Ship bottom nj 029, 2005
Ship Bottom’s story
101 years in pictures
Census counts: 277 in 1930, 1,098 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 6 maps from 1888 on.
- 1925Ship Bottom is settled
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,126
2025 Census estimate · +2.2% since 2020
Typical home
$1.55M
+14.8% in a year
Household income
$109K
median
Median age
63.6
years
Jobs based here
809
A job hub
Is Ship Bottom a good place to live?
Ship Bottom’s best subject grades are an A for health and walkability and an A− for incomes; its weakest is a D for cost of living. Ship Bottom’s typical home value is $1,551,000, against $606,000 in New Jersey’s towns and $332,000 across U.S. towns. Among 469 New Jersey towns, just 3 have a lower share of children under 18 than Ship Bottom. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Ship Bottom’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, above both New Jersey’s towns (0.7) and U.S. towns (0.4). Only 22 of New Jersey’s 530 towns score lower on history. Ship Bottom's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 86% of U.S. towns. Ship Bottom has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Ship Bottom stand out
Where Ship Bottom beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here809
Residents who work410
Work
2 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 93% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
32 measures vs. New Jersey
20 better7 too close to call5 worse
| Widest gap | Ship Bottom | NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.4% | 14.3% |
HealthA
Healthier than 93% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 92% of U.S. towns
5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
By the sea
Ship Bottom lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 40% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
40%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
100thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
1,424paid flood-insurance claims since 1980
4storm & flood disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
How Ship Bottom grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Jersey), ordered by how far Ship Bottom is from typical.
HealthSouthern Ocean Medical Center 7.4 miles awayAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.1 of 20; 3.7% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $1.55M, 15.6 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household incomeDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Jobs & income$109K median household incomeA−Open →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 2% conserved landAOpen →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life14.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$1.55M typical home, up 14.8% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 63.6; 61% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ship Bottom: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ship Bottom, and how to reach them.
PowerAtlantic City Electric25.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterShip Bottom Water DepartNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
SchoolsLong Beach Island School DistrictSouthern Region School District2 districts serve Ship Bottom; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 code0800808008 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 Ship Bottom.
HousingCost of living grade D
For cost of living, Ship Bottom earns a D
92% of households own their home in Ship Bottom. Typical home values rose 15% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Ship Bottom is $1,455 a month.
$1.55MZillow home value
| Ship Bottom | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 92% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,455 a month | $1,778 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Ship Bottom$1.55M
New Jersey$575K
+14.8%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Ship Bottom fall behind 57% of New Jersey districts
Its public schools are run by the Long Beach Island School District. Its one school is below.
43%of NJ districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Island Grade SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–6 | Grades 3–6 | 92 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NJ on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Ship Bottom has 2.0 jobs for every working resident, and 772 people commute in
Most working residents leave Ship Bottom for work: only 9% work in town. 22% of Ship Bottom workers work from home. Since 2013, Ship Bottom has added 393 jobs, to 809 in 2023.
9%work in town
| Ship Bottom | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 22% | 16% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 6.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $109,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Ship Bottom9%
Stafford Township10%
Toms River Township5%
Long Beach Township5%
Surf City4%
35 mi
median commute distance
809
jobs based in Ship Bottom
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 92% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthA
A smaller share of adults in Ship Bottom report frequent mental distress than in the typical New Jersey or U.S. town
Among 469 New Jersey towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Ship Bottom. Ship Bottom beats the New Jersey average on 20 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. Only 6 of the 469 New Jersey towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Ship Bottom.
93%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Ship Bottom | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 32% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 16% |
32 measures vs. New Jersey
20 better7 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Ship Bottom | NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.4% | 14.3% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4.8% | 12.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.9% | 7.5% |
Southern Ocean Medical Center
7.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Ship Bottom faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Since 1980, 1,424 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ship Bottom.
82risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCoastal floodingStrong wind
1,424
paid flood claims since 1980
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Ship Bottom has four seasons and pleasant summers
Ship Bottom has chilly winters and warm summers. Ship Bottom’s July high is 84°F.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–44°
Spring43–60°
Summer65–82°
Fall50–66°
Nov 15
typical first frost
Apr 1
typical last frost
+2.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Ship Bottom
Ship Bottom's reported crime rate is well below New Jersey's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Ship Bottom | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.3 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Ship Bottom0
New Jersey2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Ship Bottom5.3
New Jersey12.7
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
6
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers 2.2% of Ship Bottom
1.6 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, at 167 acres.
2.2%conserved
2.2%
conserved · 14 of 632 acres
1.6 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve | — | 167 |
| 2. John J. Guld Jr. Recreation Area & Ball Field | — | 4 |
| 3. 4th Street Remembrance Park | 0.2 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 159 attractions →Pine Barrens and 22 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ship Bottom. Close and well known come first.
Big draw31 mi Park & preservePine Barrensin town BeachLong Beach Island
Big draw37 mi Theme parkSix Flags Great Adventure2.2M visitors a year
24 mi Stadium & arenaBoardwalk Hall
29 mi LandmarkLucy the Elephant
9 mi LighthouseBarnegat LighthouseSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Pine Barrens: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Six Flags Great Adventure: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Boardwalk Hall: Jack Boucher, Public domain · Lucy the Elephant: User:dtcdthingy 3:30 pm 30th July 2004 (Minolta Dimage X20), Public domain · Barnegat Lighthouse: L'Aquatique, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ship Bottom
20pages on Ship Bottom
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 57% of NJ districts · 1 schoolSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NJ on 20 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$1.55M typical home · up 14.8% in a yearWork & commuteA−$109K median household income · 809 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ship Bottom; the nearest are
Stockton UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Galloway21.4 mi$16,266 in-state tuitionOcean County CollegeCommunity college · Public · Toms River25.1 mi$4,906 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Ship Bottom residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Jersey.
Small town
1,126 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Stafford TownshipLong Beach TownshipSurf CityShip Bottom
About Ship Bottom
Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, US
Ship Bottom is a borough situated on the Jersey Shore, within Ocean County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,098, a decrease of 58 (−5.0%) from the 2010 census count of 1,156, which in turn had reflected a decline of 228 (−16.5%) from the 1,384 counted in the 2000 census. The borough is located on Long Beach Island and borders the Atlantic Ocean. The summer population can climb as high as 20,000. The borough's name was derived from a March 1817 incident in which a woman was saved from a wrecked ship that had capsized as her rescuers used axes to cut through the bottom of the hull. What is now Ship Bottom was originally incor…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1925
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3 ft
- Area code
- 609
Questions about Ship Bottom
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ship Bottom, 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.