Population 20,498 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Forked River
Household size in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.59 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Forked River average 2.58 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the New York area as a whole, where it has 2.79 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.71, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.8 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.4 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.6 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.6 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.8 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Forked River skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.8 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Forked River: 8.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Forked River
Renters in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 13.1% of households in Forked River rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 39.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the south. The renter share has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Forked River as nationally: 9.8%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the New York area overall (7.9%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.2 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Forked River are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the wider New York area, where the median home dates to 1962. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,659 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,261 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,501 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,970 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$310 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Forked River runs $1,970 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $310 a month from 2006–10, a 19% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.0% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Forked River
Bachelor's degrees in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.6% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.3% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.0% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.2% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Forked River (33.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the New York area as a whole (43.6%). The share with a degree is up 10.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.0% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Forked River is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Forked River
| Period | Forked River | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Forked River: 6.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Forked River compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forked River | 2.58 | 44.6 | 8.1% | 13.1% | 9.8% | 1981 | $1,970 | 33.2% | 94.2% | 6.8% |
| Forked River Beach | 2.91 | 43.8 | 7.3% | 18.3% | 9.0% | 1980 | $2,175 | 29.4% | 91.2% | 5.1% |
| Lanoka Harbor | 2.78 | 48.9 | 2.7% | 8.5% | 12.6% | 1989 | $1,394 | 34.8% | 92.9% | 3.2% |
| Waretown | 2.30 | 55.3 | 10.7% | 12.9% | 16.0% | 1982 | $1,734 | 30.7% | 95.0% | 7.1% |
| Bayville | 2.68 | 43.8 | 8.1% | 14.0% | 9.0% | 1983 | $1,648 | 28.7% | 92.5% | 7.2% |
| Beachwood | 2.82 | 43.7 | 6.6% | 7.4% | 6.8% | 1974 | $2,419 | 27.6% | 95.3% | 3.1% |
| Barnegat | 2.56 | 48.1 | 10.8% | 12.6% | 8.7% | 1993 | $1,715 | 33.8% | 94.8% | 6.8% |
| Pine Beach | 2.54 | 50.9 | 9.7% | 10.1% | 9.7% | 1965 | $1,616 | 46.1% | 96.3% | 6.5% |
| Ocean Gate | 2.26 | 52.7 | 7.8% | 17.1% | 38.5% | 1956 | $1,580 | 33.3% | 92.8% | 3.8% |
| South Toms River | 3.46 | 38.4 | 18.9% | 21.8% | 3.8% | 1966 | $1,944 | 16.9% | 87.2% | 7.2% |
| Island Heights | 2.16 | 52.7 | 6.7% | 6.6% | 7.4% | 1955 | $1,671 | 46.3% | 98.2% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Radford, VA · Haughton, LA · Havelock, NC · Havre de Grace, MD · Hawthorne, NJ · Hermosa Beach, CA · Highland, UT · Holly, MI · Louisville, OH · Orocovis, PR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Forked River. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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