Town guide · Ocean County
Living in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Point Pleasant Beach is the oceanfront borough on the south side of the Manasquan Inlet. It has a boardwalk about a mile long, a working fishing fleet on Channel Drive, and a downtown with its own train station, all within a town of less than two square miles.
- County
- Ocean
- Population
- About 4,800 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 1.7 square miles, including water
- Setting
- Oceanfront and inlet town with a compact downtown and river frontage to the north
- Main roads
- Route 35 through town and the eastern end of Route 88; Parkway exit 98 via Route 34
First things first
Point Pleasant Beach is not Point Pleasant
They are two separate boroughs in Ocean County, with separate governments and separate property taxes. Point Pleasant Beach is the smaller oceanfront town with the boardwalk, the beaches and the Manasquan Inlet. Point Pleasant, often called Point Pleasant Borough, is the larger, mostly residential town just to the west, along the Manasquan River, the Point Pleasant Canal and Barnegat Bay.
The two towns sit side by side, and Route 88 ends at Route 35 right on the line between them, so it is easy to cross from one to the other without noticing. We always confirm the municipality on the tax record before we talk about a home. We have a separate guide for Point Pleasant Borough.
Neighborhoods
Ocean, inlet and downtown
Point Pleasant Beach is small enough to walk, but each part of town has a different feel, especially in summer.
- The oceanfront: Streets near the beach and the boardwalk, which runs about a mile from the Manasquan Inlet south to New Jersey Avenue.
- The inlet and Channel Drive: The north end of town, where fishing trawlers, party boats and charter boats tie up along Channel Drive.
- Downtown: Streets around the train station on Arnold Avenue and Route 35, which runs through the center of town as a pair of one way streets.
- Toward the river: The northwest side of town, near the Manasquan River and the Route 35 bridge to Brielle.
Homes
What you will find
- Shore homes near the beach: Older cottages alongside newer homes, many rebuilt and raised on pilings after Superstorm Sandy.
- In town streets: Older homes on smaller lots within walking distance of downtown and the train.
- Near the water: Homes close to the inlet and the Manasquan River, where the water view and the flood zone go together.
Worth knowing: Flood risk shapes everything here. Superstorm Sandy destroyed about 2,800 feet of the boardwalk, and homes being rebuilt afterward had to be raised on pilings. 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. Also expect summer traffic and parking demand near the boardwalk, which matters if you are looking at a home a block or two from the beach.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Point Pleasant Beach
- 1.095%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $10,4302025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $950,000 on today's market would pay roughly $10,402 a year at Point Pleasant 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
Route 35 is the main highway through town. Downtown it splits into a pair of one way streets, Richmond Avenue southbound and Cincinnati Avenue northbound, then crosses the Manasquan River on a drawbridge into Brielle. Route 88 begins at Route 35 on the Point Pleasant line and runs west through Point Pleasant toward Lakewood. Garden State Parkway exit 98 in Wall connects to Route 34 south toward Point Pleasant and Route 35. The Point Pleasant Beach station on Arnold Avenue is on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, with trains north toward Newark, Hoboken and New York Penn Station and one stop south to Bay Head. NJ Transit buses 317 and 830 and Ocean Ride local routes also serve the borough. Daily shopping is downtown, with larger stores a short drive west.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- The boardwalk: About a mile long from the Manasquan Inlet to New Jersey Avenue, with amusement rides, an aquarium and arcades along its middle stretch.
- The ocean beaches: Most of the beachfront here is privately owned and run by beach operators rather than the borough, with access fees in summer.
- The Manasquan Inlet: The ocean entrance to the Manasquan River, lined with stone jetties built in the 1930s, and the northern end of the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway.
- The Channel Drive fishing fleet: A traditional fishing waterfront at the north end of town, with commercial trawlers, a fishermen's cooperative and party and charter boats.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Point Pleasant Beach
What are property taxes in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ?
Point Pleasant Beach Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.095 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $10,430, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
What is the difference between Point Pleasant Beach and Point Pleasant?
They are two separate boroughs. Point Pleasant Beach is the smaller oceanfront town with the boardwalk and the Manasquan Inlet. Point Pleasant, also called Point Pleasant Borough, is the larger, mostly residential town just to the west. They have separate governments and separate property tax rates.
Does Point Pleasant Beach have a train station?
Yes. The Point Pleasant Beach station on Arnold Avenue is on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. Trains run north toward Newark, Hoboken and New York Penn Station, and Bay Head, the end of the line, is the next stop south.
Who runs the beaches in Point Pleasant Beach?
Most of the beachfront is privately owned and operated by beach businesses rather than the borough. Access fees and rules are set each season, so check the current year's details before you go.
Which side of the Manasquan Inlet is Point Pleasant Beach on?
The south side. Point Pleasant Beach is in Ocean County, and Manasquan, on the north side of the inlet, is in Monmouth County.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Point Pleasant Beach
Buying or selling in Point Pleasant Beach?
We are right next door
Our office is a few minutes away in Point Pleasant. We will tell you what homes near the boardwalk and the inlet are really selling for, and what the flood zone and elevation mean for your price.
Call or text either of us directly.