Town guide · Monmouth County
Living in West Long Branch, NJ
West Long Branch is a borough of residential streets just inland from Long Branch and the ocean, home to Monmouth University and the Great Hall at Shadow Lawn. Routes 36 and 71 cross the town, and Long Branch and its train station are right next door.
- County
- Monmouth
- Population
- About 8,600 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 2.9 square miles
- Setting
- Residential streets around a university campus, a few miles from the ocean
- Main roads
- Route 36, Route 71 (Monmouth Road and Cedar Avenue) and County Route 547 (Broadway)
Neighborhoods
Streets around the campus and the lake
West Long Branch was once a section of Eatontown, known as Mechanicsville and later Branchburg. It voted to become its own borough in 1908.
- Around Monmouth University: Streets near Cedar Avenue and Norwood Avenue, close to the campus and Shadow Lawn.
- Near Franklin Lake: Homes near the lake and park off Route 36.
- Norwood Park: An older place name for a section partly within the borough.
- Along Monmouth Road and Broadway: Residential streets near Borough Hall and the Route 36 and Route 71 corridors.
Homes
What you will find
- Single family homes: On residential streets across the borough, built over many decades.
- Homes near the campus: Streets close to Monmouth University and its historic buildings.
- Homes near the main roads: Streets close to the Route 36 and Route 71 corridors.
Worth knowing: Location within the borough matters. A street near the Monmouth University campus or close to Route 36 is a different setting from one near Franklin Lake. If you plan to rent a home out, check the borough's rental rules before you buy. New Jersey also requires every seller to get a certificate for working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and a fire extinguisher before closing.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in West Long Branch
- 1.302%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $13,0612025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $1,000,000 on today's market would pay roughly $13,020 a year at West Long Branch'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.
Groceries, dining and shopping
Where West Long Branch shops and eats
West Long Branch has two supermarkets in town, on Monmouth Road and Route 36, and the Route 35 shopping corridor in Eatontown is just to the west.
Grocery stores
- In townShopRite145 Monmouth Road, West Long BranchDirections
- In townALDI200 Route 36, West Long BranchDirections
- EastStop & Shop150 West End Court, Long BranchDirections
- WestWhole Foods Market180 Route 35, EatontownDirections
- SouthWegmans1104 Route 35, Ocean TownshipDirections
Checked October 2026. Stores open, close and move, so call ahead before a first trip.
Restaurants
West Long Branch has a modest number of places to eat, mostly along Monmouth Road and Route 36. For more choices, people head to the coast or north to Red Bank:
- Pier Village, Long Branch: East to the Long Branch oceanfront, with restaurants on the boardwalk and shops below apartments.
- Downtown Red Bank: North to Broad Street and Monmouth Street, a downtown known for its restaurants, shops and live performances.
Shopping
Route 36 has everyday shopping in town. For more, Route 35 in Eatontown is minutes west, where the former Monmouth Mall is being rebuilt as an open air center called Monmouth Square.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
Route 36 runs east and west through the borough, from Garden State Parkway exit 105 in Eatontown toward Long Branch and the ocean. Route 71 runs through town on Norwood Avenue, Cedar Avenue and Monmouth Road, passing the Monmouth University campus. County Route 547, Broadway, also crosses Route 36. The nearest train is the Long Branch station on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, with trains to New York Penn Station and Hoboken. NJ Transit buses 831 and 837 provide local service. Daily shopping is along Route 36 and in neighboring Eatontown.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Franklin Lake Park: A borough lake with a paved walking loop of about a mile, plus benches and fishing.
- The Great Hall at Shadow Lawn: A 1927 mansion at Monmouth University and a National Historic Landmark, used as the Warbucks mansion in the 1982 film Annie.
- Guggenheim Library: Murry Guggenheim's 1903 Beaux Arts summer house, now part of the Monmouth University library and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about West Long Branch
What are property taxes in West Long Branch, NJ?
West Long Branch Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.302 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $13,061, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Monmouth University in West Long Branch?
Yes. Monmouth University's campus is in West Long Branch. Its best known building, the Great Hall at Shadow Lawn, is a National Historic Landmark.
Was Woodrow Wilson's summer White House in West Long Branch?
Yes. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson used Shadow Lawn as his summer White House. That house later burned, and the mansion standing today, now the Great Hall at Monmouth University, was built in 1927.
Does West Long Branch have a train station?
No. The closest station is Long Branch, on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, a short drive east.
Was West Long Branch part of Eatontown?
Yes. It was a section of Eatontown Township until 1908, when residents voted to form their own borough.
Where is the closest grocery store to West Long Branch?
West Long Branch has two supermarkets of its own: the ShopRite on Monmouth Road and the ALDI on Route 36. The Stop & Shop on West End Court in Long Branch and the Whole Foods Market on Route 35 in Eatontown are a short drive away.
Nearby towns
Towns that border West Long Branch
Buying or selling in West Long Branch?
Near the campus, the lake or Route 36
A home near Monmouth University, one by Franklin Lake and one off Route 36 can sell very differently. We will show you which sales match yours, and why.
Call or text either of us directly.