Signature · 43.6% low-access (90th pct)
Ocean County, NJ
Ocean County sits in the upper national band on low-access (43.6%, +21.5 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 43.6%
- low-access pop.
- 25
- food-desert tracts
- 6.4%
- on SNAP
- 654K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Ocean County, NJ
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-SEVERE 43.6% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +21.5 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 25 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 6.4% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Sussex County ( -0.9 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Ocean County sits in the upper national band (43.6%, #305 of 3,079) with 25 LILA tracts.
- #305
- national by low-access %
- #1
- in NJ
- 87
- low-access tracts
- 51K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 43.6% low-access (90th pct) (+21.5 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Ocean County compares nationally
Ocean County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 43.6% low-access share outpaces 90% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #305 most-affected nationwide.
Ocean County's elevated USDA tier split
125 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 25 LILA.
Ocean County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (111 urban, 14 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 14 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Ocean County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in New Jersey, not a full county-board reprint
- Ocean
Ocean 43.6%
43.6 % low-access
- Sussex
Sussex 42.7%
42.7 % low-access
- Gloucester
Gloucester 41.3%
41.3 % low-access
- Morris
Morris 40.3%
40.3 % low-access
- Somerset
Somerset 40.2%
40.2 % low-access
- Hudson 0.7
Hudson 0.7%
0.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 125 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 576,567 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 87 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 25 |
| Low-Access Population | 251,643 |
| Low-Access Share | 43.6%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 51,113 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 654,362 |
| Median Household Income | $89,863 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 15,692 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.4%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in Ocean County
Ocean County has 294 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 13 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 105 locations (36% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
36 towns share the 294 authorized stores; Toms River holds 20% of them. 14 of the 36 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Little Egg Harbor Twp, Point Pleasant Beach, Beachwood, Lakehurst, Ship Bottom, Bamegat and 8 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Toms River | 60 | 15 |
| Lakewood | 47 | 25 |
| Brick | 36 | 10 |
| Jackson | 27 | 3 |
| Manahawkin | 14 | 7 |
| Bayville | 10 | 1 |
| Whiting | 10 | 1 |
| Barnegat | 9 | 1 |
| Little Egg Harbor Twp | 8 | none |
| Point Pleasant Boro | 8 | 1 |
Top 10 of 36 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 105
- 7 eleven 2411 26514f, beach haven
- 7 eleven 2411 34685b, lakewood
- 7 eleven 2411-23655, seaside heights
- 7 eleven 11024b, pine beach
- 7-eleven store inc 11041e, toms river
- 7-eleven 11015-a, brick
- 7-eleven 40099j, jackson
- 7-eleven inc f, toms river
- 7-eleven inc f 11027g, brick
- 7-eleven store #16164d, lanoka harbor
- 7-eleven store 11028 11028f, brick
- 7-eleven store 17871e, brick
- 7-eleven store 23436f, point pleasant beach
- 7-eleven, inc. 26992j, seaside park
- 7-eleven 25201c, toms river
- 7-eleven store #11046a 11046a, point pleasant boro
- 7-eleven store #40099a, jackson
- 7-eleven store 27497c, point pleasant beach
- 7-eleven store 36055c, little egg harbor twp
- 7-eleven store 38441a, bayville
- 7-eleven store 41819a, jackson
- babe's corner store, seaside heights
- cedar bridge mini market, lakewood
