Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2000 Census, the population is 615,301. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. Monmouth County ranks 42nd among the highest-income counties in the United States with a per capita income of $31,149. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township, with 66,327 residents at the time of the 2000 Census. It is the northernmost county on the Jersey Shore.
In recent years, thanks in large part to the county’s position on the Jersey Shore and its location within commuting distance of New York City, the population and cost of living and real estate have been skyrocketing. In its 2006 ranking of the Most Expensive ZIP Codes in the United States, Monmouth County was represented by Deal (96), Allenhurst (131), Avon-by-the-Sea (138), Sea Girt (157), Rumson (309) and Colts Neck Township (316).
Towns such as Rumson (#7), Sea Girt (#14) and Spring Lake (#19) are among the wealthiest areas in the state of New Jersey.
Money magazine has frequently named the Monmouth-Ocean County area one of the 10 best areas to live in the country.
The county only contains two incorporated cities, Long Branch and Asbury Park. Long Branch is more populated, but Asbury Park possesses a population density nearly twice that of Long Branch, and as such is decidedly more urban. Despite its name, Neptune City is incorporated as a borough, as are Red Bank and Freehold Borough, despite a fairly urban character.
Monmouth County was established in 1675. Its name came from a suggestion from Colonel Lewis Morris. He suggested it be named after Monmouthshire, Wales. In 1714 the first county government was established. At the June 28, 1778 Battle of Monmouth, near Freehold, General George Washington‘s soldiers defeated the British under Sir Henry Clinton, in the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War.
Some towns, such as Middletown, Freehold, Matawan – among others, have many houses that are on various Historical Registers, and some of these homes have been converted to Bed & Breakfasts.
The towns comprising Monmouth County are Aberdeen, Allenhurst, Allentown, Asbury Park, Atlantic Highlands, Avon-By-The-Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Englishtown, Fair Haven, Farmingdale, Freehold Boro, Freehold Township, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Howell, Interlaken, Keansburg, Keyport, Lake Como, Little Silver, Loch Arbor, Long Branch, Manalapan, Manasquan, Marlboro, Matawan, Middletown, Millstone, Monmouth Beach, Neptune City, Neptune Twp, Ocean, Oceanport, Red Bank, Roosevelt, Rumson, Sea Bright, Sea Girt, Shrewsbury Boro, Shrewsbury Twp, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Hts, Tinton Falls, Union Beach, Upper Freehold, Wall & West Long Branch. For information about these towns, click on the town name. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 665 mi². 472 mi² of it is land and 193 mi² of it (29.04%) is water.
Much of Monmouth County remains flat and low-lying even far inland. However, there are some low hills in and around Holmdel, and one of them, Crawford Hill, the former site of a radar facility, is the county’s highest point at at least 380 feet above sea level.
To learn about demographics for Monmouth County, click here