The Town FilesCliffwood Beach, New Jersey
Community in Monmouth County · population 3,036 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $365,600
- Household income
- $116,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 44.1
Cliffwood Beach is a community of 3,036 people in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $365,600, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more seaside character than 97% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 89% of New Jersey towns, better for cycling than 89% of New Jersey towns.
How Cliffwood Beach 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 Cliffwood Beach is worth $365,600, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $116,500, which is more affordable than 77% of New Jersey towns. 93.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cliffwood Beach | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $365,600 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | — | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $116,500 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 93.2% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Cliffwood Beach
| People | Cliffwood Beach | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.4% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.6% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.5% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Cliffwood Beach
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 106 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cliffwood Beach since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 27, 2001 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 20, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 27, 2008.
Severe weather in Monmouth County since 1996
Monmouth County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Monmouth County
Monmouth County had 274,000 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,560 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Cliffwood Beach itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Cliffwood Beach
1 public school with 216 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leroy Gordon Cooper Elementary School | K-5 | 216 | 14.4 |
Towns near Cliffwood Beach
- Aberdeen, NJ1.0 mi · 19,329 people · home $448,200
- Keyport, NJ1.2 mi · 7,204 people · home $417,100
- Laurence Harbor, NJ2.2 mi · 6,635 people · home $306,700
- Matawan, NJ2.4 mi · 9,565 people · home $467,800
- Union Beach, NJ2.5 mi · 5,723 people · home $460,900
- Strathmore, NJ2.9 mi · 7,225 people · home $539,500
- Hazlet, NJ2.9 mi · 20,125 people · home $465,900
- Keansburg, NJ3.3 mi · 9,755 people · home $311,800
Cliffwood Beach questions
Is Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cliffwood Beach scores better for retirees than 20% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 67%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Cliffwood Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Cliffwood Beach is valued at $365,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $116,500, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Cliffwood Beach?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 26.0 inches of snow.
Does Cliffwood Beach get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cliffwood Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 27, 2001. 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)