Spring Lake, NJ: Community Guide
Local Knowledge. Shore Results. Updated October 2026Walk the boardwalk in Spring Lake and you won't find a single vendor. No shops, no food stands, nothing to buy. It's two miles of boards, Victorian homes on one side and open ocean on the other, and it's the longest non-commercial boardwalk in New Jersey. Food and drinks aren't allowed on the beach either. That's on purpose. Spring Lake has kept its old resort feel since the 1870s, when it grew up as a retreat for New York and Philadelphia society.
The town's best-known landmark goes back to Martin Maloney, a wealthy businessman who came to Spring Lake in the 1890s. He built St. Catharine Church, modeled on St. Peter's Basilica, in memory of his daughter, and it's still the building people picture when they think of Spring Lake.
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
- Spring Lake at a Glance
- What Makes Spring Lake Different
- Is Spring Lake the Right Fit for You?
- What It's Really Like to Live in Spring Lake
- Schools & Everyday Life
- What to Know Before Making the Move
- Common Questions About Living in Spring Lake
- A Local Perspective on Living Here
- Thinking About Moving to Spring Lake?
- Homes, Market Report & Nearby Towns
Spring Lake at a Glance
Spring Lake is small, about 1.7 square miles in southern Monmouth County. It had 2,789 year-round residents in the 2020 census, and a lot more in summer. Divine Park sits a block in from the boardwalk and holds the 16-acre lake the town is named for. Footbridges cross the lake into a walkable downtown with more than 60 shops and BYO restaurants.
The first thing buyers should know: beach badges here are among the most expensive on the Jersey Shore. That's part of a bigger choice the town made to keep the beach quiet and uncrowded. Check the current daily and season badge prices with the borough before summer.
What Makes Spring Lake Different
Landmarks: St. Catharine Church, completed in 1901 and modeled on St. Peter's Basilica, with 27 canvas and fresco paintings inside by artist Gonippo Raggi. The Breakers on the Ocean is the last of Spring Lake's grand 19th-century oceanfront hotels, first built as the Wilburton-by-the-Sea. A number of Victorian bed-and-breakfasts still run as historic inns.
Most desirable pockets: Oceanfront and near-boardwalk homes bring the highest prices because of that walk to the boards. The homes around Divine Park's lake are the other top spot, with Victorian character and a footbridge walk into downtown.
Defining character: Restraint. Strict architectural standards, a boardwalk with nothing for sale, and a beach run to stay quiet and clean instead of packed.
Is Spring Lake the Right Fit for You?
Spring Lake is for people who want the most preserved Victorian version of shore living there is: strict architectural standards, historic hotels and inns, and a boardwalk that's nothing like any other in this guide. It also works if you want the quietest, cleanest beach you can find and you're willing to pay for it, in the house price and in the beach badge.
It's a hard fit if you want food, shops or nightlife on the beach. Spring Lake doesn't do any of that on purpose, and residents send visitors to Belmar, about ten minutes north, for it. Plan on premium pricing across the board, from the house to the beach.
What It's Really Like to Live in Spring Lake
Daily life is quiet. You walk or row across the lake in Divine Park, take a walk on an uncrowded boardwalk, and shop the small downtown around 3rd and Morris Avenues, mostly boutiques and BYO restaurants. There's no big commercial strip. The St. Patrick's Day Parade, held the third Sunday in March, is one of the biggest days of the year.
Even in July, the streets stay quiet and traffic stays light. It feels very different from the busier shore towns a few minutes away.
Schools & Everyday Life
Kids in Spring Lake go to H.W. Mountz Elementary School, a small PreK to 8 school with roughly 140 to 160 students and a student-teacher ratio around 6 to 1. For high school they go to Manasquan High School through a sending agreement shared with Avon, Belmar, Brielle, Lake Como, Sea Girt and Spring Lake Heights.
Monmouth Montessori Academy is a private option in the borough for the primary and middle grades. Some students test into Monmouth County's vocational high schools, including Communications High School in Wall Township.
What to Know Before Making the Move
This is a high-priced market. Home prices are premium and so are the beach badges. Make sure your budget fits before you start touring.
Architectural standards are strict. Before you buy with renovation plans, find out exactly what rules cover the outside of that house. I hold a zoning officer certification, and I know these standards have teeth. Confirm what's allowed with the borough before you sign anything.
No food or drink on the beach. It's enforced. Plan to eat off the sand.
Downtown is small and upscale. If you want more choices for dinner or shopping, Belmar is a short drive north.
Common Questions About Living in Spring Lake
Why is Spring Lake called the "Irish Riviera"?
It's a long-standing nickname tied to the town's history, much of it going back to Martin Maloney, who came to Spring Lake in the 1890s and built St. Catharine Church. The St. Patrick's Day Parade keeps that tradition going every March.
Does Spring Lake have a commercial boardwalk?
No. Its two-mile boardwalk is the longest non-commercial boardwalk in New Jersey. There are no vendors, shops or food stands on it.
How much does beach access cost in Spring Lake?
Badges are among the most expensive on the Jersey Shore. Prices change, so check the borough's current daily and season rates.
Is Spring Lake walkable?
Yes. The boardwalk, Divine Park and the downtown around 3rd and Morris Avenues are an easy walk from most of town.
A Local Perspective on Living Here
From its early resort days, Spring Lake chose not to chase the boardwalk business its neighbors went after, and it has stuck with that for more than a century. The town's traditions, from the parade to the historic inns, are still a big part of life here, and people who live here will tell you that history is a big part of what makes Spring Lake feel like Spring Lake.
Thinking About Moving to Spring Lake?
If you love the Victorian feel and the quiet but want more going on nearby, Belmar is a few minutes north and has everything Spring Lake skips. Sea Girt, just south, is another quiet, upscale option.
The rule that surprises people most here is about the beach: no food or drink on the sand, and badges that cost more than almost anywhere else on the shore. Ask me about the beach rules and current badge prices before you picture a summer day here looking like Belmar.
Homes, Market Report & Nearby Towns
Want to see how Spring Lake compares to another town? Run the comparison yourself