- country farm/girdhar inc, toms river
- chick chock, jackson
- country farm, whiting
- country farms, toms river
- country farms, brick
- country food market, bayville
- el cerrito, beachwood
- home town food store, cream ridge
- hometown food mart, toms river
- in n out deli, seaside heights
- jackson conveniance store, jackson
- krauszer's food store, jackson
- krauszer's food store, toms river
- krauszers, brick
- krauszers food store, toms river
- lakewood exxon 39906, lakewood
- leisure village exxon, lakewood
- lucky convienience store, brick
- mckinley convenience store, manahawkin
- mid-shore meats, toms river
- mini mart, little egg harbor twp
- natural foods general store, toms river
- nature's nutrition, brick
- news plus, toms river
- nidhi llc, parkertown
- ocean gate market, ocean gate
- pangaea naturals health food market, manahawkin
- quick foods spices of jamaica, toms river
- quick stop convenient food mart, barnegat
- quick stop food market, jackson
- right stop, tuckerton
- robin's convenience store & deli, lakewood
- royal farms 330, brick
- sierra poblana mini market llc, point pleasant beach
- singin oil yes, toms river
- singin quick mart, lakewood
- speedway 3457, toms river
- speedy mart, lakewood
- stop n shop, lakewood
- three brothers grocery, little egg harbor twp
- tiger tail llc, lakewood
- wawa 309, jackson
- wawa 321, toms river
- wawa 371, little egg harbor twp
- wawa 429, toms river
- wawa 441, barnegat
- wawa 497, tuckerton
- wawa 700, ship bottom
- wawa 733, brick
- wawa 744, manahawkin
- wawa 763, toms river
- wawa 794, lanoka harbor
- wawa 798, new egypt
- wawa 923, brick
- wawa 927, toms river
- wawa 931, bayville
- wawa 933, jackson
- wawa 935, manahawkin
- wawa 937, toms river
- wawa 939, toms river
- wawa 948, whiting
- wawa 949, lavallette
- wawa 953, toms river
- wawa 958, forked river
- wawa 977, long beach township
- wawa 978, little egg harbor twp
- wawa 979, new egypt
- wawa 994, manahawkin
- wawa 995, toms river
- wawa 0988, forked river
- wawa 0997, brick
- wawa 8307, toms river
- wawa 8309, barnegat
- wawa 8319, lakewood
- wawa 8328, jackson
- wawa 8371, toms river
- wawa 8372, brick
- wawa store 8463, brick
- wawa store 8494, lakehurst
- wawa store 8495, jackson
- welsh farms, point pleasant boro
- welsh farms, forked river
Combination Grocery/Other · 89
- aisle 9, jackson
- bayville quality meats, bayville
- cvs 10458, beachwood
- cvs 1782, jackson
- cvs 2284, brick
- cvs 5675, barnegat
- cvs 8939, lakewood
- cvs pharmacy 5831, seaside heights
- cvs pharmacy 10608, toms river
- cvs pharmacy 2130, lakewood
- cvs pharmacy 2301, new egypt
- cvs pharmacy 2369, jackson
- cvs pharmacy 2464, brick
- cvs pharmacy 2723, whiting
- cvs pharmacy 2837, toms river
- cvs pharmacy 356, toms river
- cvs pharmacy 6947, ship bottom
- cvs pharmacy 815, point pleasant beach
- cvs pharmacy inc 2970, lanoka harbor
- cvs pharmacy inc 3972, whiting
- cvs pharmacy inc 7190, waretown
- dollar general 17983, bayville
- dollar tree 1720, point pleasant boro
- dollartree 6307, toms river
- dollartree 8178, bayville
- dollartree 8531, whiting
- dollartree 8916, jackson
- dollar general 11841, lakehurst
- dollar general 11850, brick
- dollar general 11896, whiting
- dollar general 11916, lakewood
- dollar general 12340, toms river
- dollar general 12373, bayville
- dollar general 17237, ocean twp
- dollar general 17381, tuckerton
- dollar general 19550, forked river
- dollar general 20397, manchester township
- dollar general 20416, manchester
- dollar general 21408, toms river
- dollar general 21544, barnegat
- dollar general 21944, whiting
- dollar general 31122, beachwood
- dollar general 8229, jackson
- dollar general 8543, point pleasant beach
- dollar general store 18420, jackson
- dollar tree 0491, toms river
- dollar tree 1468, toms river
- dollar tree 1635, brick
- dollar tree 1636, lanoka harbor
- dollar tree 1666, manahawkin
- dollar tree 3222, lakewood
- dollar tree 4468, manchester
- dollar tree 5073, jackson
- dollar tree 5162, toms river
- dollar tree 6370, little egg harbor twp
- dollar tree 6675, point pleasant boro
- dollar tree 7193, toms river
