Town guide · Ocean County
Living in Stafford, NJ
Stafford is the mainland gateway to Long Beach Island. Route 72 crosses the township on its way over the bay, past Manahawkin, the lagoons of Beach Haven West and the wooded streets of Ocean Acres, with Pine Barrens to the west.
- County
- Ocean
- Population
- About 28,600 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 55 square miles, about 46 of it land
- Setting
- Bayfront lagoons, a busy Route 72 corridor, planned neighborhoods and Pine Barrens to the west
- Main roads
- Garden State Parkway Exit 63 at Route 72; U.S. Route 9; County Route 539
First things first
Stafford, Manahawkin and Long Beach Island
Manahawkin is not a separate town. It is a community inside Stafford Township, and Manahawkin and Beach Haven West both use the 08050 ZIP code. Beach Haven West is also part of Stafford, on the mainland, despite a name that suggests the island.
Long Beach Island is a different story. Its towns, including Ship Bottom and Beach Haven, are separate boroughs and townships. Stafford is the mainland township that Route 72 crosses on its way to the island.
Neighborhoods
From the bay to the pines
Stafford's homes sit in a handful of distinct areas, each with its own feel. Some of the names you will hear:
- Manahawkin a community within the township long known as the gateway to Long Beach Island.
- Beach Haven West a lagoon community on the bay, begun in 1957, with homes on dozens of saltwater lagoons along Mill Creek Road and nearby streets.
- Ocean Acres a large planned neighborhood west of the Parkway, shared with Barnegat Township, which grew quickly once sewer lines arrived in the 1990s.
- Adult communities including Atlantic Hills, Perry's Lake and Fawn Lakes.
- Cedar Run, Mayetta, Bonnet Island and Warren Grove older place names you will see on maps and deeds. Warren Grove is a rural area deep in the Pine Barrens.
Homes
What you will find
- Lagoon homes in Beach Haven West, built from the late 1950s on, many on 50 foot lots facing the water.
- Single family neighborhoods in Manahawkin and Ocean Acres, much of Ocean Acres built since the 1990s.
- Adult community homes in age restricted communities such as Atlantic Hills, Perry's Lake and Fawn Lakes.
- Second homes close to Long Beach Island, especially in the lagoon neighborhoods.
Worth knowing: Many Stafford homes near the bay, including much of Beach Haven West, sit in FEMA flood zones. That affects insurance cost, renovation rules and what a buyer's lender will require, and New Jersey sellers must disclose a home's flood zone and flood history. West of the Parkway, Stafford is partly inside the state Pinelands Area, where Pinelands rules shape what can be built. We check the flood zone, elevation and land use rules for every Stafford home before it is priced.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Stafford
- 1.465%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $7,7772025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $550,000 on today's market would pay roughly $8,058 a year at Stafford'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
The Garden State Parkway crosses Stafford with Exit 63 at Route 72. Route 72 is the only road onto Long Beach Island, crossing Manahawkin Bay to Ship Bottom, and Route 9 runs north and south through the center of the township. County Route 539 crosses the western pines. NJ Transit's 559 bus runs to Atlantic City, and Ocean Ride local routes serve Stafford and Long Beach Island. There is no passenger rail. Most daily shopping is along Route 72 and Route 9.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- A. Paul King County Park an Ocean County park on Manahawkin Lake with a swimming beach shaded by pines, fishing, a playground and picnic pavilion.
- Manahawkin Wildlife Management Area 1,642 acres of state land known for its mature bottomland hardwood forest.
- Cedar Bonnet Island Trail a nature trail on Cedar Bonnet Island along Route 72, on Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge land between the mainland and Long Beach Island.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Stafford
What are property taxes in Stafford, NJ?
Stafford Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.465 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $7,777, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Manahawkin its own town?
No. Manahawkin is an unincorporated community within Stafford Township, and it uses the 08050 ZIP code. Stafford Township sets property taxes and provides local services for Manahawkin homes.
Is Beach Haven West on Long Beach Island?
No. Beach Haven West is a lagoon community on the mainland in Stafford Township. The Borough of Beach Haven is a separate town on Long Beach Island. Beach Haven West homes pay Stafford Township taxes.
What Garden State Parkway exit is Stafford?
Exit 63, at Route 72. From there, Route 72 runs east through Manahawkin and across Manahawkin Bay to Long Beach Island, and west into the Pine Barrens.
How do you get to Long Beach Island from Stafford?
Route 72 is the only road onto Long Beach Island. It crosses Manahawkin Bay on the Manahawkin Bay Bridge and ends in Ship Bottom on the island.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Stafford
Buying or selling in Stafford?
Lagoon, Ocean Acres or adult community, we know the difference
We will tell you what homes like yours in Stafford are actually selling for, which flood zone you are in and what it means for your price.
Call or text either of us directly.