Long Branch, NJ — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·New Jersey·Long Branch

Monmouth County · New York-Newark-Jersey City · population 33,214

Investors

Image: Wikipedia · Long Branch, New Jersey

Overview Cost of living Moving guide

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Rising

Momentum score · 0–100

Where Long Branch stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 7.4% annual growth over 5 years. rents up 7.6% in the last year.

Median home $809,703

1-year +3.1%

5-yr CAGR +7.4%

vs 5-yr peak +0.0%

Population +1.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly

Lifestyle scores

🚶

Walkability

32/100

Very car-dependent

Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.

🚉

Public transit

22/100

Transit limited

Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.

💻

Remote work fit

58/100

Workable for remote workers

Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 24.7

Lean rent

At a 24.7 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Long Branch. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →

Home YoY

65 · w22%

Home 5-yr CAGR

76 · w22%

Distance from peak

90 · w18%

Population growth

68 · w16%

Rent YoY

85 · w12%

Home 10-yr CAGR

83 · w10%

Long thesis

Long Branch has averaged 7.4% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+3.1% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Long Branch's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Long Branch

Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, with an estimated population of 33,214. It anchors the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area. The population grew 1.2% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Long Branch is $809,703 as of 2026-04, up 3.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.4% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Long Branch average $2,733 per month, up 7.6% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 77 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +7.4% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.

●Quiet strength: +3.1% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.

●Net positive migration: population up 1.2% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.

●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

●Hot rental market: rents up 7.6% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Rental squeeze: rents up 7.6% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Long Branch (Wikipedia)

Long Branch is a beachside city in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 31,667, an increase of 948 (+3.1%) from the 2010 census count of 30,719, which in turn reflected a decline of 621 (−2.0%) from the 31,340 counted in the 2000 census. As of the 2020 census, it was the 6th-most-populous municipality in Monmouth County and had the 74th-highest population of any municipality in New Jersey.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Monmouth County right now.

NWS active alerts (NJ)New Jersey Emergency Management How to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Monmouth County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.