Forked River, NJ · standard
ZIP Code 08731
Ocean County, New Jersey - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 20,009
- 162/sq mi High-density area
- $98,582
- Median income Above-median income area
- $404,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 33.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Forked River pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 20%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 20%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 162
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08731 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 08731 (Forked River, NJ) rose +7.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 289.3 in 2023 to 309.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 08731 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Forked River, Ocean County, New Jersey, with 20,009 residents across 123.8 square miles, a density of 162 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 08731 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $98,582 (19% below the average New Jersey ZIP), while per-capita income is $48,139. The poverty rate is 6.2%, with unemployment at 6.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $404,200 (22% below the average New Jersey ZIP), and median rent is $2,070; owner occupancy is 86.6%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.2, and the average commute is 33 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Ocean County, so 08731 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 08731
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Forked River, NJ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08731.
- Construction
Construction
78 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
69 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
56 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
49 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
45 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 08731, Forked River, NJ · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
20,009
Population
123.8
Area (sq mi)
162
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 08731?
47.2
Median Age
48.2%
Male
51.8%
Female
4.9%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$98,582
Median Household Income
-19% vs state ZIP avg
$48,139
Per Capita Income
6.2%
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Unemployment Rate
32.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 08731 ranks among New Jersey ZIPs
Forked River, NJ household income vs. every New Jersey ZIP code
Median household income among 565 reporting New Jersey ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$98,582 34th percentile higher than 34% of 565 New Jersey ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more New Jersey ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
9,719housing units
9,719
Total Housing Units
8,656
Occupied Units
1,063
Vacant Units
2.49
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$404,200
Median Home Value
-22% vs state ZIP avg
$2,070
Median Rent
1981
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+7.1%
YoY Change (2024)
310
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+210%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 08731 have increased 7.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +210% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +7.0% | 189 |
| 2021 | +15.9% | 219 |
| 2022 | +17.7% | 258 |
| 2023 | +12.1% | 289 |
| 2024 | +7.1% | 310 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 463 business establishments in ZIP 08731, employing approximately 3,911 people with a combined annual payroll of $158,686,000.
463
Businesses
3,911
Employees
$158.7M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 78 | 16.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 69 | 14.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 56 | 12.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 49 | 10.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 45 | 9.7% |
| Retail trade | 43 | 9.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 28 | 6.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 17 | 3.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 16 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 15 | 3.2% |
| Manufacturing | 12 | 2.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 12 | 2.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 6 | 1.3% |
| Utilities | 5 | 1.1% |
| Educational services | 4 | 0.9% |
| Information | 3 | 0.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 08731 vs 08757 →
ZIP 08731 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 08759
Manchester Township (08759)
33,263 residents
- 08757
Toms River (08757)
33,217 residents
- 08755
Toms River (08755)
25,302 residents
- 08005
Barnegat (08005)
22,448 residents
- 08721
Bayville (08721)
20,512 residents
- 08731
Forked River (08731)
20,009 residents
- 08722 11,045
Beachwood (08722)
11,045 residents
- 08734 7,651
Lanoka Harbor (08734)
7,651 residents
- 08758 7,043
Waretown (08758)
7,043 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08731 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 08731 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 08741
Pine Beach (08741)
$143,094 median income
- 08734
Lanoka Harbor (08734)
$116,000 median income
- 08722
Beachwood (08722)
$106,858 median income
- 08721
Bayville (08721)
$105,273 median income
- 08731
Forked River (08731)
$98,582 median income
- 08758
Waretown (08758)
$96,900 median income
- 08005
Barnegat (08005)
$93,584 median income
- 08755
Toms River (08755)
$87,575 median income
- 08740
Ocean Gate (08740)
$69,397 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 08731 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08757 | Toms River, NJ | 33,217 | 5.8 mi |
| 08734 | Lanoka Harbor, NJ | 7,651 | 5.3 mi |
| 08758 | Waretown, NJ | 7,043 | 5.5 mi |
| 08722 | Beachwood, NJ | 11,045 | 5.8 mi |
| 08005 | Barnegat, NJ | 22,448 | 7.2 mi |
| 08721 | Bayville, NJ | 20,512 | 6.7 mi |
| 08741 | Pine Beach, NJ | 2,488 | 7.5 mi |
| 08755 | Toms River, NJ | 25,302 | 10.5 mi |
| 08740 | Ocean Gate, NJ | 2,010 | 8.5 mi |
| 08759 | Manchester Township, NJ | 33,263 | 9.2 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 08731, both outside NJ so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (20,009 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Ocean County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 08731 in?
ZIP code 08731 (Forked River) is located in Ocean County, New Jersey. Ocean County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ocean-nj.
What is the population of ZIP code 08731?
ZIP code 08731 in Forked River, NJ has a population of 20,009 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08731?
The median household income in ZIP 08731 is $98,582, which is 29% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08731?
The median home value in ZIP 08731 is $404,200, which is 45% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08731?
The largest racial group in ZIP 08731 is White at 88.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08731?
ZIP code 08731 has 463 business establishments employing approximately 3,911 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08731?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08731 are: Construction (78), Health care and social assistance (69), Other services (except public administration) (56). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08731?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08731 increased by 7.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 210%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 08731?
In ZIP code 08731, 68.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 08731?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08731 is 32.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08731?
In ZIP code 08731, approximately 86.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08731?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08731 is 6.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 08731's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 08731 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Forked River, NJ ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.