The 5 Top-Rated Places To Retire On The Jersey Shore

The Jersey Shore checks a lot of boxes for recent retirees. Tucked around renowned vacation destinations like the casino-lined Atlantic City boardwalk (the largest in the world) are charming beach towns with a quieter vibe. The area is also within easy reach of the entertainment and cultural attractions in large metro areas like Philadelphia and New York City. This combination of a tranquil atmosphere with the amenities of a big city strikes the exact balance many retirees want when they're looking for a place to spend their golden years.

New Jersey's shore is ideal for active retirees who love to spend time outdoors. Along with 130 miles of coast lined in sandy beaches, the region has ample places to get out in nature, like the diverse landscapes and wildlife of the Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area or the trails of Maurice River Bluffs Preserve, which are especially beautiful when the leaves take on their fall colors in October. The climate is a factor here, too. While New Jersey does get snow in the winter, winters are milder along the coast than further inland, with average lows in the high 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the coldest month of January. On the other side, summers here are sunny and warm, with average highs between 75 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit from June through September.

There are great places to retire all along New Jersey's Atlantic Coast, and choosing the best fit ultimately comes down to what you're looking for in a new home. That said, the five locations below all earn high ratings for retirement suitability and are top spots to start your search.

Sea Girt is consistently cited as one of the best spots for retirees in New Jersey, receiving an A+ rating for retirees on its Niche.com report card for its low crime rate and variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment. It also gets high marks for walkability, meaning it's easy to enjoy this vibrant community and all of its cultural amenities.

The top-ranked retirement haven of Sea Girt is about 90 minutes east of Philadelphia and roughly the same distance south of New York City. It's predominantly a residential area, with a year-round population of around 2,000 people and close-knit community feel that's well-suited to those who prefer small-town living. Which isn't to say it's boring. This historic town is home to landmarks like the 1896 Sea Girt Lighthouse, one of only 11 still open to the public along New Jersey's coast. The town also has a strong military history, one you can learn about at the free National Guard Militia Museum. To enjoy the outdoors, you can stroll the boardwalk lining Sea Girt Beach, hit the links at Spring Lake Golf Club, or hike the forest trails at Crescent Park and Edgemere Park. Sea Girt also has a nice variety of restaurants, from the historic beach-side Parker House to the inviting ambiance of the recently renovated Rod's Tavern.

The main downside of Sea Girt as a retirement destination is one that holds true across New Jersey: the cost of living is on the high side, especially when it comes to housing, with a median home value around $2 million. Rent is more reasonable, however, averaging around $1,550 a month as of this writing, which is about 10% cheaper than the average across New Jersey.

The 18-mile Long Beach Island (or LBI, to locals) hugs the New Jersey coast about 25 miles north of Atlantic City. Its sandy beaches, beautiful parks, historic landmarks, and unique museums make Long Beach Island a popular destination for tourists. The land is split into six towns, each of which has its own identity and attractions, including three that rank among the area's top retirement destinations: Beach Haven, Surf City, and Ship Bottom.

The beloved family-friendly beach town of Beach Haven gets the highest marks on its Niche.com scorecard, ranked the third-best place to retire in New Jersey. Surf City is just behind it in the fourth spot, and is notable for its high percentage of retirees — of the 1,200 people who live in Surf City, about half are seniors. Between these towns is Ship Bottom, known as the "Gateway to Long Beach Island" since it's built around the only bridge to the mainland.

The area around Beach Haven is known for family fun at spots like Fantasy Island Amusement Park. Next to the park is Bay Village, a shopping hub designed to look like a 19th-century town. Ship Bottom also has shops and restaurants, along with summer concerts at the boat ramp and events like the October LBI Kite Festival and the island's annual Christmas parade. Surf City offers the most relaxed vibe, with low-key beaches that seniors with limited mobility can still enjoy thanks to the Gator Program. Whichever town you're in, you'll have easy access to all of these attractions with the LBI Shuttle, which runs from Memorial Day through early October and costs just $5 a ride.

Linwood is a town of about 7,000 people located just over 10 miles west of Atlantic City and about 25 miles south of the bayfront borough of Tuckerton. It ranks among Niche.com's best New Jersey towns to retire because it combines a low crime rate and relaxed, suburban feel with some of the region's most affordable housing. A typical home in Linwood sells for about $372,000, which is 13.9% below the New Jersey average. Retirees can also take advantage of communities like the Village at Linwood, a 55+ neighborhood that has a clubhouse for activities along with condos.

