Spring Lake's housing is defined by its resort origins. The borough is known for its Victorian and turn-of-the-century homes — grand cedar-shingle and clapboard 'cottages,' many with wraparound porches — concentrated near the lake and oceanfront, alongside more modest bungalows and a limited number of newer homes on remaining infill lots. Because the borough is small, built out, and architecturally protected, inventory is scarce and homes command a premium for their proximity to the beach and their preserved historic character. The market skews toward single-family homes, with comparatively little multi-family stock.

Spring Lake offers a refined, low-key shore lifestyle. The two-mile beach and its residential boardwalk — without the amusement piers and arcades of neighboring towns — set a calm tone, and the spring-fed lake at the borough's center anchors a popular walking loop. Summer brings an influx of seasonal residents and beachgoers, while the rest of the year has a quiet, village-like rhythm. Residents walk or bike to the beach, the train station, and the shops along Third Avenue. Neighboring towns supply the livelier dining, bars, and events, keeping Spring Lake's own streets notably serene.

Spring Lake operates its own one-school district, the Spring Lake School District, which serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from a single building. The district's small size produces notably low student-teacher ratios. For ninth through twelfth grade, students attend Manasquan High School through a long-standing sending-receiving relationship with the Manasquan Public Schools, which also serves students from Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Brielle, Lake Como, Sea Girt, and Spring Lake Heights. Private and parochial schools in the surrounding area offer additional options.

Spring Lake's NJ Transit station, near the border with Spring Lake Heights, sits on the North Jersey Coast Line, providing direct rail service to New York Penn Station and Hoboken and south to Bay Head. That rail link makes the borough viable for year-round commuters as well as summer visitors. Route 71 and Route 35 provide the main north-south roads along the coast, with the Garden State Parkway a short drive inland. Newark Liberty International Airport is reachable by rail or car, and the borough's compact layout makes walking and biking the default for daily errands.

The oceanfront is Spring Lake's defining recreation asset: a two-mile beach with lifeguards in season and a quiet, residential boardwalk for walking and running. The spring-fed lake in the borough's center offers a scenic promenade and small-boat setting. Nearby parks, tennis courts, and the Manasquan River to the south add boating, fishing, and trails, while the wider Jersey Shore — from Asbury Park's boardwalk to Island Beach State Park — is a short drive or train ride away.