Town guide · Ocean County
Living in Seaside Park, NJ
Seaside Park is the last town on the Barnegat Peninsula before Island Beach State Park. It sits between the ocean and Barnegat Bay just south of Seaside Heights, and in 2026 it grew when South Seaside Park left Berkeley Township and joined the borough.
- County
- Ocean
- Population
- About 1,400 (2020 census, before South Seaside Park joined)
- Size
- About 0.8 square miles including water, before the 2026 annexation
- Setting
- Oceanfront and bayfront on the Barnegat Peninsula, at the entrance to Island Beach State Park
- Main roads
- Route 35 through town to Island Beach State Park; Route 37 and Parkway Exit 82 via Seaside Heights
First things first
Seaside Park, Seaside Heights and South Seaside Park
Seaside Park and Seaside Heights sit side by side on the same barrier island, but they are separate boroughs, each with its own government, beach badges and property tax rate. Seaside Park is the southern one, formed from Berkeley Township in 1898.
South Seaside Park, the roughly 10 block neighborhood between Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park, was part of Berkeley Township for decades. After a 2025 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling allowed it to leave Berkeley, Seaside Park voted to annex it, and the change took effect in April 2026. As of mid 2026, the two towns were still settling the division of assets, debt and tax revenue in Ocean County Superior Court. Older maps, records and tax figures may still show South Seaside Park as Berkeley Township, so check the current status for any specific property.
Neighborhoods
A narrow town between two waters
Seaside Park sits on the Barnegat Peninsula, the long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the ocean. It borders Seaside Heights to the north and Island Beach State Park to the south. The park was not part of the 2026 annexation and remains in Berkeley Township.
- The oceanfront streets near the ocean beach.
- The bayfront homes and the borough marina along Barnegat Bay on the western side of town.
- South Seaside Park the southern neighborhood, about 10 blocks long, that joined Seaside Park from Berkeley Township in 2026.
Homes
What you will find
- Oceanfront and near beach homes on the streets closest to the ocean.
- Bayfront homes along Barnegat Bay, with water views to the west.
- Shore houses single family homes on the streets between the ocean and the bay.
- Second homes many homes in town are used seasonally.
Worth knowing: Every home in Seaside Park sits between the ocean and the bay, and the borough has its own bayfront hazard mitigation project. Ask for the flood zone, the elevation certificate and the flood history on any home. In South Seaside Park there is one more step: confirm which town's records apply, because the 2026 annexation is recent and the financial terms were still being settled.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Seaside Park
- 1.083%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $9,9502025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $900,000 on today's market would pay roughly $9,747 a year at Seaside Park'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 runs the length of Seaside Park and continues south to Island Beach State Park. To reach the mainland, head north into Seaside Heights and take Route 37 west over the Mathis and Tunney bridges through Toms River to Garden State Parkway Exit 82. NJ Transit runs seasonal 137 bus service through Seaside Park to New York's Port Authority Bus Terminal. There is no passenger rail. Most daily shopping is over the bridges in Toms River.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Island Beach State Park more than 3,000 acres of undeveloped barrier island just south of the borough, with beaches, dunes, maritime forest and a nature center.
- Seaside Park ocean beach the borough's guarded ocean beach, with badges sold at lifeguard headquarters.
- Barnegat Bay the western side of town faces the bay, with a borough marina.
- 14th Avenue Pier and Boat Launch a borough bayfront spot with a boat launch, a crabbing and fishing pier, a pavilion and a bay walkway, popular for watching the sunset.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Seaside Park
What are property taxes in Seaside Park, NJ?
Seaside Park Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.083 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $9,950, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is South Seaside Park part of Seaside Park now?
Yes. After a 2025 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling allowed the neighborhood to leave Berkeley Township, Seaside Park voted to annex it, and the change took effect in April 2026. As of mid 2026, the two towns were still working out the division of assets, debt and tax revenue in court.
Are Seaside Park and Seaside Heights the same town?
No. Seaside Park is the southern of the two boroughs, between Seaside Heights and Island Beach State Park. The towns touch, but each has its own government, beach badges and tax rate.
How do you get to Island Beach State Park?
Take Route 37 east over Barnegat Bay to Seaside Heights, then follow Route 35 south through Seaside Park to the park entrance. Island Beach State Park, just south of Seaside Park, was not part of the 2026 annexation and remains in Berkeley Township.
What was the 2013 boardwalk fire?
It was a ten alarm fire in September 2013 that swept north from Funtown Pier until firefighters stopped it at Lincoln Avenue. It came less than a year after the boardwalk was rebuilt, following its destruction by Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Seaside Park
Buying or selling in Seaside Park?
We know the flood maps and the new borders
Our office is a short drive up Route 35 in Point Pleasant. If you own in South Seaside Park, we will help you sort out which town's records now apply to your home, and what the flood zone and elevation mean for its price.
Call or text either of us directly.