The Town FilesShip Bottom, New Jersey
Borough in Ocean County · population 1,098 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $975,800
- Household income
- $108,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 63.6
Ship Bottom is a borough of 1,098 people in Ocean County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $975,800, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of New Jersey towns, more seaside character than 94% of New Jersey towns, better for retirees than 93% of New Jersey towns.
How Ship Bottom 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 Ship Bottom is worth $975,800, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 9.0 times the median household income of $108,750, which is more affordable than 3% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,455 a month. 91.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ship Bottom | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $975,800 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,455 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $108,750 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.0× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 91.8% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 75.2% | — |
Who lives in Ship Bottom
| People | Ship Bottom | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 63.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 46.3% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 7.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.6% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 22.1% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 27.2 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.9% | 94.6% |
Weather in Ship Bottom
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
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ship Bottom since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 21, 1983 about 5.4 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 17 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 fire, flood, other.
| 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 Ship Bottom itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Ship Bottom
1 public school with 91 students, about 5.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Island Grade School | 3-6 | 91 | 5.7 |
Towns near Ship Bottom
- Surf City, NJ1.4 mi · 1,243 people · home $1,034,000
- Beach Haven West, NJ3.3 mi · 4,143 people · home $641,700
- North Beach Haven, NJ3.5 mi · 2,198 people · home $1,147,700
- Long Beach, NJ3.8 mi · 3,153 people · home $1,193,700
- Manahawkin, NJ4.4 mi · 2,413 people · home $465,000
- Eagleswood, NJ5.4 mi · 1,722 people · home $365,400
- Stafford, NJ6.0 mi · 28,617 people · home $426,200
- Beach Haven, NJ6.0 mi · 1,027 people · home $1,472,200
Ship Bottom questions
Is Ship Bottom, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ship Bottom scores better for retirees than 93% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 92%. 46.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 63.6).
How much does a house cost in Ship Bottom?
The median owner-occupied home in Ship Bottom is valued at $975,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,750, so homes cost about 9.0 times income. Median rent is $1,455 a month.
What is the weather like in Ship Bottom?
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 Ship Bottom get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ship Bottom since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 21, 1983. 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)