Spring Lake, is a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

situated on the

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore, commonly called the Shore by locals, is the coast, coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The term encompasses about of shore, oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Perth Amboy in the n ...

Monmouth County Monmouth County () is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is bordered to its west by Mercer and Middlesex Counties, to its south by Ocean County, to its east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to its north by ...

, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 2,789, a decrease of 204 (−6.8%) from the 2010 census count of 2,993, which in turn reflected a decline of 574 (−16.1%) from the 3,567 counted in the 2000 census. ''

New Jersey Monthly ''New Jersey Monthly'' is an American monthly magazine featuring issues of possible interest to residents of New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United St ...

'' magazine ranked Spring Lake as the 240th best place to live in New Jersey in its 2010 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey. In 2012,

Forbes.com ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The c ...

listed Spring Lake as 187th in its listing of "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes", with a median home price of $1,190,586.

History

Spring Lake was formed as a

by an act of the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...

on March 14, 1892, from portions of Wall Township, based on the results of a

referendum A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...

held on March 8, 1892. On February 24, 1903, the borough of North Spring Lake was annexed to Spring Lake.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 186. Accessed May 30, 2024. The borough was named for a clear spring-fed lake. During the "

Gilded Age In History of the United States, United States history, the Gilded Age is the period from about the late 1870s to the late 1890s, which occurred between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was named by 1920s historians after Mar ...

" of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Spring Lake developed into a

coast A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

al resort for members of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

high society, in similar fashion to the settlements of

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

, and

Bar Harbor, Maine Bar Harbor () is a resort town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population is 5,089. The town is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory, and MDI Biological Laborat ...

. A surviving example of architecture constructed during this era is the Martin Maloney Cottage on Morris Avenue next to the tycoon's former and no longer existent Ballingarry Estate. Another fine example of period architecture listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

is the Audenried Cottage on Tuttle Avenue. The owner of the Ballingarry Estate,

Marquis A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wido ...

Martin Maloney, built St. Catharine Roman Catholic Church on a knoll overlooking the eponymous Spring Lake. The cornerstone of the church was laid on

St. Patrick's Day Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (), is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Chri ...

in 1901. The second of the five victims of the

Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 The Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 were a series of shark attacks along the coast of New Jersey, in the United States, between July 1 and 12, 1916, in which four people were killed and one critically injured. The incidents occurred during a ...

, Charles Bruder, 27, a Swiss bellhop for the Essex and Sussex Hotel, was killed on July 6, 1916, while swimming approximately from shore in Spring Lake. The wave of attacks took place between July 1 and July 12, 1916, along of

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

coastline and is often attributed as having inspired the novel ''

Jaws Jaws or Jaw can refer to: Anatomy * Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth ** Mandible, the lower jaw Arts, entertainment, and media * Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker'' ...

'' by

Peter Benchley Peter Bradford Benchley (May 8, 1940 – February 11, 2006) was an American author. He is best known for his bestselling novel '' Jaws'' and co-wrote its movie adaptation with Carl Gottlieb. Several more of his works were also adapted for both ...

and the corresponding film by

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...

, though Benchley has explicitly denied the claim. The borough and its environs are known as the "Irish Riviera" because of the large

Irish-American Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish immigration to the United States From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...

population in the area, with Spring Lake having the highest percentage of any municipality in the United States. The Spring Lake 5 Mile Run, a race that was first run in 1977, circles the borough, beginning and ending at the beachfront. The 2014 race had 10,360 finishers, out of 12,500 registered; it is the country's largest 5-mile race. In 2015, the race was listed as one of the top 100 races in America by ''

Runner's World ''Runner's World'' is a global magazine and website for runners of all abilities. It has additionally developed experiential formats, including a digital membership program, called Runner's World+. It is published by Hearst in Easton, Pennsylva ...

'' magazine.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the borough had a total area of 1.75 square miles (4.52 km²), including 1.33 square miles (3.45 km²) of land and 0.41 square miles (1.07 km²) of water (23.60%).

Wreck Pond Wreck Pond is a coastal freshwater tidal pond located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It is surrounded by Wall Township and the boroughs of Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, and Sea Girt. The ...

is a tidal pond located on the coast of the

, surrounded by Wall Township and the boroughs of Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, and

Sea Girt Sea Girt is a Borough (New Jersey), borough situated on the Jersey Shore, within Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,866, an increase ...

, covering an area of . The Wreck Pond watershed covers about in eastern Monmouth County. The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Belmar,

Lake Como Lake Como ( , ) also known as Lario, is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. ...

