Town guide · Monmouth County
Living in Manasquan, NJ
Manasquan is a small borough with a lot of water. The ocean is on one side, the Manasquan Inlet and River on another, and creeks and a lake run through town. It has a walkable Main Street and its own train station, just across the inlet from Point Pleasant Beach.
- County
- Monmouth
- Population
- About 5,900 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 2.5 square miles, nearly half of it water
- Setting
- Oceanfront, inlet, river and creek frontage around a walkable downtown
- Main roads
- Route 71 through town; Routes 34 and 35 and Parkway exit 98 nearby in Wall
Neighborhoods
Where you are on the water matters
Manasquan is small, but the water around it shapes every part of town.
- The beachfront: Streets near the ocean, running down to the Manasquan Inlet at the south end of the beach.
- Along the river and inlet: Homes toward the Manasquan River and the inlet, looking across the water toward Point Pleasant Beach.
- Glimmer Glass and Watson's Creek: Tidal waters that reach into town, with homes near the historic Glimmer Glass Bridge and along the creeks.
- Around Stockton Lake: Homes near the lake and Stockton Beach Park, the borough's largest park.
- Downtown: Streets within walking distance of Main Street, Borough Hall and the train station.
Homes
What you will find
- Shore homes near the beach: From older cottages to newer homes, many rebuilt or raised after Superstorm Sandy.
- Waterfront homes: Homes on the river, the creeks and the lake, some with docks and bulkheads.
- In town streets: Capes, colonials and older homes on smaller lots close to Main Street.
Worth knowing: Flood risk is the big one here. The borough lists the ocean, the Manasquan River, Watson's Creek, Glimmer Glass, Stockton Lake, Deep Creek and several brooks as flood sources, and officials reported about 1,850 homes flooded or damaged in Superstorm Sandy. 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 Manasquan
- 0.978%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $11,6192025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $1,200,000 on today's market would pay roughly $11,736 a year at Manasquan'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 Manasquan shops and eats
Manasquan has a real downtown along Main Street with small shops and places to eat. For a big grocery run, most people drive a few minutes into Wall or across the river to Point Pleasant.
Grocery stores
- WestShopRite2433 Route 34, Wall TownshipDirections
- NorthALDI1919 Route 35, Wall TownshipDirections
- NorthShopRite1732 Route 35, Wall TownshipDirections
- SouthwestStop & Shop3208 Bridge Avenue, Point PleasantDirections
Checked October 2026. Stores open, close and move, so call ahead before a first trip.
Restaurants
Manasquan has a good number of places to eat, mostly downtown on Main Street and near the beach. In summer, the area between Main Street and the ocean fills up. For more choices, people also go to:
- Point Pleasant Beach: South across the Manasquan River, a boardwalk of about a mile with food from pizza and ice cream to sushi.
- Belmar: North on Route 71, where the town and boardwalk have shops and restaurants.
Shopping
Main Street downtown has small shops. For bigger stores, Route 35 and Route 34 in Wall, a few minutes away, are lined with shopping centers.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
Route 71 is the main road through town, and County Route 524 Spur is another key route. Routes 34 and 35 run just west of the borough in Wall and Brielle, and Garden State Parkway exit 98 is a short drive away in Wall. The Manasquan station on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line has trains south to Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head and north toward Newark, Hoboken and New York Penn Station. NJ Transit buses 317 and 830 also serve the area. Daily shopping is downtown along Main Street, with larger stores a short drive away.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Manasquan beaches: Seventeen lifeguarded beaches in season, including Inlet Beach and Main Beach, with seasonal beach badges.
- The Manasquan Inlet: The ocean entrance to the Manasquan River and the northern end of the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, known as one of the best surf spots on the East Coast.
- Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area: A 55 acre Monmouth County park, the last undeveloped land on the inlet, for fishing and beach walks.
- Glimmer Glass Bridge: An 1898 drawbridge between Manasquan and Brielle, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the only bridge of its type in New Jersey.
- Stockton Beach Park: Manasquan's largest park, with ball fields, a playground and a small boat launch onto Watson's Creek.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Manasquan
What are property taxes in Manasquan, NJ?
Manasquan Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 0.978 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $11,619, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Does Manasquan have a train station?
Yes. The Manasquan station is on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. Trains run south to Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head and north toward Newark, Hoboken and New York Penn Station.
Is the Manasquan Reservoir in Manasquan?
No. Despite the name, the Manasquan Reservoir is in Howell Township, several miles inland. The Manasquan River connects them, flowing east to the Manasquan Inlet.
Which side of the Manasquan Inlet is Manasquan on?
The north side. Manasquan is in Monmouth County, and Point Pleasant Beach, on the south side of the inlet, is in Ocean County.
Do I need flood insurance in Manasquan?
It depends on the address. Much of Manasquan is near the ocean, the river, the creeks or the lake, and lenders require flood insurance on federally backed mortgages in high risk flood zones. We check the flood zone and elevation certificate on every home.
Where is the closest grocery store to Manasquan?
The closest full supermarket is ShopRite at 2433 Route 34 in Wall Township, which has a Manasquan mailing address. ALDI and another ShopRite are a few minutes north on Route 35 in Wall. Across the river, there is a Stop & Shop on Bridge Avenue in Point Pleasant.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Manasquan
Buying or selling in Manasquan?
We are right across the inlet
Our office is a few minutes away in Point Pleasant. We will tell you what Manasquan homes are really selling for, and what the flood zone and elevation mean for your price.
Call or text either of us directly.