Jackson Township, situated on approximately 100 square miles in northern Ocean County, has the largest land mass of all municipalities in Ocean County, New Jersey. Jackson has a warm humid continental climate and is located within the New Jersey Pinelands, recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve with some of the purest water in the nation.
Jackson Township, with its beautiful tree-lined neighborhoods, is known by many as the “Gateway to the Jersey Shore”. It is less than an hour away from New York City and Philadelphia, making it ideal for commuters, and only 20 miles to great beaches on the Jersey Shore.
Starting in the 1960s, Jackson began a rapid growth period spurred by the connection of new highways through Ocean County to the nearby major cities like Trenton, Philadelphia, and New York City. Workers in the big cities could now move their families out of the city suburbs to more desirable living conditions and still commute to their jobs. Land development shifted from agriculture to new home communities.
In the 1960s approximately 750 homes per year were being built, and that grew to more than 1,000 homes per year in the ’70s and ’80s. The growth trend has continued, and as of the 2010 Census Jackson Township’s population was 54,856, up from 33,233 counted in the 1990 Census.
Some of Jackson’s family-fun attractions include Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Six Flags Wild Safari.
Jackson’s public school students attend the Jackson School District in 6 elementary school, 2 middle school and 2 high school facilities.
