From tract housing to a well-loved community bordering Manchester Township
Pine Lake Park has come a long way since it was founded as a suburban development on the outskirts of New Jersey’s Manchester Township. “I’ve heard from multiple people there that they were giving away parcels of land in Pine Lake Park on the back of cereal boxes in the 1960s and ‘70s, because they were trying to get people in the area so desperately,” says Justin Calderon, Realtor at Fathom Realty and area local. While legends abound, it’s true that the area has grown from a grid of tract housing along a manmade lake to a place where people come to stay. And to show for it, Pine Lake Park has experienced surging prices and plenty of new developments. “It’s funny how much the area has changed. It was once known as an affordable place, but now it’s prime real estate,” Calderon says. Today, residents enjoy quick drives to Seaside Heights, commutability to Philadelphia and New York, and friendly neighbors with a strong sense of community pride.
Pine Lake Park has evolved significantly since its beginnings as a suburban development on the outskirts of Manchester Township, New Jersey.
Many developments in the Pine Lake Park section of Manchester started as a grid of tract housing.
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Modest ranches and contemporary infill developments
The median home price in Pine Lake Park is $550,500, more than $100,000 higher than the national median. Single-family homes here include cottages, ranch-styles and a handful of contemporary homes built in the past 10 years. “Right now, there is new construction starting in the $900,000s,” Calderon says. “You tell that to people who’ve lived there 30 years, and they don’t believe you.” Properties along the community’s gridded streets usually span just under a quarter acre, and many have fenced-in yards.
Properties in Pine Lake Park range from cozy single-family homes to more expansive residences, with prices varying based on size, condition, and specific location within the community.
The new construction market in Pine Lake Park is active, with homes typically staying on the market for around 30 days.
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Recreation at Pine Lake Park and swimming at Seaside Heights
Kids shoot some hoops, throw around a football or climb on the jungle gym at 6th Avenue Playground in Pine Lake Park. The Jersey Shore is just 11 miles east of the community, with popular beach towns like Seaside Heights only a 20-minute drive away on state Route 37. “Anyone who lives within an hour of the shore spends a lot of their time at Seaside,” Calderon says.
Pine Lake Park is the community's namesake recreational area. The lake’s sandy beach has a splash pad and playground, plus a ramp to launch boats and fish on the deep blue water. The lake has historically allowed swimming but was closed to swimmers during the 2024 season. PFAS contamination in the groundwater from the nearby military base, as well as algae blooms and high levels of bacteria have limited swimming opportunities in Pine Lake in past years. Some private wells in the area have also been contaminated, and local officials have worked to create a new water system to meet the growing demand for potable water.
Whether you're looking to engage in sports, enjoy playground activities, or relax in a pavilion, Sixth Avenue Park offers a well-maintained and award-winning environment for all ages.
The beach in Seaside Heights is an eleven mile drive for residents of Pine Lake Park looking to spend the day at the ocean.
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A former EPA Superfund site borders the community
In addition to the military base, Pine Lake Park is surrounded by industrial sites, including sand quarries and a defunct Ciba-Geigy chemical plant. The production of dyes and epoxies at Ciba-Geigy from 1952 to1996 caused extensive groundwater pollution, and the plant was named an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site in 1983. The cleanup continued until 2010. According to information from the EPA’s website, the area “does not pose an immediate threat to the surrounding community.”
Events at Pine Lake Park’s log cabin clubhouse
The community hosts events at the Pine Lake Park clubhouse, a nearly 100-year-old log cabin with rustic touches like a stone fireplace and vaulted ceiling with exposed wooden beams. The Pine Lake Park Taxpayers’ Improvement Association hosts events at the clubhouse and park, including a community carnival with a chili cookoff and games, visits with Santa during the holidays, Easter egg hunts and more.
Shopping and dining at chain realtors at Ocean County Mall and off Route 37
Route 37, which borders Pine Lake Park to the west, has several nearby shopping and dining establishments, including Walmart, Aldi and Dollar Tree. The Home Depot is also nearby off Lakewood Road, along with other options. Ocean County Mall, 5 miles east, has over 100 retailers and chain restaurants like Applebee’s and Auntie Anne’s.
ShopRite is a Pine Lake Park residents one-stop destination for household needs.
Route 37 has big box retailers like Walmart, providing Pine Lake Park residents' essential needs.
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Students attend school in Manchester Township
Students living in Pine Lake Park typically attend Manchester Township School District, which earns a B from Niche. The district’s three elementary schools funnel into Manchester Township Middle School and Manchester Township High School. These schools earn C-plus and B-minus grades from Niche, respectively.
Manchester Township High School has 87.5 FTE classroom teachers for its student body of 959.
Manchester Township Middle School offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to meet the diverse needs of its student body.
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Commuting 50 miles to Philadelphia and 75 miles to New York City
According to Calderon, people in the area commute to major cities like Philadelphia and New York, while others work locally in Toms River. “You’re close to Route 37, Route 9, and within five minutes of the Parkway, the big route that connects you to New York, the [New Jersey] Turnpike and down south” he says. Nearby Toms River has a park-and-ride commuter lot, where residents can ride to New York, Philadelphia and throughout New Jersey on NJ Transit buses. Philadelphia is also home to the closest international airport, 65 miles west. The Naval campus of the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is also just northwest of Pine Lake Park and part of a larger system of regional military stations. Community Medical Center is an acute-care hospital 5 miles away in Toms River.
The Manchester Township Police Department, which serves Pine Lake Park, reported 29 violent crimes and 182 property crimes in 2023. That’s a slight uptick in violent crimes from the year before, when 28 were reported, and a decrease in property crimes from the year before, when 202 were reported.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
Photography Contributed By
Suzi Schirm
Video By
Taylor Noll
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On average, homes in Pine Lake Park, NJ sell after 24 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Pine Lake Park, NJ over the last 12 months is $550,000, down 7% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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