Town guide · Monmouth County
Living in Middletown, NJ
Middletown is one of the oldest townships in New Jersey, formed in 1693, and home to about 67,000 people. It runs from the Bayshore beaches on Sandy Hook Bay to the wooded hills along the Navesink River, and it even includes Sandy Hook.
- County
- Monmouth
- Population
- About 67,100 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 59 square miles, including about 18 square miles of water
- Setting
- Suburban, with Bayshore waterfront sections, historic villages and large county parks
- Main roads
- Garden State Parkway exits 109 and 114, Route 35, Route 36, County Roads 520 and 516
First things first
One township, many names
Middletown is one municipality, but most people know it by its sections. Lincroft, Navesink, Belford, Leonardo, Port Monmouth, North Middletown and Fairview are all census designated places inside the township, and many more named communities sit between them.
Several sections have their own post office and ZIP code, so a Middletown home might have a Lincroft, Leonardo, Belford or Port Monmouth address. It is all Middletown Township, with one tax rate and one set of town services.
Neighborhoods
From the Bayshore to the river
The township divides naturally into the Bayshore sections along Sandy Hook Bay north of Route 36, the older villages and hills in the east toward the Navesink River, and the large suburban middle and south of town. Other named communities include Fairview, Chapel Hill, East Keansburg, Everett, Harmony, Holland, Locust, New Monmouth, Oak Hill and River Plaza.
- Lincroft: The southwest corner of town, bordered by Holmdel, the Swimming River Reservoir and the Garden State Parkway. Home to Thompson Park and its own 07738 ZIP code.
- Navesink: A small community on the Atlantic Highlands line near Route 36, with the Navesink Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Port Monmouth, Belford and Leonardo: The Bayshore sections on Sandy Hook Bay, side by side from west to east between the water and Route 36. Belford is home to the county ferry terminal.
- North Middletown: The Bayshore section just west of Port Monmouth.
- Middletown Village: The historic district along Kings Highway near Route 35, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, with three historic churches.
- Locust: The area near the Navesink River where several entrances to Hartshorne Woods Park are found.
Homes
What you will find
- Suburban single family homes: Most of the township is made up of residential neighborhoods of single family homes, spread across the inland sections.
- Bayshore homes: Homes near the water in Port Monmouth, Belford, Leonardo and North Middletown, close to beaches, creeks and the bay.
- Historic homes: Older houses in the Middletown Village and Navesink historic districts, and landmarks such as Marlpit Hall, built in 1686.
Worth knowing: The Bayshore sections sit along Sandy Hook Bay and its tidal creeks, and many homes in Port Monmouth faced serious flooding during Hurricane Sandy. The Army Corps of Engineers flood project there includes dunes and beach replenishment, followed by levees, a floodwall and pump stations. For any home near the water we check the flood zone, elevation, insurance cost and any past flood claims before it is priced or bought.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Middletown
- 1.735%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $11,6662025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $650,000 on today's market would pay roughly $11,278 a year at Middletown'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 Middletown shops and eats
Middletown is a large township with no single downtown. Most errands happen along Route 35, which has several supermarkets, and along Route 36 on the Bayshore side.
Grocery stores
- In townShopRite1500 Route 35, MiddletownDirections
- In townStop & Shop850 Route 35, MiddletownDirections
- In townWhole Foods Market471 Route 35, Middletown (Red Bank mailing address)Directions
- In townAcme616 Newman Springs Road, Middletown (Lincroft mailing address)Directions
- EastSuper Foodtown3 Bayshore Plaza, Atlantic HighlandsDirections
Checked October 2026. Stores open, close and move, so call ahead before a first trip.
Restaurants
Restaurants are spread across the township, mostly along Route 35, along Route 36 through the Bayshore sections and on Newman Springs Road in Lincroft. Many are casual spots and chains. For a night out, most people head to one of these nearby towns:
- Downtown Red Bank: South across the Navesink River on Route 35 to Broad Street, a historic downtown known for its restaurants, boutiques and summer outdoor dining.
- Atlantic Highlands: East on Route 36, a harbor town with gift shops, galleries and restaurants near the ferry and marina.
- Keyport: West on Route 36 to West Front Street, a waterfront shopping district on Raritan Bay with restaurants, some with live music.
Shopping
Route 35 is the main shopping road, lined with shopping centers from the Red Bank line north toward Hazlet. Downtown Red Bank, just across the river, adds boutiques and specialty shops.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
The Garden State Parkway runs through the township, with Exit 109 at County Road 520 near Lincroft and Exit 114 farther north. Route 35 is a four lane divided highway lined with businesses. Route 36 runs along the Bayshore, and County Roads 520 and 516 cross the south and north of town. NJ Transit's Middletown station, on Church Street, is on the North Jersey Coast Line with trains to New York Penn Station, and it is the only rail station in the township. A county owned ferry terminal in Belford offers commuter ferries to Manhattan; the operator has changed over the years, so check the current schedule. NJ Transit local buses 817, 833 and 834 also serve the township.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Sandy Hook: Part of Middletown Township but separated from the rest of it by water, with ocean beaches, Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Light, the oldest operating lighthouse in the country, run by the National Park Service as part of Gateway National Recreation Area.
- Hartshorne Woods Park: An 831 acre county park overlooking the Navesink River, with about 16 miles of trails and the World War II era Battery Lewis.
- Thompson Park: A 667 acre county park in Lincroft with about 14 miles of trails, a historic racing stable, a theater barn and Marlu Lake.
- Bayshore Waterfront Park: A 229 acre county park in Port Monmouth with about a mile of beach, a fishing pier, salt marsh and the historic Seabrook Wilson House.
- Poricy Park: A 250 acre nature preserve with a nature center, the historic Murray Farmhouse and fossil beds along Poricy Brook where visitors may collect.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Middletown
What are property taxes in Middletown, NJ?
Middletown Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.735 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $11,666, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is there a train station in Middletown, NJ?
Yes. NJ Transit's Middletown station, at Railroad Avenue and Church Street, is on the North Jersey Coast Line with service to New York Penn Station. It is the only active rail station in the township, and the township owns its two commuter parking lots.
Is there a ferry from Middletown to New York?
Yes. Monmouth County owns a ferry terminal in the Belford section of Middletown with weekday commuter service to Manhattan. The county contracts with a private operator, and that operator has changed over the years, so check the current schedule and fares before you rely on it.
Is Lincroft its own town?
No. Lincroft is a census designated place inside Middletown Township with its own 07738 ZIP code. The same is true of Leonardo, Belford, Port Monmouth, Navesink and several other sections. Homes there pay Middletown property taxes.
Is Sandy Hook part of Middletown?
Yes. The Sandy Hook peninsula is part of Middletown Township even though it does not connect to the rest of the township by land. Most of it is managed by the National Park Service as part of Gateway National Recreation Area.
Where is the closest grocery store to Middletown?
Middletown has several supermarkets of its own. ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market are all on Route 35, and there is an Acme on Newman Springs Road in Lincroft. On the Bayshore side, the closest is Super Foodtown in Bayshore Plaza in Atlantic Highlands. The former Super Foodtown on Route 36 in Port Monmouth has closed.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Middletown
Buying or selling in Middletown?
Every section of Middletown is different
A Bayshore home and a Lincroft home are priced on very different terms. We know the sections, the flood questions and the commute, and we will tell you honestly what your home is worth and what your options are.
Call or text either of us directly.