Photo: David Ames 1991 · Public domainWithin New Jersey, Barnegat Township is healthier than 29% of graded towns
Barnegat Township differs from New Jersey on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 08005. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Barnegat Township
New Jersey sets a high bar
Barnegat Township is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but only 29% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, arthritis and COPD run high in Barnegat Township
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 7.5% across New Jersey. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.5%), vs 22.2% across New Jersey. COPD is also above the state: 6.8%, vs 5.1% across New Jersey. In all, Barnegat Township runs above New Jersey on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (New Jersey 17%), and cancer, arthritis and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Barnegat Township, and more people treating it
36.3% of adults have high blood pressure (New Jersey 32.8%), but 81.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer Barnegat Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New Jersey. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New Jersey figure falls outside Barnegat Township’s likely range; Barnegat Township’s figures come from ZIP code 08005, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Barnegat Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barnegat Township is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #332 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 87% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 52%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Barnegat Township’s median household income is $91,540; among the 9,797 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$114K), it’s healthier than 71%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Barnegat Township adults…
Barnegat Township runs above NJ on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Barnegat Township is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Barnegat Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Barnegat Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.5% of Barnegat Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Care in and near Barnegat Township
No hospital or community health center in Barnegat Township itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Barnegat Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
51 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
How Barnegat Township adults are doing
About the same as New Jersey on each measure.
3 in 10 Barnegat Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Barnegat Township and the towns around it
Barnegat Township’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnegat Township | B+ | 29% | 11.5% | 12.6% | ZIP 08005 |
| Stafford Township | A− | 28.1% | 10% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Ocean Township | A− | 28% | 12% | 11.6% | ZIP codes |
| Harvey Cedars | — | — | — | — | |
| Lacey Township | A− | 28.9% | 9.9% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
| Woodland Township | B− | 32.2% | 11.3% | 15.6% | ZIP codes |
| Long Beach Township | A | 25.4% | 11.2% | 8% | ZIP 08008 |
Harvey Cedars: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Barnegat Township adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Barnegat Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Barnegat Township is better than New Jersey on 7 and worse on 9; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Barnegat Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Barnegat Township | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.7%14.7–18.8 | 17.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.3–15.4 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.8–15.9 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29%25.2–33.1 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.1–13 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%33.4–39.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.3%41.1–47.5 | 39.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.5%28.9–34.2 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.2–10.3 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10.1–12.1 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.6–8.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.8%5.9–7.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.7%7–10.7 | 9.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%11–14.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.3%22.3–28.6 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.6%11.7–15.8 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.1%31–39.4 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.8–10.5 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%76.7–81.8 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.4%65.5–71.3 | 65.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.3%89–91.4 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.8%79.4–84 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%64.1–72.2 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.5%70.2–81.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.6%13.5–17.9 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.9%25.5–32.4 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%18.7–24.1 | 24% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.8%9.2–12.5 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9%7.7–10.4 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.8–6.4 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.1%5.4–7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.5%5.4–7.7 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.4%24.5–30.5 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%11.5–14.8 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.3%10–12.6 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 5.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4–4.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 3.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Barnegat Township
Is Barnegat Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barnegat Township is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #332 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Barnegat Township?
CDC estimates 29% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.2% and 33.1%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Barnegat Township?
Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, 3.4 miles in a straight line from Barnegat Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Barnegat Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–10.5%), against 11.3% across New Jersey.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Barnegat Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Barnegat Township.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.