Ocean Township is a township in central Monmouth County, New Jersey, located near the Jersey Shore. The 2020 census recorded a population of 27,672. Unlike many New Jersey municipalities, Ocean Township has no single central downtown; instead, it is made up of three main unincorporated communities — Oakhurst, Wanamassa, and Wayside — spread across two ZIP codes (07755 for Oakhurst and 07712 for Wanamassa and Wayside). This structure gives the township a distinctive, decentralized character, with each community serving as a neighborhood center of its own. The township sits immediately inland from the coast, with Asbury Park and its beaches, restaurants, and music venues a short drive away, along with the neighboring shore towns of Deal, Allenhurst, and Long Branch. This shore-adjacent position is central to the area's appeal, offering residents suburban living with easy access to the recreation and culture of the Jersey Shore. The township's neighborhoods are mature and tree-lined, reflecting decades of post-war suburban growth, and its residents enjoy the combination of suburban stability and coastal access that has long defined central Monmouth County. Public education is provided by the Township of Ocean School District, which operates elementary schools in Wanamassa, Wayside, and Oakhurst, an intermediate school serving grades five through eight, and Ocean Township High School. The district is a major draw for families and a focal point of community life across the township's three communities. The Garden State Parkway and Routes 35 and 18 serve the township, connecting it to Asbury Park, the broader Monmouth County region, and commuter routes toward New York. For those seeking established suburban neighborhoods near the shore, Ocean Township offers a blend of strong schools, decentralized community character, and proximity to one of New Jersey's most famous stretches of coastline.