, Spring Lake Heights and Wall Township. North Spring Lake was an independent borough established in 1884 which comprised the northern portion of Spring Lake. The borough was disestablished and its territory was annexed by Spring Lake in 1903.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 2,993 people, 1,253 households, and 829 families in the borough. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was 2,250.8 per square mile (869.0/km²). There were 2,048 housing units at an average density of 1,540.2 per square mile (594.7/km²). The racial makeup was 97.63% (2,922)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.27% (8) Black or African American, 0.03% (1)

Native American Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...

, 1.00% (30) Asian, 0.03% (1)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.50% (15) from other races, and 0.53% (16) from two or more races.

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

of any race were 1.90% (57) of the population. Of the 1,253 households, 22.6% had children under the age of 18; 56.8% were married couples living together; 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.8% were non-families. Of all households, 31.3% were made up of individuals and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.01. 21.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 12.2% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 27.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 89.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 83.9 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

showed that (in 2010

inflation-adjusted In economics, nominal value refers to value measured in terms of absolute money amounts, whereas real value is considered and measured against the actual goods or services for which it can be exchanged at a given time. Real value takes into acco ...

dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $97,885 (with a margin of error of +/− $16,792) and the median family income was $150,156 (+/− $39,466). Males had a median income of $106,853 (+/− $30,491) versus $68,750 (+/− $15,695) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the borough was $71,661 (+/− $14,582). About 2.2% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including none of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 3,567 people, 1,463 households, and 983 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,930 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 98.77%

, 0.34%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.28% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Spring Lake borough, New Jersey
,

. Accessed July 17, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Spring Lake borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed July 17, 2012. There were 1,463 households, out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.03. In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males. As of 2008, the median income for a household in the borough was $115,709. Males had a median income of $88,924 versus $41,000 for females. The

for the borough was $59,445. None of the families and 2.6% of the population were living below the

, including no under eighteens and 6.6% of those over 64. 39.4% of Spring Lake residents identified as being of

Irish American Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish immigration to the United States From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...

ancestry in the 2000 Census, the highest percentage of Irish Americans of any place in the United States.Irish Ancestry by City

EPodunk ePodunk was a website that profiled communities in the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the UK. It provided geocoded information that includes local museums, attractions, parks, colleges, libraries, cemeteries and other features, as well as ...

. Accessed June 4, 2006.

Government

Local government

Spring Lake is governed under the

form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University (The Bloustein School) serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The sc ...

, March 2013, p. 58. The borough form of government used by Spring Lake is a "

weak mayor Weak may refer to: Songs * "Weak" (AJR song), 2016 * "Weak" (Melanie C song), 2011 * "Weak" (SWV song), 1993 * "Weak" (Skunk Anansie song), 1995 * "Weak", a song by Seether from '' Seether: 2002-2013'' Television episodes * "Weak" (''Fe ...

/ strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can

veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president (government title), president or monarch vetoes a bill (law), bill to stop it from becoming statutory law, law. In many countries, veto powe ...

ordinances subject to an

override Override may refer to: Technology * Manual override, a function where an automated system is placed under manual control * Method overriding, a subclassing feature in object-oriented programming languages. Media * ''Override'' (film), a 1994 sci ...

by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. , the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of Spring Lake is

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

Jennifer Naughton, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2027. Members of the Spring Lake Borough Council are Joseph T. Erbe Jr. ( R, 2025), Edwin J. Hale (R, 2025), Brendan Judge (R, 2026), Kathleen McDonough (R, 2027), Matthew Q. Sagui (R, 2026) and Syd Whalley (D, 2027).Elected Officials
Borough of Spring Lake. Accessed February 5, 2025.November 5, 2024 General Election Official Results

Monmouth County, New Jersey Monmouth County () is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is bordered to its west by Mercer and Middlesex Counties, to its south by Ocean County, to its east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to its north ...

, updated December 16, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.November 8, 2023 General Election Official Results

, updated January 18, 2024. Accessed January 22, 2024.General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results

Clerk, updated December 27, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.

Federal, state and county representation

Spring Lake is located in the 4th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 10th legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,520 registered voters in Spring Lake, of which 453 (18.0%) were registered as Democrats, 1,104 (43.8%) were registered as

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and 961 (38.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were two voters registered as

Libertarians Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

or Greens. In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: ...

, Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

received 70.4% of the vote (1,258 cast), ahead of Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

with 28.7% (514 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (16 votes), among the 1,804 ballots cast by the borough's 2,544 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

received 64.4% of the vote (1,326 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 32.8% (676 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (20 votes), among the 2,059 ballots cast by the borough's 2,692 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

received 64.0% of the vote (1,427 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

with 30.1% (670 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (30 votes), among the 2,229 ballots cast by the borough's 2,873 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.6. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...

received 82.7% of the vote (1,226 cast), ahead of Democrat

Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...

with 15.5% (230 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (26 votes), among the 1,505 ballots cast by the borough's 2,542 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 59.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 68.8% of the vote (1,144 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006, and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran f ...

with 23.3% (388 votes), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...

with 5.7% (95 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (11 votes), among the 1,663 ballots cast by the borough's 2,593 registered voters, yielding a 64.1% turnout.

