Lavallette nj 029, 2005
Lavallette’s story
139 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1887Lavallette is settled
Population
1,869
2025 Census estimate · +4.5% since 2020
Typical home
$1.24M
+12.6% in a year
Household income
$133K
median
Median age
61.3
years
Jobs based here
541
Balanced
Is Lavallette a good place to live?
The best of Lavallette’s subject grades are an A for incomes and health and an A− for safety; the weakest is a D for cost of living. Lavallette’s typical home value is $1,236,000, above both New Jersey’s towns ($606,000) and U.S. towns ($332,000). On hazard risk, just 47 of New Jersey’s 530 towns do worse. Lavallette is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 76% of U.S. towns. On history, just 48 of New Jersey’s 530 towns do worse. Lavallette has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Lavallette stand out
Where Lavallette beats most towns.
32 measures vs. New Jersey
18 better9 too close to call5 worse
| Widest gap | Lavallette | NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4.6% | 12.3% |
HealthA
Healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lavallette0.5
New Jersey2
U.S.3.3
SafetyA−
75% less violent crime than NJ
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
By the sea
Lavallette lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 14% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
14%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
99thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
1,840paid flood-insurance claims since 1978
7storm & flood disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
How Lavallette grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Jersey), ordered by how far Lavallette is from typical.
Cost of livingTypical home $1.24M, 12.5 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household incomeDOpen →Jobs & income$133K median household incomeAOpen →HealthCommunity Medical Center 7.7 miles awayAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →SafetyA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.6 of 20; 5.1% of households have no car; 2.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 10% conserved landA+Open →HistoryC−Open →Civic life12.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 61.3; 58% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 587 attractions →Six Flags Great Adventure and 38 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lavallette. Close and well known come first.
Big draw23 mi Theme parkSix Flags Great Adventure2.2M visitors a year
Big draw39 mi Park & preservePine Barrens22 mi BeachLong Beach Island
2 mi Theme parkCasino Pier
5 mi State parkIsland Beach State Park
14 mi LighthouseBarnegat LighthouseSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Six Flags Great Adventure: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Pine Barrens: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Casino Pier: User:Jimmypitt1234, Public domain · Island Beach State Park: Famartin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Barnegat Lighthouse: L'Aquatique, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lavallette: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lavallette, and how to reach them.
PowerBorough of LavalletteEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterLavallette Water DeptNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpLavallette Recycling CenterDrop-offTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn New Jersey you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOcean County ClerkOcean County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2026
ZIP code0873508735 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lavallette.
HousingCost of living grade D
For cost of living, Lavallette earns a D
Typical home values rose 13% in the year to September 2026. The typical Lavallette home is worth about $1,236,000, up 12.6% in a year, about twice the New Jersey typical home.
$1.24MZillow home value
Typical home value
Lavallette$1.24M
New Jersey$575K
+12.6%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB−
Lavallette’s public schools outperform 54% of New Jersey districts
Its public schools are run by the Lavallette Borough School District. Its one school is below.
54%of NJ districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lavallette Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 142 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NJ on state tests
HealthA
A smaller share of adults report frequent mental distress in Lavallette than in most of New Jersey or the rest of the country
11% of adults report frequent mental distress in Lavallette, where New Jersey’s towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 17%. 25% of Lavallette adults feel lonely. Lavallette beats the New Jersey average on 18 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
91%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Lavallette | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 23% |
32 measures vs. New Jersey
18 better9 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Lavallette | NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4.6% | 12.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.4% | 14.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.8% | 7.5% |
Community Medical Center
7.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyA−
Lavallette reports less crime per resident than 80% of U.S. towns
Lavallette’s property crime rate is 3.7 per 1,000 residents.
80%of U.S. towns report more crimeA−Safety Grade
| Lavallette | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.7 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lavallette0.5
New Jersey2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lavallette3.7
New Jersey12.7
U.S.15.5
80th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
7
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Lavallette
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 84% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 1,840 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lavallette.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCoastal floodingStrong wind
1,840
paid flood claims since 1978
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Lavallette has four seasons and pleasant summers
Lavallette has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 85° and January nights drop to 26°.
85°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–44°
Spring42–60°
Summer65–82°
Fall48–66°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+2.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
85°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
About one in ten working residents works right in Lavallette
Most working residents leave Lavallette for work: only 10% work in town. The average trip to work in Lavallette is 37 minutes. Since 2013, Lavallette has added 253 jobs, to 541 in 2023.
10%work in town
| Lavallette | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 37 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $133,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 6.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.9% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Lavallette10%
Toms River Township12%
Lakewood Township3%
Brick Township3%
New York3%
23 mi
median commute distance
541
jobs based in Lavallette
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 76% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsA+
Lavallette has set aside 9.8% of its land for conservation
0.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
9.8%conserved
| Lavallette | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.9 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 9.8% | 11% | 4.3% |
9.8%
conserved · 60 of 613 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jacobsen Park | 0.2 mi | 19 |
| 2. Centennial Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lavallette
19pages on Lavallette
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 54% of NJ districts · 1 schoolSafetyA−0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NJ on 18 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$1.24M typical home · up 12.6% in a yearWork & commuteA$133K median household income · 541 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 84% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
20 within 15 miles of the center of Lavallette
Ocean County CollegeCommunity college · Public · Toms River5.6 mi$4,906 in-state tuitionBeth Medrash of Asbury ParkUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lakewood9 mi$12,010 tuitionRabbinical Seminary Mkor ChaimUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lakewood9.3 mi$8,450 tuition
About 2 of every 100 Lavallette residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Jersey.
About Lavallette
Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, US
Lavallette is a borough situated on the Jersey Shore, in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,787, a decrease of 88 (−4.7%) from the 2010 census count of 1,875, which in turn had reflected a decline of 790 (−29.6%) from the 2,665 counted in the 2000 census. Lavallette is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1887
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3 ft
- ZIP code
- 08735
Lavallette’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Lavallette.
Toms River TownshipDover Beaches SouthDover Beaches NorthLavallette
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NJ rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lavallette | — | — | D | A− | B− | A |
| Toms River Township | #317 | C+ | D | B | C+ | A− |
| Dover Beaches South | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dover Beaches North | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Lavallette has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Dover Beaches South and Dover Beaches North aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Lavallette with a neighbor →
Questions about Lavallette
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lavallette, NJ expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.