Town guide · Ocean County
Living in Pine Beach, NJ
Pine Beach is a small borough on the Toms River, under a square mile in size. It began in 1909 as a summer colony of waterfront cottages, and the river is still the center of town, with a beach, docks and a boat ramp.
- County
- Ocean
- Population
- About 2,100 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 0.6 square miles
- Setting
- Riverfront streets on the Toms River, laid out on what began as a 1909 summer colony
- Main roads
- U.S. Route 9 along the border with Berkeley Township; Route 37 and Parkway Exit 82 in nearby Toms River
Neighborhoods
A small town on the river
Pine Beach was part of Berkeley Township until 1925, when voters chose to form their own borough. It borders Beachwood and Berkeley Township, and it is one of 11 Ocean County towns in the Toms River watershed.
The original tract ran from the river up to the state highway, and the town still reads that way. Some of the areas you will hear about:
- The riverfront streets near the Toms River, where the borough's beach, docks and boat ramp sit.
- The original summer colony streets laid out from 1909 by the Pine Beach Improvement Company, which recorded 109 deeds in its first year.
- The former Admiral Farragut Academy campus a riverfront campus that grew from the 1910 Pine Beach Inn site and was in use from 1933 until it closed in 1994.
- Near Route 9 streets toward the highway, along the border with Berkeley Township.
Homes
What you will find
- Older shore homes on streets that began as a summer colony of waterfront cottages in 1909.
- Riverfront and near river homes on and close to the Toms River.
- Single family homes on the side streets between the river and Route 9.
Worth knowing: In Pine Beach, the river sets the flood picture. Homes near the water need a close look at the flood zone, the elevation certificate and the flood history, which New Jersey sellers must disclose. In a town this small, a block or two can change the picture, so we look at each address on its own.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Pine Beach
- 1.714%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $8,3812025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $500,000 on today's market would pay roughly $8,570 a year at Pine Beach'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
U.S. Route 9 runs along the borough's border with Berkeley Township. Route 9 leads north into Toms River, where Route 37 meets the Garden State Parkway at Exit 82 and continues east over the bay to the barrier island. NJ Transit's 559 bus connects the borough with Atlantic City. There is no passenger rail. Most daily shopping is a short drive away along Route 9 and in Toms River.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Pine Beach river beach the borough's beach on the Toms River, open with a Pine Beach recreation badge.
- Borough docks public docks for fishing and crabbing, also covered by the recreation badge.
- Pine Beach boat ramp a borough boat ramp onto the river, with seasonal and one day permits.
- Vista Park a borough park with a pavilion, fields and an inclusive playground.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Pine Beach
What are property taxes in Pine Beach, NJ?
Pine Beach Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.714 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $8,381, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Pine Beach part of Toms River?
No. Pine Beach is a separate borough that voters formed from part of Berkeley Township in 1925. The Toms River it sits on is the waterway, not the township, and the borough borders Beachwood and Berkeley Township. It has its own government and its own property tax rate.
Does Pine Beach have a beach?
Yes, on the Toms River rather than the ocean. The borough requires a recreation badge for the beach, the docks used for fishing and crabbing, and the pickleball courts. Badges are sold at Borough Hall, not at the beach, and fees change, so check the current year's details.
How did Pine Beach get started?
In 1909 the Pine Beach Improvement Company began selling lots on a wooded tract running from the river to the state highway, planned as a summer colony of waterfront cottages. A 75 room hotel, the Pine Beach Inn, followed in 1910. The borough was formed in 1925.
What happened to Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach?
The Pine Beach campus of Admiral Farragut Academy closed in 1994. It had been on the banks of the Toms River since 1933, in the building that began as the 1910 Pine Beach Inn.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Pine Beach
Buying or selling in Pine Beach?
From the river docks to Route 9
Pine Beach runs from the river up to Route 9 in well under a square mile. We price each home on its own street and its own distance from the water, with the flood zone in hand.
Call or text either of us directly.