long Branch. Many of its homes are Victorian and American Foursquare houses close to a century old. Route 71, known here as Norwood Avenue, runs through the middle of town.
- County
- Monmouth
- Population
- About 900 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 1.3 square miles
- Setting
- Oceanfront residential borough with large older homes
- Main roads
- Route 71 (Norwood Avenue) through town; Routes 35, 18 and 66 and the Garden State Parkway in nearby towns
Neighborhoods
A small town shaped by the ocean
Deal is small enough to cross in a few minutes. It was carved out of Ocean Township in 1898, and its borders touch Allenhurst, Long Branch and Ocean Township.
- Near the ocean: Streets running east toward Ocean Avenue and the beach, including the area around the Deal Casino Beach Club at Ocean and Brighton Avenues.
- Along Norwood Avenue: Route 71, which follows the path of an early 1700s turnpike between Long Branch and Deal, with a center median through much of the borough.
- South Elberon: An unincorporated area name near the Long Branch line that lies partly in Deal.
Homes
What you will find
- Victorian and American Foursquare homes: Many close to or more than one hundred years old.
- Large homes on bigger lots: Including homes on the streets closest to the ocean.
- Renovated and rebuilt homes: Older houses that have been expanded or replaced over the years.
Worth knowing: Two things matter most here. First, age: with so many homes near a century old, we look closely at the roof, systems, foundation and any past renovations and permits. Second, water: homes near the ocean and near Deal Lake can sit in a flood zone. Ask for the flood zone and any elevation certificate on every home.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Deal
- 0.435%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $25,5852025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $5,900,000 on today's market would pay roughly $25,665 a year at Deal'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.
Groceries, dining and shopping
Where Deal shops and eats
Deal is almost entirely residential, with no supermarket and very few businesses of its own. Groceries and most dinners out mean a short drive north to Long Branch, west to Ocean Township or south to Asbury Park.
Grocery stores
- NorthStop & Shop150 West End Court, Long BranchDirections
- NorthwestShopRite145 Monmouth Road, West Long BranchDirections
- WestWegmans1104 Route 35, Ocean TownshipDirections
Checked October 2026. Stores open, close and move, so call ahead before a first trip.
Restaurants
There are very few places to eat in Deal itself. For dinner out, most people drive a few minutes up or down the coast:
- Pier Village, Long Branch: North along Ocean Avenue, an oceanfront complex with restaurants and shops along the boardwalk.
- Asbury Park: South along the coast, where Cookman Avenue and the boardwalk are lined with restaurants, bars and coffee houses.
Shopping
Most everyday shopping is a short drive west, along Route 35 in Ocean Township and Eatontown, where the former Monmouth Mall is being rebuilt as Monmouth Square.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
Route 71 is the only state highway in Deal, running through town as Norwood Avenue, with a center median through much of the borough. Routes 35, 18 and 66 and the Garden State Parkway are reached a short drive west through neighboring towns. Deal has no train station of its own, but the Allenhurst and Elberon stations on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line are close by, with trains toward Newark, Hoboken and New York Penn Station. NJ Transit's 837 bus provides local service.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Deal Casino Beach Club: The borough's lifeguarded beach club at 125 Ocean Avenue, with membership open to Deal property owners, residents and nonresidents.
- Deal Lake: A 158 acre lake shared by seven towns, including Deal, and overseen by the Deal Lake Commission since 1974.
- Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park: A Monmouth County oceanfront park a short drive north in Long Branch.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Deal
What are property taxes in Deal, NJ?
Deal Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 0.435 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $25,585, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Does Deal have a train station?
No. The nearest stations are Allenhurst and Elberon on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, both just outside the borough. Trains run north toward Newark, Hoboken and New York Penn Station.
Can nonresidents join the Deal Casino Beach Club?
Yes. The borough says membership is open to Deal property owners, residents and nonresidents, along with their guests. New members are placed on a waitlist through Borough Hall.
Where is the closest grocery store to Deal?
There is no supermarket in Deal itself, but several are only a few minutes away. The closest are a Stop & Shop on West End Court in Long Branch, just north of the borough, a ShopRite on Monmouth Road in West Long Branch and a Wegmans on Route 35 in Ocean Township.
Is Deal Lake in Deal?
Partly. Deal Lake is a 158 acre lake surrounded by seven Monmouth County towns: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Deal, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Neptune Township and Ocean Township. Those towns created the Deal Lake Commission to look after it.
How old are the homes in Deal?
Many are old. Most Deal homes are Victorian and American Foursquare styles, and many are close to or more than one hundred years old. The borough itself was incorporated in 1898.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Deal
Buying or selling in Deal?
Century old homes need a closer look
With so many Deal homes near a hundred years old, the roof, the systems and past permits matter as much as the lot. We go through all of it with you before a home is priced or an offer is made.
Call or text either of us directly.