Population 3,548 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in The Gardens
Household size in The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.97 | 1.95 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.10 | 2.03 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.21 | 2.11 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.89 | 1.99 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in The Gardens are small: just 1.89 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
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 The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.8 | 50.9 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.7 | 53.2 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 56.1 | 54.2 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.5 | 53.0 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +2.1 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 50.5, The Gardens is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Locally, though, the population here is younger than in Ocean City overall, where the median age is 53.0.
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 The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 14.6% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 6.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 7.2% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 6.9% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −7.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in The Gardens: 4.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 6.1 points from 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 The Gardens
Renters in The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.0% | 33.7% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.0% | 37.2% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.9% | 28.7% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.5% | 27.3% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −6.4 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in The Gardens own their homes; 28.5% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. That is in line with the rest of Ocean City. Nearly six in ten owners (56.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.9% | 61.9% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 60.8% | 65.1% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 62.3% | 66.3% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 61.7% | 66.4% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +4.5 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in The Gardens: 61.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Locally, though, the rate is lower than in Ocean City overall (66.4%).
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 The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1969 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1969 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1974 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1977 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +8 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in The Gardens run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1974 against 1980. That is in line with the rest of Ocean City.
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 The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,052 | $1,005 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,111 | $1,099 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,409 | $1,332 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,785 | $1,714 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$733 | +$709 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in The Gardens costs $1,785 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Ocean City as a whole looks much the same. Rent takes 42.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 The Gardens
Bachelor's degrees in The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.8% | 41.8% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.7% | 46.5% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.5% | 51.3% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 61.5% | 57.0% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.8 pts | +15.2 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
The Gardens is highly educated: about six in ten adults 25 and older (61.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%.
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 The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.0% | 91.0% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.6% | 95.9% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.2% | 96.7% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.8% | 97.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +6.4 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in The Gardens: 98.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Ocean City.
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 The Gardens
| Period | The Gardens | Ocean City | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 8.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 6.2% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 3.2% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 4.0% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.9 pts | −4.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in The Gardens has been strong: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
The Gardens compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Gardens | 1.89 | 50.5 | 4.8% | 28.5% | 61.7% | 1974 | $1,785 | 61.5% | 98.8% | 2.8% |
| Lower Chelsea | 2.11 | 46.2 | 11.6% | 46.2% | 26.0% | 1960 | $1,295 | 38.6% | 87.4% | 4.0% |
| Chelsea | 2.79 | 41.6 | 17.9% | 65.1% | 18.8% | 1946 | $1,374 | 17.6% | 69.2% | 14.5% |
| Westside | 2.22 | 39.6 | 29.8% | 82.0% | 11.0% | 1966 | $837 | 13.6% | 75.9% | 26.8% |
| Atlantic City Inlet | 2.10 | 39.2 | 22.6% | 74.8% | 12.7% | 1982 | $1,215 | 22.5% | 86.7% | 9.2% |
| Rising Sun-Lebanon | 3.37 | 32.2 | 9.9% | 34.5% | 5.2% | 1995 | $1,711 | 38.2% | 89.8% | 1.7% |
| Kent Acres | 2.90 | 36.7 | 19.7% | 16.3% | 10.0% | 1979 | $1,243 | 32.2% | 89.0% | 6.8% |
| Penns Beach | 2.37 | 41.1 | 15.0% | 17.0% | 9.5% | 1971 | $820 | 19.9% | 94.6% | 14.2% |
| Northwest Wilmington | 2.13 | 47.2 | 17.0% | 40.4% | 4.9% | 1954 | $1,296 | 38.3% | 96.5% | 4.2% |
| Downtown | 2.28 | 33.5 | 30.1% | 72.5% | 21.5% | 1953 | $1,074 | 20.1% | 86.2% | 8.9% |
| 9th Ward | 2.84 | 34.1 | 21.4% | 62.4% | 10.1% | 1956 | $1,230 | 21.4% | 91.4% | 7.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Ol Sun, Clifton, CO · Cleveland Heights, Lakeland, FL · Northlake Park at Lake Nona, Orlando, FL · New Hampshire Gardens, Takoma Park, MD · Meredith Parkwood, Santa Ana, CA · Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Pittsburgh, PA · Villas at Norcross, Norcross, GA · Upper East Side, Milwaukee, WI · Downtown Hamtramck, Hamtramck, MI · Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO
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 The Gardens. 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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