Township of Ocean School District, NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Township of Ocean School District

Township of Ocean School District is a midsize central New Jersey public school system serving about that enrollment across five buildings. The district covers a broad stretch of Monmouth County that includes the communities of Ocean Township itself as well as parts of Oakhurst, Deal, Allenhurst, and Long Branch. Housing in the area is expensive, with home values well above state and national medians, and the rental market is also costly. The county housing market is active, with limited inventory and relatively fast sales. A parent moving here should expect a high-cost real estate environment typical of the Jersey Shore suburbs.

The student body is largely White, with a Hispanic population making up roughly a fifth of enrollment and Black and Asian groups each in the single digits. A small fraction of students are multiracial, and only a handful are Native American or Pacific Islander. The district serves grades PK through 12, with a formal pre-K program. Data on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner status were not available. The chronic absenteeism rate, though, sits near the midpoint among Monmouth County’s districts, which gives a baseline for student attendance.

Academically, the picture is mixed. On state English language arts exams, elementary grades 3 through 5 show a clear strength, with a solid majority of students reaching proficiency. Grade 7 ELA results are also strong. The middle school years show a step down in grade 6, where fewer than half of students score proficient, and grade 8 ELA drops further. Math results display a sharper decline. Early elementary math is solid, with a majority proficient in grades 3 through 5. Starting in grade 6, math proficiency falls to about a quarter of students, and by grade 8 it is very low. Science results at grade 5 and grade 8 are also low. The district’s overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades is below the midpoint when compared with other Monmouth County districts. A family considering this district should look carefully at how the middle school years handle math and science instruction, as the transition appears to be a challenging one. The comparison data show that per-pupil spending is in the upper half of the county’s districts, so the district is not under-resourced.

The district runs five schools: an elementary school, Wanamassa Elementary, and Wayside Elementary, all serving early grades; a single intermediate school; and Ocean Township High School. Program offerings at the high school were not detailed in the available data, so a parent would want to ask directly about Advanced Placement, career and technical education, and dual-credit options. Graduation rate data were not reported, which may reflect a data gap rather than an issue, but it is worth noting because it is a standard measure for high school outcomes.

A search for recent district changes, referendums, budget shifts, or curriculum updates turned up nothing specific in publicly reported sources. That means the district has not had a major, well-publicized transformation in the recent period, or at least none that left a clear trail. Families who want to understand current direction should attend school board meetings or review district communications directly.

This district fits a family that values strong early elementary reading and math scores and is willing to look closely at the middle school experience, particularly in math. It serves a high-cost suburban market where home values are well above national averages. The chronic absenteeism rate is typical for the county, not a red flag. The lack of public data on free and reduced-price lunch, special education, and English learner counts is a gap a prospective parent should fill by asking the district. The same goes for high school programming and graduation outcomes. The school system appears to be a reasonably resourced, typical Monmouth County district with an academic profile that holds up well in the early grades and struggles more in the middle years.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

3,263

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 21%

Black 11%

White 59%

Asian 6%

Two+ 2%

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

55%

74%

Gr 4

45%

80%

Gr 5

51%

65%

Gr 6

28%

56%

Gr 7

50%

76%

Gr 8

28%

62%

Math

Gr 3

44%

73%

Gr 4

30%

68%

Gr 5

50%

61%

Gr 6

16%

37%

Gr 7

17%

43%

Gr 8

17%

Science

Gr 5

30%

41%

Gr 8

26%

Schools in this District

5 schools are officially reported under this district.

Ocean Township High School

Township of Ocean Intermediate School

Ocean Township Elementary School

Wanamassa Elementary School

Wayside Elementary School

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

64%

Grade 3

58%

Grade 4

58%

Grade 5

29%

Grade 6

34%

Grade 7

11%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

68%

Grade 3

72%

Grade 4

61%

Grade 5

45%

Grade 6

67%

Grade 7

52%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

38%

Grade 5

21%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$1.02M

Year-over-year change+4.0%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$738K to $4.3M

vs. state typical1.78x

vs. national typical2.76x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
07712	Ocean	$738K	+3.2%	64.5%
07755	Oakhurst	$1.0M	+3.8%	27.0%
07723	Deal	$4.3M	+12.8%	4.2%
07711	Allenhurst	$2.4M	+9.4%	2.9%
07740	Long Branch	$808K	+3.0%	1.5%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,715/mo

Year-over-year change+4.8%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$2,715 to $2,733/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
07712	Ocean	$2,715	+4.7%	64.5%
07740	Long Branch	$2,733	+8.5%	1.5%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$5,130/mo

Home price / national median income12.1x

Annual rent / national median income38.9%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$2,414/mo

Market Activity: Monmouth County

Median listing price$829,000

Median listing price YoY-3.5%

Median price per sq ft$408

Median price per sq ft YoY+3.5%

Median days on market32.5 days

Median days on market YoY-4.4%

Active listings1,424

Active listings YoY+1.6%

New listings896

New listings YoY+12.0%

Pending listings1,441

Pending listings YoY+4.5%

Hotness: median listing price$813,500

Hotness: median listing price YoY-4.8%

Supply score91.5

Supply score YoY+6.5%

Demand score86.6

Demand score YoY+7.5%

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.