Beach Haven is a borough situated on the Jersey Shore in southern Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is located on Long Beach Island (LBI) and borders the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,027, a decrease of 143 (−12.2%) from the 2010 census count of 1,170, which in turn reflected a decline of 108 (−8.5%) from the 1,278 counted in the 2000 census.
Beach Haven was incorporated as a Borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 11, 1890, from portions of Eagleswood Township, based on the results of a referendum held five days earlier.
History
Beach Haven, known as the "Queen City," is a late 19th-century beachfront resort originally established in 1873 to house wealthy summer residents from Philadelphia. Although some of the major structures, including several hotels and a boardwalk, were lost to storms in the 1940s including the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944, a large portion of the town retains its Victorian and Edwardian character. The Beach Haven Historic District listed in the New Jersey and the National Register of Historic Places in the early 1980s, encompasses the most intact buildings at the core of the resort.
The first incident in the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 took place at the east end of Engleside Avenue. The ensuing series of attacks along the Jersey Shore became the basis for the book Jaws, by Peter Benchley.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.33 square miles (6.03 km2), including 0.98 square miles (2.54 km2) of land and 1.35 square miles (3.50 km2) of water (57.94%).
The borough borders the Ocean County municipalities of Little Egg Harbor Township and Long Beach Township.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 1,170 people, 531 households, and 301 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,667 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 92.65% (1,084) White, 0.34% (4) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.77% (9) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 5.90% (69) from other races, and 0.34% (4) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.91% (116) of the population.
Of the 531 households, 15.4% had children under the age of 18; 43.5% were married couples living together; 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 43.3% were non-families. Of all households, 36.7% were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.81.
13.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 34.5% from 45 to 64, and 25.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 90.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.7 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $71,532 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,910) and the median family income was $89,306 (+/− $12,115). Males had a median income of $54,750 (+/− $63,730) versus $51,875 (+/− $34,023) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $52,498 (+/− $9,292). About 3.8% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 1,278 people, 586 households, and 346 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,555 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 98.83% White, 0.08% African American, 0.55% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.69% of the population.
There were 586 households, out of which 18.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the borough, the population was spread out, with 17.1% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.