Forked River is a very small coastal town (ie. on the ocean or tidally-influenced rivers) located in the state of New Jersey. With a population of 4,869 people and two constituent neighborhoods, Forked River is the 340th largest community in New Jersey.

Unlike some towns, Forked River isn't mainly white- or blue-collar. Instead, the most prevalent occupations for people in Forked River are a mix of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Forked River is a town of sales and office workers, service providers, and construction workers and builders. There are especially a lot of people living in Forked River who work in office and administrative support jobs (15.97%), sales jobs (14.47%), and management occupations (8.33%).

Forked River is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town's good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Forked River's overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.

The town is also nautical, which means that parts of Forked River are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and tidal rivers. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities. This is certainly the case with Forked River, which has a vibrant tourist economy.

One downside of living in Forked River, however, is that residents on average have to contend with a long commute, spending on average 35.61 minutes every day commuting to work.

Forked River is a very car-oriented town. 97% of residents commute to work in a private automobile rather than by other means, such as public transit, bicycling, or walking. This is because Forked River is a small town, and most people who live here have to drive out of town for work, and the town population is not large nor dense enough to support an extensive public transportation system. Forked River has a lot of rural roads, and houses can be far apart. Many residents drive out of town for regular shopping trips as well.

Forked River is a small town, and as such doesn't have a public transit system that people use to get to and from their jobs every day.

Forked River Information and Demographics

The population of Forked River overall has a level of education that is slightly above the US average for all US cities and towns of 14.96%. Of adults 25 and older in Forked River, 17.82% have at least a bachelor's degree.

The per capita income in Forked River in 2000 was $25,696, which is middle income relative to New Jersey, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $102,784 for a family of four.

The people who call Forked River home come from a variety of different races and ancestries. The most prevalent race in Forked River is White, followed by African-American. Important ancestries of people in Forked River include Italian, Irish, German, Polish, and English.

The most common language spoken in Forked River is English.