In addition to its affordability, Linwood is a great area for enjoying the outdoors. The Linwood Arboretum is a beautiful setting for a stroll, and one where gardeners can find inspiration, since residential landscaping suitability is one of the key criteria for plant selection. There are also about a dozen golf courses within a 20-minute drive, as well as several protected natural areas. Birders can see rare and endangered birds in the Malibu Beach Wildlife Management Area, particularly in the spring when migrating herons, sandpipers, egrets, and wrens come here to nest. For hiking trails, the 220-acre Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve has about 10 miles of trails winding through woods around a 45-acre lake that's popular for bass fishing. The Longport Fishing Pier on Ocean Drive Bridge is another favorite spot for anglers. Dog parents can take their furbaby for a frolic at the nearby Longport Dog Beach, a free off-leash sandy beach.

Margate City is about 5 miles south-west of Atlantic City on Absecon Island, on the other side of Lakes Bay from Linwood. It's best known for delicious seafood and America's oldest roadside attraction, but it's also regarded as one of the best places to live in New Jersey, especially for retirees. Similar to Linwood, its suburban feel, low crime, and relative affordability put it in the top 20 of Niche.com's best places to retire in New Jersey. The cost of living in Margate City is slightly below the U.S. average (and more than 20% below the New Jersey average), so a fixed income will go further here than in other spots along the Jersey Shore.

The bay side of Margate City has several docks which can be used for fishing, while the town's marinas offer chartered ocean fishing trips. For swimming or sunbathing, there are 2 miles of white sand beaches along the Atlantic Coast, including several that have ramp access and available transportation over the dunes for those with limited mobility. Speaking of accessibility, the Margate Senior Shuttle is a helpful local amenity, providing door-to-door transportation in Margate, Longport, and Ventnor for anyone over 60. The town also has an active senior center, the Martin Bloom Pavilion, with daily activities like card games and knitting clubs where you can meet fellow retirees. If you want to do some shopping, there are a variety of independent shops along Ventnor Avenue, or you can hit up the Margate Community Farmers Market on Thursdays in the summer.

The borough of Monmouth Beach is in the northern part of the Jersey Shore, about 60 miles south of New York City. That's close enough that it's often described as a suburb of the east coast metropolis, and puts the extensive entertainment, restaurants, and other amenities of New York in easy reach for Monmouth Beach's 3,200 residents. This location also opens up other day trip destinations, like kayak tours of secluded Sedge Island or America's oldest lighthouse at Sandy Hook.

Monmouth Beach matches the other towns on this list for safety and access to necessary services like healthcare and public transportation. It also gets the highest walkability score on Home Stratosphere's list of the best towns to retire in New Jersey (where it's ranked third overall). It's lower in Niche.com's rankings, largely because of its relatively high cost of living. Monmouth Beach started as an exclusive resort for the wealthy in the late 19th century, and the area has retained that reputation for luxury. This is especially true when it comes to housing, and typical rent and home prices are higher than the New Jersey average. Housing is a bit more affordable in neighboring towns like Long Branch and Red Bank if you want to retire in the area but Monmouth Beach is out of your budget.

Money matters aside, Monmouth Beach has all the traits that many retirees look for. It's close to bustling beaches and boardwalks, but has the quiet atmosphere and welcoming community of a small town. Along with easy access to the shore, the extensive local park system and multiple nearby golf courses give residents lots of options for enjoying the outdoors. Boaters can dock their watercraft at the Channel Club Marina, where restaurants like Beach Tavern and Osteria Molo offer high-end waterfront dining.

These five towns were first chosen from the list of Niche.com's 2025 ranking of Best Places to Retire in New Jersey. Then the specific towns included in this list were narrowed down based on several factors that are often important to recent retirees, including the percentage of residents over 65, the cost of living, the crime rate, access to doctors and healthcare, and the typical climate. We also considered the amenities that the town offers, like the proximity of restaurants, grocery stores, and recreational activities like golf courses and sports centers. We consulted additional sources to supplement and verify this ranking. This includes cost of living data as reported on BestPlaces and Home Stratosphere's listing of the 16 Best Towns to Retire in New Jersey, which also factored in the town's walkability and public transportation options.