Town guide · Ocean County
Living in Plumsted, NJ
Plumsted is the farm country corner of Ocean County. New Egypt, with Oakford Lake in the middle of town, is its center, surrounded by preserved farms, woods and the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area.
- County
- Ocean
- Population
- About 8,100 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 40 square miles, nearly all land
- Setting
- Preserved farmland, the village center of New Egypt, and forest and wildlife lands toward the Pinelands
- Main roads
- County Routes 528, 537 and 539; Interstate 195 reached through Upper Freehold or Jackson
First things first
Plumsted and New Egypt
New Egypt is not a separate town. It is a community and the main business district inside Plumsted Township, and it uses the 08533 ZIP code. Plumsted Township sets property taxes and provides local services for New Egypt homes.
New Egypt sits near the point where Ocean, Monmouth and Burlington counties meet, so a short drive can take you into three counties. Plumsted itself borders Jackson and Manchester in Ocean County, Upper Freehold in Monmouth County, and New Hanover, North Hanover and Pemberton townships in Burlington County.
Neighborhoods
A village and its countryside
Plumsted was formed in 1845 from part of Jackson Township while still in Monmouth County, and became part of Ocean County when the county was created in 1850. Some of the names you will hear:
- New Egypt the village center along Main Street (County Route 528), with Oakford Lake in the middle of town.
- Archertown, Brindle Park, Head of Woods, Hockamick, Pinehurst Estates and Woodruff smaller communities and place names you will see on maps and deeds around the township.
- Jensen's Deep Run an age restricted community of manufactured homes, listed by Ocean County in Plumsted with 243 sites.
Homes
What you will find
- Village homes in and around New Egypt, close to Main Street and Oakford Lake.
- Country homes and farms on larger lots along the county roads, many near preserved farmland.
- Manufactured homes in Jensen's Deep Run, an age restricted community.
Worth knowing: Three things matter here. First, water and sewer. New Egypt had no public sewer system until a township project replaced aging septic systems in the town center, finished around 2022. Outside that area, many homes rely on septic systems and private wells. Ask which a home has, and plan for a septic inspection and a well test. Second, farmland preservation. Plumsted holds most of Ocean County's preserved farmland, with 38 farms and about 2,900 acres preserved, and preserved land carries permanent deed restrictions. Third, Plumsted is on the state's list of Pinelands Area municipalities, so Pinelands rules can apply to land in the township.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Plumsted
- 1.953%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $8,8622025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $450,000 on today's market would pay roughly $8,788 a year at Plumsted'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
Plumsted has no highway of its own. County Route 528 runs through New Egypt as Main Street, County Route 537 forms the northern border with Upper Freehold, and County Route 539 runs north and south through the eastern part of the township. The nearest limited access highway is Interstate 195, reached through Upper Freehold or Jackson. NJ Transit's 317 bus connects the township with Philadelphia, and Ocean Ride runs a local Shoppers Loop. There is no passenger rail. Most daily shopping is in New Egypt.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Oakford Lake a lake in the middle of New Egypt that drew summer visitors in the early 1900s.
- Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area about 12,900 acres of state wildlife land across Plumsted and Jackson, part of the Pinelands National Reserve, with Success Lake inside.
- New Egypt recreation complex township fields for baseball, softball, football, tee ball and basketball.
- Singleton Farm an early 19th century brick farmhouse owned by the township and used by the New Egypt Historical Society as a museum and meeting space.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Plumsted
What are property taxes in Plumsted, NJ?
Plumsted Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.953 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $8,862, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is New Egypt its own town?
No. New Egypt is an unincorporated community inside Plumsted Township and serves as the township's main business district. It uses the 08533 ZIP code, and Plumsted Township sets property taxes for New Egypt homes.
How did New Egypt get its name?
One story says George Washington, after his victory at Trenton in 1776, said his aide Joseph Curtis had "been to Egypt and gotten the corn" after gathering grain here. Other accounts say the name Egypt was first recorded in 1793 and referred to the area's plentiful corn, with New added later.
Is there public sewer in Plumsted?
In part. The township built a sewer system for the New Egypt town center to replace failing septic systems, completed around 2022. Many homes outside that area rely on septic systems and private wells, so ask about both before you buy.
Is Plumsted farmland preserved?
Much of it. State figures through 2020 show 38 preserved farms covering about 2,900 acres in Plumsted, the large majority of all preserved farmland in Ocean County. Preserved farms carry permanent restrictions on development.
Buying or selling in Plumsted?
Village lot or preserved farm country
In Plumsted, the first questions are about water, sewer and land. We find out whether a home is on the New Egypt sewer, what the well and septic look like, and whether preservation or Pinelands rules touch the land, before we talk price.
Call or text either of us directly.