Jackson

If you look, you can still find the sleepy rural community that was once Jackson but gone are the cranberry bogs and chicken farms that dotted this Ocean County neighborhood. Jackson has undergone much growth. The neighborhood is a suburban oasis of homes on tree-lined streets, a welcome respite for families, retirees and other city dwellers tired of the daily grind. “Until 20 years ago, Jackson was mostly dirt roads. Today the neighborhood has a little bit of everything for almost everyone,” says Jessica Bariletti, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker. Jackson is nearly equal distances between New York City and Philadelphia and 20 miles to the Atlantic Ocean. Commuters love the accessibility to Interstate 95, which runs through the neighborhood and provides easy access to the Garden State Parkway, the New Jersey Turnpike and other major highways. If you’re not a fan of driving, a private bus company provides daily service to Manhattan’s Port Authority. The trip takes about an hour and a half.
There is a wide variety of housing options in Jackson. Whether you’re looking for a one-bedroom manufactured home in a 55-plus community or a spacious five-bedroom home on a sprawling lot, Jackson has both and many home sizes and styles in between. Newer developments feature large homes on manicured lots and well-maintained sidewalks. Housing prices in Jackson vary as widely as the sizes and styles. A single-wide mobile home can be purchased for about $75,000, while a large, newly built Greek revival mansion on an acre of land is priced at $1.7 million. Jackson is car dependent. “Only the newer subdivisions have sidewalks,” says Jackson. “If there are no sidewalks, the areas are zoned as rural.”
Schools in Jackson are above average. The school rating website Niche gives Crawford-Rodriguez Elementary School a B. In March 2023, two fifth-grade students from the school were honored by Jackson’s town council for outstanding essays on Dr. Martin Luther King. Carl. W. Goetz Middle School serves grades 6-8 and holds a B rating. Jackson Memorial High School has an A rating. It is ranked second among the 27 public high schools in Ocean County.
If you enjoy the great outdoors, there’s a lot to do in Jackson. John F. Johnson Memorial Park has 95 acres of open space, including soccer and baseball fields, a tennis court, playgrounds and a fitness trail. The park holds several festivals during the year, including a Fireworks and Food Trucks Event in July. Bunker Hill Bogs Wildlife Recreation Area has walking and horseback riding trails where visitors can explore old cranberry bogs or try fishing in one of the small ponds. Jackson’s Veteran’s Memorial Garden honors the men and women who have served in the armed forces. Its peaceful open space invites quiet reflection. For those who seek a little more thrill in their off time, Jackson is home to several amusement parks, including Six Flags Great Adventure. The 75-acre Adventure Crossing sportsplex has outdoor and indoor multi-use ballfields and hard courts. The facility’s centerpiece is an indoor sports bubble that has several turf fields and courts as well as laser-tag and rock-climbing walls. It also features an indoor bar and grill and an arcade.
If you’re more of a shopper than an outdoors lover, the Jackson Premium Outlets will keep you enthralled and in fashion with top names like Brooks Brothers, J. Crew and Aeropostale. Most common shopping needs and errands can be met on River Road. The central shopping avenue intersects with I-95. Harbor Freight, Home Depot, Kohl’s and a litany of other big box stores are located along this highway. Other shopping options include the Ocean County Mall and Freehold Raceway Mall.
Most fast-food chains can be found in Jackson. But other individual restaurants are worth visiting. The Lighthouse Restaurant has an extensive menu with everything from filet mignon to lamb chops to fresh seafood. Menu favorites include clams, mussels, scallops and flounder. The Edge is a family-owned restaurant featuring a mouth-watering New American menu with Latin and Asian influences. Tacos Y Alitas is a locally famous taco truck located in Jackson.