- dollar tree 7412, bamegat
- dollar tree 7593, toms river
- dollar tree 8323, brick
- dollar tree 8904, barnegat
- family dollar 8504, little egg harbor twp
- family dollar store 4975, forked river
- ocean state job lot 561, barnegat
- quick chek food stores 113, point pleasant boro
- quick chek 102, manchester
- quick chek 135, bayville
- quick chek 136, jackson
- quick chek 152, lakewood
- quick chek 154, jackson
- quickchek 160, brick
- quickchek corporation 150, beachwood
- quickchek corporation 155, toms river
- ty fresh african market and multi services, brick
- walgreens 4919, toms river
- walgreens 01315, toms river
- walgreens 03908, jackson
- walgreens 04885, brick
- walgreens 06321, toms river
- walgreens 07921, brick
- walgreens 09503, barnegat
- walgreens 09626, bayville
- walgreens 09989, little egg harbor twp
- walgreens 10214, point pleasant boro
- walgreens 10695, toms river
- walgreens 13754, point pleasant boro
- walgreens 15649, whiting
- walgreens 17688, manahawkin
- yener turkish food market, toms river
Super Store · 32
- b js wholesale club 100, toms river
- b js wholesale club 192, manahawkin
- bingo wholesale 2, lakewood
- costco wholesale 0739, brick
- costco wholesale 1025, stafford township
- evergreen kosher, lakewood
- gg lakewood llc/gourmet glatt lakewood, lakewood
- gourmet glatt south, lakewood
- kosher village llc, lakewood
- kosher west, lakewood
- lidl 1176, lacey
- lidl 1425, brick
- livotis old world market, brick
- murphy's mkt of lbt/murphy grant, beach haven
- npgs, jackson
- npgs ii inc., lakewood
- npgs- south lake, lakewood
- new egypt marketplace, new egypt
- nutmeg kosher market, lakewood
- park ave grocery dba foodex, lakewood
- quality kosher meats, lakewood
- seasons express, lakewood
- seasons express, toms river
- shop on 9 market llc/aisle 9, lakewood
- target 2392, manahawkin
- target store 1153, brick
- target store 1154, toms river
- walmart 1844, toms river
- walmart 1921, manahawkin
- walmart supercenter 1977, brick
- walmart supercenter 3830, little egg harbor
- walmart supercenter 5414, lanoka harbor
Supermarket · 29 (24 shown)
- acme 3858, tuckerton
- aldi 60051, toms river
- aldi 60059, manahawkin
- aldi 60069 60069, brick
- aldi 60126, forked river
- aldi 60162, toms river
- acme 295, seaside heights
- acme 3921, barnegat
- acme 3993, long beach township
- acme 776, manahawkin
- brick shop rite 641, bricktown
- exito fresh market, lakewood
- international supermarket, lakewood
- kollel food store, lakewood
- la palma bakery & fresh market, toms river
- stop & shop 811, toms river
- shoprite of bayville 618, bayville
- shoprite of jackson 616, jackson
- shoprite of lacey township 609, lanoka harbor
- shoprite of manahawkin commons 624, manahawkin
- shoprite of manchester 614, manchester
- shoprite of toms river 610, toms river
- shoprite of waretown 619, waretown
- stop & shop 808, toms river
Showing 250 of 294 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in New Jersey
One of 20 counties in New Jersey, 6 are shown here.
Compare Ocean County vs Atlantic County → · All New Jersey counties →
Counties near Ocean County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Ocean County, both outside New Jersey so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NJ (43.6% here).
- Laclede County, MO · 43.7% low-access
- Hancock County, MS · 43.5% low-access
- Anderson County, TX · 43.8% low-access
- Hamilton County, TN · 43.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NJ (6.4% here).
- Grafton County, NH · 6.4% SNAP
- Johnson County, MO · 6.4% SNAP
- Christian County, MO · 6.4% SNAP
- Charleston County, SC · 6.4% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
New Jersey among Middle Atlantic states
New Jersey ranks 1st of 3 Middle Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (23.8%). Ocean County, at 43.6%, runs 19.8 pts above the New Jersey rate.
- New Jersey 23.8%
- Pennsylvania 21.4%
- New York 12.0%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Ocean County, NJ are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 34029. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.