Barnegat Light, New Jersey
Borough in Ocean County · population 640 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,107,800
- Household income
- $125,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 62.7
Barnegat Light is a borough of 640 people in Ocean County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $1,107,800, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks quieter than 100% of New Jersey towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of New Jersey towns, better for retirees than 96% of New Jersey towns.
How Barnegat Light ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Barnegat Light is worth $1,107,800, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 8.8 times the median household income of $125,417, which is more affordable than 3% of New Jersey towns. 94.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Barnegat Light | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,107,800 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | — | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $125,417 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 82.6% | — |
Who lives in Barnegat Light
| People | Barnegat Light | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 45.0% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 73.3% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.9% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.8% | — |
| Work from home | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 45.7 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Barnegat Light
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 27.2°F. About 41.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.2 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 71 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Barnegat Light since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 29, 2021 about 0.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 6, 2002.
Severe weather in Ocean County since 1996
Ocean County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, snowstorm, fire.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 24, 2025 | Fire | FM-5581: Jones Road Fire |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| April 28, 2021 | Snowstorm | DR-4597: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Ocean County
Ocean County had 189,912 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,452 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Barnegat Light itself the ACS puts it at 21.5%.
Towns near Barnegat Light
- Waretown, NJ5.3 mi · 1,483 people · home $505,800
- Barnegat, NJ6.1 mi · 3,894 people · home $481,600
- Ocean, NJ6.3 mi · 8,835 people · home $475,200
- Forked River, NJ6.5 mi · 5,274 people · home $437,000
- Surf City, NJ6.9 mi · 1,243 people · home $1,034,000
- Ship Bottom, NJ8.4 mi · 1,098 people · home $975,800
- Manahawkin, NJ8.4 mi · 2,413 people · home $465,000
- Beach Haven West, NJ8.8 mi · 4,143 people · home $641,700
Barnegat Light questions
Is Barnegat Light, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Barnegat Light scores better for retirees than 96% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 100%. 45.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 62.7).
How much does a house cost in Barnegat Light?
The median owner-occupied home in Barnegat Light is valued at $1,107,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $125,417, so homes cost about 8.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Barnegat Light?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 27.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.0 inches of precipitation a year and 10.2 inches of snow.
Does Barnegat Light get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Barnegat Light since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 29, 2021. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)