Manchester Township School District, NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Manchester Township School District

Manchester Township School District is a public PreK-12 district in Ocean County, serving a student population that is diverse in background, with about half of students identifying as white and the other half representing a mix of Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial backgrounds. The district draws from the greater Manchester Township area, a part of Ocean County where the housing market shows a mix of more affordable and higher-priced pockets depending on the specific neighborhood or zip code. Home values in the district's catchment area are generally below the state median, and the rental market is limited, with data available for only a small portion of the district, so families relocating here should expect a tighter rental search. The broader Ocean County real estate market is relatively active, with a moderate number of homes for sale and a recent slight dip in median listing prices compared to the prior year, suggesting a market that has cooled somewhat but remains stable. The district spends above the midpoint among Ocean County's districts on a per-pupil basis, placing it in the upper half of that spending range.

Academically, the district's state test results, from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment, show that in math, across grades three through eight, the share of students scoring proficient or above falls below the midpoint among Ocean County's districts. The rates are relatively consistent across grade levels, hovering in the mid-thirty percent range for most grades, with eighth-grade math slightly lower. In English language arts, the proficiency rates are higher, though still below the county median overall, with the strongest results in fifth and eighth grades, where roughly half of students met the proficiency bar. Science results, tested in fifth and eighth grades, are markedly lower, with a modest share of students reaching the proficient or above mark. A parent reviewing these results should note that while state tests provide one lens, they do not capture the full picture of a student's experience, and the district's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among its Ocean County peers.

No data on the district's high school graduation rate was available for this narrative, so a parent evaluating the district's upper-grade outcomes will want to ask the school about that metric directly. Similarly, information on program offerings such as Advanced Placement, career and technical education, or dual enrollment was not provided, so the breadth of academic pathways for high school students is not clear from this account. The district operates six schools: three elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, and a regional day school. The presence of a regional day school suggests the district supports students who may need an alternative or specialized setting, though the civil rights data, including discipline rates and special education counts, was not available to offer a fuller picture of student support and equity.

The chronic absenteeism rate for the district is above the midpoint among Ocean County's districts, meaning a larger share of students miss a significant number of school days compared to peers across the county. This is a soft spot a family should look into further with the school. The locale brief and district brief did not contain any recent parent-relevant changes, such as boundary adjustments, school closures, or new initiatives, so what is described here is the district's current, largely static profile. For a family deciding whether this district fits, the academic picture is one where the district is working from a below-county-average starting point on state assessments, with spending that suggests a commitment of resources, but the chronic absenteeism rate signals a challenge the district may be addressing. The community itself is part of Ocean County's suburban and retirement-heavy landscape, with a housing market that offers some affordability relative to the state as a whole.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,926

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 32%

Black 9%

White 49%

Asian 4%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

21%

56%

Gr 4

25%

56%

Gr 5

38%

60%

Gr 6

28%

54%

Gr 7

32%

62%

Gr 8

41%

52%

Math

Gr 3

18%

54%

Gr 4

19%

52%

Gr 5

25%

42%

Gr 6

23%

50%

Gr 7

28%

49%

Gr 8

30%

28%

Science

Gr 5

14%

26%

Gr 8

19%

Schools in this District

6 schools are officially reported under this district.

Manchester Township Elementary School

Manchester Township High School

Ridgeway Elementary School

Whiting Elementary School

Manchester Township Middle School

Manchester Regional Day School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

36%

Grade 3

35%

Grade 4

33%

Grade 5

36%

Grade 6

37%

Grade 7

29%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

38%

Grade 3

40%

Grade 4

49%

Grade 5

41%

Grade 6

46%

Grade 7

47%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

20%

Grade 5

14%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$343,845

Year-over-year change-0.3%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$274K to $561K

vs. state typical0.60x

vs. national typical0.93x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
08759	Toms River	$274K	-1.8%	71.6%
08533	New Egypt	$561K	+4.2%	22.6%
08757	Toms River	$346K	+2.3%	3.7%
08733	Whiting	$369K	-0.9%	2.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,650/mo

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
08757	Toms River	$2,650	—	3.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,735/mo

Home price / national median income4.1x

Annual rent / national median income38.0%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$915/mo

Market Activity: Ocean County

Median listing price$529,900

Median listing price YoY-6.2%

Median price per sq ft$313

Median price per sq ft YoY+1.0%

Median days on market36.0 days

Median days on market YoY-2.0%

Active listings2,490

Active listings YoY+7.2%

New listings1,256

New listings YoY+12.9%

Pending listings1,520

Pending listings YoY-1.5%

Hotness: median listing price$535,000

Hotness: median listing price YoY-9.6%

Supply score86.2

Supply score YoY+6.8%

Demand score59.9

Demand score YoY+2.7%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$571,373 (+3.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.