Education

The Spring Lake School District is a public

school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public Primary school, primary or Secondary school, secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school dis ...

that serves students in

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

through eighth grade at H. W. Mountz School. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 142 students and 22.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...

of 6.3:1.District information for Spring Lake Borough

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...

. Accessed December 15, 2024. In the 2016–17 school year, Spring Lake had the 43rd smallest enrollment of any school district in the state, with 197 students. In 2015, H.W. Mountz School was one of 15 schools in New Jersey, and one of nine public schools, recognized as a

National Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...

in the exemplary high performing category by the

United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a cabinet-level department of the United States government, originating in 1980. The department began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and ...

. Students attending public high school for

ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...

s are assigned to

Manasquan High School Manasquan High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Manasquan, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as the lone high school of the ...

as part of a

sending/receiving relationship A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts hav ...

with the Manasquan Public Schools. Manasquan High School also serves students from Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar,

Brielle Brielle (), also called Den Briel in Dutch and Brill in English, is a town and historic seaport in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, on the north side of the island of Voorne-Putten, at the mouth of the New Maas. The for ...

and Spring Lake Heights who attend Manasquan High School as part of sending/receiving relationships with their respective districts. As of the 2023–24 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 945 students and 81.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

of 11.6:1. Students may also attend one of the

magnet school In the U.S. education system, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. Normally, a student will attend an elementary school, and this also determines the middle school and high school they attend unless they mo ...

s in the

Monmouth County Vocational School District The Monmouth County Vocational School District (MCVSD) is a vocational and technical public school district in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, providing vocational education to students across the county. The district has 15 ...

—

Marine Academy of Science and Technology The Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) is a coeducational four-year magnet public high school located in the Sandy Hook section of Middletown Township, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in nint ...

, Academy of Allied Health & Science,

High Technology High School High Technology High School (Abbreviated HTHS, also known as High Tech), founded in 1991, is a four-year magnet public high school for students in ninth through twelfth grades, located in the Lincroft section of Middletown Township, in Monmo ...

Biotechnology High School Biotechnology High School (BTHS), or commonly referred to as Biotech, is a four-year comprehensive vocational public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades in Freehold Township, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New J ...

, and

Communications High School Communications High School (CHS) is a four-year magnet public high school and career academy serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as part of the Monmouth County Vocational School District in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New ...

. Spring Lake students are also served by Saint Catharine School, a

Catholic school Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...

that serves students in grades K–8 and operates under the supervision of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton The Diocese of Trenton is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in central New Jersey in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdioce ...

. In 2018, the school was one of 18 schools in New Jersey recognized by the

National Blue Ribbon Schools Program The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Monmouth County. No major roads pass through the borough, with the most significant routes being minor county roads such as County Route 18. New Jersey Route 71, Route 71 is accessible in bordering Spring Lake Heights. The Garden State Parkway and Interstate 195 (New Jersey), Interstate 195 are accessible in neighboring Wall Township. Spring_Lake_Station

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers passenger train service at the Spring Lake station. Commuter service is provided on the North Jersey Coast Line, offering express and local service. Diesel service operates from Hoboken Terminal to Bay Head station. Electric service operates from Pennsylvania Station (New York City), Penn Station to Long Branch station (NJ Transit), Long Branch station, where the electrified portion of the line ends. Mid-line stations include Pennsylvania Station (Newark), Newark Penn Station, Newark Liberty International Airport Station, and Secaucus Junction. NJ Transit bus service is available between the borough and

on the 317 (New Jersey bus), 317 route, with local service offered on the 830 (New Jersey bus), 830 route.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Spring Lake has a humid subtropical climate (''Cfa''). Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above , at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above , at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months at Spring Lake, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values at or above . On average, the wettest month of the year is July which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm activity. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below . The plant hardiness zone at Spring Lake Beach is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

