NJ shore town one of 25 most expensive in U.S. to buy a home 

Ask a lot of Jersey people what they’d do if they won a big lottery. Chances are, many will say buy a house at the Jersey Shore.

It’s a dream for many to come home year-round to a view of the ocean and unwind after work. Some would just love a second home near the beach. Either way, think that through.

Read More: How rising grocery prices are changing shopping habits in New Jersey

Would you really want to live in a shore town year-round?

I did it once, and when you live there, the tourists become cretins from Hell. When you’re not on vacation and have an actual schedule to keep, that traffic is seen a different way. Even as a second home, then you may be tempted to rent it out half the summer, which brings a whole other type of agita.

NJ.com reports the latest real estate data on Zillow.com shows the 25 most expensive ZIP codes in the nation to buy a home in 2026. Only one New Jersey ZIP code shows up on the top 25, and it’s a coastal town, as are almost all the rest. An ocean view comes with sticker shock. The No. 1 most expensive ZIP code is 94027, which is Atherton, California. In fact, 60% of the top 25 are in California.

So which town at the Jersey Shore joins this elite list of ZIP codes? Where will it cost you the most for a home in New Jersey?

Deal.

In fact, it surpassed Alpine, New Jersey, where so many famous people live, just a few years ago. Deal is now the 19th most expensive place to buy a home in the entire country.

A home in Deal will cost you more than $4 million. To be exact, the average home price would be $4.16 million.

And would you believe you could spend all that money on a home in Deal and you’re still required to pay $200 for a beach badge? True story.