Lake Como, NJ: Community Guide
Local Knowledge. Shore Results. Updated October 2026Start with the irony. Lake Como is a tiny, quiet borough of about a quarter of a square mile and around 1,700 people. It changed its name to get away from a rowdy reputation. It's also home to Bar Anticipation, one of the best-known and busiest nightlife spots on the Jersey Shore. The town and its most famous business tell two different stories about what Lake Como is.
The history is specific. A group of landowners unhappy with their services split off from Wall Township in 1924 and formed "South Belmar." For decades the town carried Belmar's name, and with it Belmar's reputation. That reputation took a hit in the 1980s and 90s, when summer share houses turned Belmar and the area around it into a party destination. It even inspired a short-lived Fox sitcom called "Down the Shore." By the early 2000s, South Belmar residents were tired of the connection and pushed for a new name. In a 2004 referendum, voters approved "Lake Como" by 412 to 319. Bar A stayed right where it was.
I'm Matt Quinn. I was born and raised in Ocean County, and I went to Monmouth University, living in Long Branch and Elberon during college. Before real estate I worked construction, served as a police officer, worked as a health inspector, and spent more than ten years as Manchester Township's Chief Code Enforcement Officer. I also hold a zoning officer certification. I've seen what's behind the walls of a lot of shore houses. I'll tell you what a town is really like, and I'll tell you if it's the wrong fit for you.
On This Page
- Lake Como at a Glance
- What Makes Lake Como Different
- Is Lake Como the Right Fit for You?
- What It's Really Like to Live in Lake Como
- Schools & Everyday Family Life
- What to Know Before Making the Move
- Common Questions About Living in Lake Como
- A Local Perspective on Living Here
- Thinking About Moving to Lake Como?
- Homes, Market Report & Nearby Towns
Lake Como at a Glance
Lake Como sits between Belmar to the north and Spring Lake to the south. The whole town fits inside 16th Avenue, 22nd Avenue, the railroad, the lake and Avenue B, which makes it one of the smallest municipalities on the Jersey Shore. The lake the town is named for has a butterfly garden, a walking path and picnic tables. It's a small natural centerpiece that sets the borough apart from its beach-town neighbors.
The first thing buyers should know: Lake Como is in the middle of the Belmar-Lake Como corridor, widely described as one of the most concentrated nightlife zones in New Jersey. Bar Anticipation is inside Lake Como, just over the Belmar line. The borough's quiet residential streets sit close to that nightlife.
What Makes Lake Como Different
Landmarks: Bar Anticipation ("Bar A") is by far the borough's best-known landmark. It's a major dance and live-music venue that anchors much of the Belmar-Lake Como nightlife scene and draws crowds from across the region. The lake, with its butterfly garden and walking path, is the quieter, residential side of town. Main Street is lined with shops and connects north to Belmar and south to Spring Lake.
Most desirable pockets: The streets closest to the lake are the quietest and most residential in the borough. Blocks near the Belmar border put you closer to the bars and restaurants, with more noise and activity, especially on summer weekends.
Defining character: Lake Como lives with a tension. It wants to be a quiet residential town, and it sits right next to one of the shore's busiest nightlife anchors. The town renamed itself to send one message while staying next door to the scene it wanted distance from.
Is Lake Como the Right Fit for You?
Lake Como works if you want to be close to the Belmar-Lake Como bars and restaurants in a small-town setting, without living in Belmar's more built-up beach blocks. It suits buyers who are fine with some nightlife noise nearby in exchange for walking to some of the area's most popular spots.
It's a harder fit if you want the quiet the name change was supposed to signal. Bar Anticipation is inside Lake Como's borders, so summer weekend noise and crowds are part of life here. Tour the exact block you're considering. Even in a borough this small, how close you are to Bar A changes the experience a lot.
What It's Really Like to Live in Lake Como
With a footprint this small, daily life depends on your block. Streets near the lake are quiet, with the walking path, the butterfly garden, picnic tables and a small-town residential pace. Streets closer to the Belmar line put you within an easy walk of Bar A, D'Jais and the rest of the nightlife corridor that pulls visitors in every summer weekend.
Main Street's small shopping district links the town to Belmar and Spring Lake. That gives residents walkable access to more dining and shopping than a borough this size could support by itself.
Schools & Everyday Family Life
Lake Como students attend Belmar Elementary School for kindergarten through 8th grade through a sending/receiving relationship with the Belmar school district. For 9th through 12th grade, they typically move on to Manasquan High School through a separate regional sending agreement. Students can also apply to Academy Charter High School, a public charter school located right in Lake Como, which gives families a local alternative.
What to Know Before Making the Move
Bar Anticipation is located inside Lake Como. I'm stating it plainly because the town's history is about trying to shake a party reputation. Check how close any address you're considering is to this venue.
This is a tiny municipality. At about a quarter of a square mile and around 1,700 residents, inventory is limited and the market is small. I'm a certified zoning officer, and I'd confirm current zoning on any property near the nightlife corridor before assuming what renovations or additions are allowed.
Summer weekend noise is predictable near the Belmar border. Multiple sources describe the Belmar-Lake Como corridor as one of the most concentrated nightlife zones in the state. Factor that into any property near that line.
The 2004 rename from South Belmar is documented local history. Knowing it helps explain the town's self-conscious relationship with its more famous neighbor.
Common Questions About Living in Lake Como
Was Lake Como always called that?
No. It was incorporated as South Belmar in 1924 and renamed Lake Como after a 2004 voter referendum, mainly to shed the link to Belmar's party-town reputation.
Is Bar Anticipation actually in Lake Como?
Yes. Most people connect it with Belmar, but Bar A sits inside Lake Como's borders, just over the town line.
Is Lake Como quiet?
It depends on the block. Streets near the lake are quiet and residential. Areas closer to the Belmar border get nightlife noise, especially on summer weekends.
How small is Lake Como?
Very small. It's about a quarter of a square mile with around 1,700 residents, one of the smallest municipalities on the Jersey Shore.
A Local Perspective on Living Here
Longtime residents and local historians describe Lake Como through that same tension. The name change was a hard-fought civic decision, made to signal a different character than the town's most famous business represents. Nobody locally pretends otherwise. It's understood as part of what makes this small borough what it is.
Thinking About Moving to Lake Como?
If you like being near the nightlife but want more distance from it, look at Spring Lake just to the south. It's quieter and more upscale, and it's within walking distance of the same general area.
In a town this small, the exact block matters more than the town name on the listing. Tell me the block, and I'll tell you what it's like to live there.
Homes, Market Report & Nearby Towns
Want to see how Lake Como compares to another town? Run the comparison yourself