Ecology

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Spring Lake would have an Appalachian Oak (''104'') vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest (''25'') vegetation form.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Spring Lake include: * Charles A. Agemian (1909–1996), banker who left Chase Manhattan Bank and became chairman and chief executive officer of Garden State National Bank * George Ansbro (1915–2011), radio announcer for six decades on NBC and CBS * Craig Biggio (born 1965), Houston Astros MLB hall of fame baseball player * Tom Brower (born 1965), member of the Hawaii House of Representatives * Chris Candido (1972–2005), professional wrestling, professional wrestler * Bill Carmody (born 1951), head basketball coach at Northwestern University * Caroline Casagrande (born 1976), politician who represented the 12th and New Jersey Legislative Districts, 2011 apportionment, 11th Districts in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2008 to 2015 * Robert Chesebrough (1837–1933), inventor of Vaseline * List of Scripps National Spelling Bee champions, Katharine "Kerry" Close (born 1992), winner of the 79th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2006 * John F. Crosby (1889–1962), lawyer who served as the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut * Paul J. Curran (1933–2008), politician who served in the New York State Assembly and fought corruption as a federal prosecutor and as the state's commissioner of investigation * Al DeRogatis (1927–1995), NY Giants football player and NBC television sportscaster * Khigh Dhiegh (1910–1991), actor, starred in the original film version of ''The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film), The Manchurian Candidate'' * Anne Evans Estabrook, real estate developer who was the frontrunner in the Republican primary for the United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2008, 2008 United States Senate race in New Jersey before suffering a mini-stroke and withdrawing from the race * Jack Ford (journalist), Jack Ford, Court TV news anchor * Mary Higgins Clark (1927–2020), writer whose 2001 book ''On the Street Where You Live'' was set in Spring Lake * Kermit Love (1916–2008), creator of the ''Sesame Street'' characters Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus * Jim Manzi (software entrepreneur), Jim Manzi (born 1963), technology entrepreneur * William Gibbs McAdoo (1863–1941), United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Wilson * George T. McDonald (1944–2021), philanthropist and social worker who founded the homeless advocacy group The Doe Fund * Gil McDougald (1928–2010), former New York Yankees infielder * James P. Mitchell (1900–1964), United States Secretary of Labor from 1953 to 1961 during the Eisenhower Administration * Vincent J. Murphy (1893–1976), Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, from 1941 to 1949 * Jack Nicholson (born 1937), actor * Wilbur Ross (born 1937), investor and banker who served as the 39th United States Secretary of Commerce from 2017 to 2021 * Lee Savold (1915–1972), heavyweight boxer who held the British and European version of the World Heavyweight championship between 1950 and 1951 * Sonny Senerchia (1931–2003), former Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1952 * John Wiggers (1917–2007), professional basketball player who played for the Akron Wingfoots, Akron Goodyear Wingfoots in the National Basketball League (United States), National Basketball League * Charles D. Wrege (1924–2014), management historian and professor at

Popular culture

Spring Lake is the setting for the Mary Higgins Clark novel ''On the Street Where You Live''. The opening scenes of Ulu Grosbard's 1968 film ''The Subject Was Roses (film), The Subject Was Roses'' were filmed in Spring Lake. Indie rock band Vampire Weekend filmed
music video
for their song "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" in a home in Spring Lake, as well as on the beach. Spring Lake was used as a stand-in for turn-of-the-century Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the 1981 film ''Ragtime (film), Ragtime''. In John Frankenheimer's 1962 film ''The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film), The Manchurian Candidate'', the character of Major Bennett Marco (played by Frank Sinatra) suffers from a nightmare set in Spring Lake. He imagines himself and his fellow soldiers sitting through a lecture by Mrs. Henry Whitaker of the Spring Lake Garden Club. A sign reveals the location of the lecture to be the fictional "Spring Lake Hotel". Eventually, the audience sees that the garden club meeting is merely an illusion and the platoon is actually at a meeting of Russian and Chinese officials in Manchuria. The Mrs. Whitaker character is actually a Chinese scientist named Dr. Yen Lo, portrayed by Spring Lake native Khigh Dhiegh.Marcus, Greil
''The Manchurian Candidate''
p. 19. Macmillan Publishers, 2002. . Accessed July 14, 2011. "It's 1954. Major Ben Marco of the US Army, played by Frank Sinatra, is lying on his bed, fully clothed in his uniform, dreaming the same dream he dreams every night. He's sweating. As his lips twitch, the camera moves in and we enter his dream. We're in an old hotel in Spring Lake, New Jersey; a meeting of the Ladies Garden Club is in progress."

References

External links

Borough of Spring Lake official websiteSpring Lake community websiteSpring Lake School District
*
School Data for the H. W. Mountz School

A clip of Spring Lake circa 1929
from the Spring Lake Historical Society
''Images of America: Spring Lake''
by area historian Patricia F. Colrick

{{Authority control Spring Lake, New Jersey, 1892 establishments in New Jersey Borough form of New Jersey government Boroughs in New Jersey Boroughs in Monmouth County, New Jersey Irish-American neighborhoods Jersey Shore communities in Monmouth County Populated places established in 1892