Town guide · Ocean County
Living in Tuckerton, NJ
Tuckerton is a bay town in southern Ocean County, first settled in 1698. Route 9 runs through as Main Street, past the Tuckerton Seaport and Lake Pohatcong, and the lagoon streets of Tuckerton Beach reach toward the bay.
- County
- Ocean
- Population
- About 3,600 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 3.8 square miles, about 3.4 of it land
- Setting
- Historic bay town with lagoon neighborhoods, wetlands and frontage on the bay
- Main roads
- U.S. Route 9 (Main Street); County Route 539 (Green Street); Garden State Parkway Exit 58 via Route 539
First things first
Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor
Tuckerton is its own borough, but on land it is completely surrounded by Little Egg Harbor Township. Tuckerton broke away from Little Egg Harbor and became a separate borough in 1901.
The two towns share the 08087 ZIP code, so a Tuckerton mailing address does not always mean a home is in the borough. Mystic Island, for example, is in Little Egg Harbor. The two towns have separate governments and separate property tax rates, so confirm the municipality on any listing.
Neighborhoods
From Main Street to the bay
Most of Tuckerton is wetland and water. The developed part of town covers roughly a third of the borough, centered on Route 9 and Green Street.
- Main Street: Route 9 through the center of town, home to the Tuckerton Seaport and Borough Hall at 420 East Main Street.
- Around Lake Pohatcong: Streets near the lake along Main Street and Lakeside Drive, home to Tip Seaman County Park.
- Along Tuckerton Creek: The creek the Seaport was built along. Nearby on Water Street stands a grist mill dating to 1704.
- Tuckerton Beach: A lagoon neighborhood toward the bay, reached by South Green Street.
Homes
What you will find
- Single family homes: Most homes in the borough, on streets near Main Street, Green Street and Lake Pohatcong.
- Lagoon homes: In the Tuckerton Beach lagoon section, with water access toward the bay.
- Attached homes and apartments: A smaller share of townhouses and apartment buildings.
Worth knowing: Water decides a lot in Tuckerton. During Sandy, water covered about 69 percent of the borough, and the state's recovery plan named the Tuckerton Beach lagoon section as the hardest hit area. Large parts of town are in FEMA's AE and VE flood zones, and VE zones face wave action, so get the flood zone, the elevation certificate and the flood history, especially in the lagoons. Tuckerton is inside the Pinelands National Reserve but not the state designated Pinelands Area, a difference worth confirming before any building plans.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Tuckerton
- 1.958%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $7,3842025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $400,000 on today's market would pay roughly $7,832 a year at Tuckerton'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 through the northern part of town as Main Street and meets the southern end of County Route 539, which runs north and south through the borough as Green Street. For the Garden State Parkway, take Route 539 north to Exit 58 in Little Egg Harbor Township, or Route 9 south to Exit 50 in Bass River Township. NJ Transit's 559 bus runs to Atlantic City, and Ocean Ride's local route connects Little Egg Harbor and Stafford. There is no train service. Most of the borough's shops and businesses line Route 9.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Tuckerton Seaport: A 40 acre working maritime museum and village on Main Street, with 17 historic and recreated buildings joined by a boardwalk, including a recreated Tucker's Island Lighthouse.
- Stanley H. "Tip" Seaman County Park: A 22 acre Ocean County park on Lake Pohatcong with walking paths, fishing, a small car top boat launch and the Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show each September.
- Lake Pohatcong: The lake along Main Street, with a boardwalk built along its shore in 1995.
- South Green Street Park: A borough waterfront park on South Green Street, on the way to Tuckerton Beach.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Tuckerton
What are property taxes in Tuckerton, NJ?
Tuckerton Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.958 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $7,384, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Tuckerton part of Little Egg Harbor?
No. Tuckerton broke away from Little Egg Harbor in 1901 and has been a separate borough ever since. Little Egg Harbor still surrounds it on land and shares its 08087 ZIP code, but the two have separate governments and property tax rates.
Why was Tuckerton called Clamtown?
Clamtown was one of several early names for the settlement, along with Andrew Mills and Middle of the Shore. In 1789 Ebenezer Tucker hosted a feast in Clamtown, and residents then changed the name to Tuckerton in his honor.
What is the Tuckerton Seaport?
It is a working maritime museum and village on Main Street that opened in May 2000. Its 40 acres along Tuckerton Creek include 17 historic and recreated buildings, a recreated Tucker's Island Lighthouse and a nature trail through the wetlands.
What Garden State Parkway exit is Tuckerton?
Exit 58, signed for County Route 539, is the closest from the north. Route 539 runs south from the exit into Tuckerton. From the south, Exit 50 in Bass River Township connects to Route 9, which runs east into town.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Tuckerton
Buying or selling in Tuckerton?
Main Street or the lagoons
A home near Lake Pohatcong and a lagoon home in Tuckerton Beach can sit in very different flood zones. We check the zone and the elevation for your address, and confirm it is in the borough and not Little Egg Harbor, before we talk price.
Call or text either of us directly.