The median home sale price in Bay Head, NJ is currently around $4.2 million - making it one of the more exclusive stretches along the Jersey Shore. Available inventory has recently hovered at just two homes, so anyone buying a home in Bay Head, NJ already knows time is not on their side.
Postal boundaries and county lines help you move faster and smarter - whether you're setting up utilities, pulling tax records, or just making sure a listing you found falls inside the borough.
The Zip Code for Bay Head, NJ
The postal code for the entire borough of Bay Head is 08742. The town covers just about one square mile, so the United States Postal Service has no reason to carve it into multiple delivery zones - there's only one.
That said, the 08742 area carries a Census population of roughly 25,056 residents, which is a bigger number than the borough's own footprint would suggest. More on why in a moment.
How Many Zip Codes Cover the Borough
One. You won't be juggling multiple numerical zones while browsing listings or forwarding your mail. Every corner of the borough - beachfront to bay side - shares the same five-digit identifier: 08742.
Bay Head Zip Code Boundaries
Bay Head sits on a narrow strip of land with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Barnegat Bay to the west. Those natural water boundaries define the physical edges of the borough pretty cleanly.
The postal boundaries for 08742, though, extend past the municipal lines. A home that shows 08742 on a listing isn't automatically inside the borough.
Which Towns Share the 08742 Area
The 08742 zip code serves both Bay Head and portions of neighboring Point Pleasant Beach - which is exactly why the zip code's total population runs higher than Bay Head's full-time resident count alone.
When you're looking at listings in 08742, pull the municipal tax records and check the property deed for the specific town name. That's the only way to confirm you're buying under Bay Head's local governance and property tax rates, not Point Pleasant Beach's.
What County Is Bay Head In?
Bay Head is in Ocean County, New Jersey. The county handles regional services, court systems, and public works that will touch your life as a homeowner here.
Ocean County runs along a significant stretch of the Jersey Shore and draws both primary residents and buyers who want a seasonal waterfront base.
Connection to the Broader Metro Region
Ocean County is officially part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area - the same economic grouping as New York City. That designation reflects something real: a meaningful number of homeowners along this stretch of shore maintain their primary residence by the water and travel to the city for work.
Real Estate by Neighborhood in Bay Head
Bay Head doesn't have formal subdivisions or master-planned tracts. The locally recognized areas are defined by water proximity and historical context, not developer maps.
Homes here have recently spent an average of just 22 days on the market, and recent sales show buyers closing at roughly 4.7% over asking. That gap between list and sale price tells you something about how these negotiations tend to go.
The Bay Head Historic District
The Bay Head Historic District is a 440-acre area listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains 549 contributing buildings representing architectural styles from 1877 to 1940 - primarily Shingle Style and Colonial Revival.
If you buy here, you're taking on a stewardship role as much as a real estate transaction. That's not a complaint from most buyers who seek it out; it's just worth understanding going in.
Oceanfront and Bayfront Living
The oceanfront and beachfront sections sit outside the historic center and offer direct Atlantic access - unobstructed water views, immediate beach access, and prices that reflect both. On the western side, the Barnegat Bay and Bay Head Yacht Club area draws buyers who arrive by boat. Twilight Lake carves out its own quieter enclave, with inland water views that feel a step removed from the busier shoreline.
Area Codes and Full 9-Digit Zip Formatting
When you're setting up internet, utilities, or a landline in Bay Head, the area code you'll see most is 732 - it's been the standard telephone prefix for this part of the Jersey Shore for decades. The region also uses 848 as an overlay code, so new accounts or mobile lines registered to a Bay Head address may come back with that prefix instead.
Both are normal. Don't let it catch you off guard when the phone company assigns you an 848 number.
Finding Your ZIP+4 Extension
The five-digit 08742 gets your mail to the right coastal town. The United States Postal Service layers on an additional four digits - your ZIP+4 - to identify specific delivery routes, city blocks, or individual buildings.
To find your exact nine-digit code, enter your new street address into the lookup tool on the official USPS website. It takes about thirty seconds and can save you mail delays during a move.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the zip code for Bay Head, NJ?
The zip code for Bay Head is 08742. This single postal code covers the entire one-square-mile borough.
What county is Bay Head in?
Bay Head is located in Ocean County, New Jersey. This county is part of the larger New York-Newark-Jersey City Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Does Bay Head share the 08742 zip code boundaries with Point Pleasant Beach?
Yes, the 08742 postal code covers both Bay Head and parts of neighboring Point Pleasant Beach. The combined population for this shared zip code is approximately 25,056.
How do I find my full 9-digit (ZIP+4) code in Bay Head?
Enter your street address into the lookup tool on the official USPS website. The final four digits correspond to your specific block or delivery route.
What is the best zip code to live in Bay Head?
Since 08742 is the only zip code for the borough, buyers choose based on specific neighborhoods rather than postal codes. Popular areas include the oceanfront, the Bay Head Historic District, and the Barnegat Bay side near the Yacht Club.
What is the Bay Head area code?
The primary area code for Bay Head is 732. The region also uses 848 as an overlay code for new phone numbers.







