Toms River Township dates to 1768, and 11 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 66% of U.S. towns · #215 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
Most of Toms River Township was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1978. Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1833.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Toms River Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Toms River Township is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #215 of 468 in New Jersey. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Toms River Township’s overall grade.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Toms River Township ranks #190 on History.
New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Toms River Township’s 1.8 sits near the middle of its state (40% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 18 historic buildings outnumber those of 79% of U.S. towns.
Newer cities are common at Toms River Township’s size: in the typical U.S. city of 100,000 or more, 5% of homes predate 1940.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1768.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A−. The pre-1940 share (±0.6 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Toms River Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Toms River Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888Barnegat sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Toms River Township.
Much of the early history of the settlement of Toms River is obscured by conflicting stories. Various sources list the eponym of the township as either English captain William Tom, or farmer and ferryman Thomas Luker. In 1992, as part of celebrations commemorating the township's 225th anniversary, official recognition was granted to the tradition that the "Tom" in "Toms River" was for Thomas Luker, who ran a ferry across Goose Creek (now the Toms River). During the 19th century, Toms River became a center for shipbuilding, whaling, fishing, and iron and lumber production. The settlement and the river were usually spelled "Tom's River" in its early days, though its current spelling has been standard since the middle of the 19th century.
In 1768, according to Wikidata. Toms River Township’s post office opened in 1833, and the first U.S. census counted 910 people here in 1790.
How does Toms River Township rank for history?
Toms River Township is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #215 of 468 in New Jersey. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Toms River Township?
11 listings: 10 buildings, among them the A.A. Brant House (listed 1982, the first). 18 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Toms River Township?
3% of Toms River Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1978.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikidata (6), the National Register of Historic Places (10), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
