Keansburg, NJ Properties | Dennis Interdonato | Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living

Back

Keansburg is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, occupying the south shore of Raritan Bay in the Bayshore region, an area of waterfront communities that face Staten Island and the mouth of New York Harbor. With a population of about 9,800, Keansburg is a compact, close-knit borough whose identity has long been tied to the bay and to its role as a family-oriented shore resort. The area was first settled as the hamlet of Waackaack, and the community took its modern name in 1884, when a post office opened and residents honored John Kean, the U.S. senator and congressman who had helped secure it. The Borough of Keansburg was formally incorporated in 1917 from portions of Middletown and Raritan townships. The borough's defining institution is the Keansburg Amusement Park, which dates to 1904, when William Gelhaus purchased marshland on the bayfront to create a summer resort. The park has operated for more than a century, and its boardwalk, rides, arcades, and the adjacent Runaway Rapids waterpark remain the heartbeat of local summers and a draw for visitors across the region. Keansburg has a distinctly working-class, bayside character. Its streets hold a mix of older cottages and modest single-family homes, and the population includes many long-time residents and families. The borough offers bay beaches, a marina, and easy access to the bay's fishing and boating, while commuters reach New York City via nearby New Jersey Transit rail stations, bus lines, and the New York Waterway ferry at Belford. For those seeking an authentic Bayshore community with waterfront access and a classic Jersey shore atmosphere, Keansburg stands apart.

Population 9,755

County Monmouth County

Active Listings 147

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Keansburg, New Jersey in?

Keansburg is in Monmouth County, New Jersey, on the south shore of Raritan Bay in the Bayshore region, facing Staten Island and the lower New York Harbor across the water. It lies along State Route 36, a short distance from Middletown and Hazlet.

What is Keansburg known for?

Keansburg is known as a bayside shore town and for the Keansburg Amusement Park, which opened in 1904, along with the adjoining Runaway Rapids waterpark. The borough has bay beaches and a marina on Raritan Bay.

Who is Keansburg named after?

Keansburg is named for John Kean, a U.S. senator and congressman from New Jersey who helped the community secure its first post office in 1884. The name was adopted that year, and the borough incorporated in 1917.

What school district serves Keansburg?

Keansburg is served by the Keansburg School District, which operates four schools for students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, enrolling roughly 1,600 students. The district is a former Abbott district with a long history of state support.

How do Keansburg residents commute to New York City?

Keansburg residents reach New York City by bus, by New Jersey Transit rail from nearby Middletown or Hazlet stations, or by the New York Waterway ferry from Belford. Driving uses State Route 36 and the Garden State Parkway.

City Guide

About Keansburg

Real Estate & Housing

Keansburg's housing stock reflects its history as a bayside resort and working-class community. The borough is made up largely of modest single-family homes and older cottages, many of them dating to the mid-twentieth century, with some newer construction near the waterfront. Lots tend to be small and the streets walkable, giving the borough a dense, close-knit feel. Multi-family homes and rentals are also part of the mix. The bayfront and marina areas hold particular appeal for buyers seeking water access, while the borough's proximity to the amusement park, beaches, and commuter links shapes its character as a practical shore community.

Neighborhoods

Keansburg is a compact borough organized around its bayfront. The area near the Keansburg Amusement Park and the waterfront holds the community's resort-era character, while inland streets blend older cottages and single-family homes in a tight street grid. The borough's small size means it functions as a single community rather than a collection of distinct districts, and many residents have deep family roots here. The marina and bay beaches anchor the waterfront, and the surrounding Bayshore towns — Middletown, Hazlet, and Union Beach — provide additional neighborhoods and services immediately adjacent.

Lifestyle in Keansburg

Life in Keansburg is shaped by the bay and the boardwalk. The Keansburg Amusement Park and Runaway Rapids waterpark are the community's summer anchors, drawing families for rides, arcades, and classic shore food, while the bay beaches and marina support fishing, boating, and waterfront relaxation. The borough has a down-to-earth, family-oriented feel and a strong sense of local identity as one of the Bayshore's original shore towns. Everyday shopping and dining are supplemented by the larger commercial corridors of Middletown and Hazlet, and the borough's location puts both the Jersey Shore's ocean beaches and New York City within reasonable reach.

Schools & Education

Keansburg is served by the Keansburg School District, which operates four schools serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade and enrolls roughly 1,600 students. The district is one of New Jersey's former Abbott districts, a designation tied to state support for school districts in urban and historically underserved communities. Students attend the district's elementary schools, Joseph R. Bolger Middle School, and Keansburg High School. The borough's location in Monmouth County also places students near regional vocational schools, community colleges, and the four-year institutions of central New Jersey.

Getting Around

Keansburg sits in the Bayshore region with several commuting options toward New York City. The borough is served by New Jersey Transit bus routes, and nearby Middletown and Hazlet offer New Jersey Transit rail stations on the North Jersey Coast Line. Academy bus lines also serve the area, and the New York Waterway ferry from nearby Belford provides a direct route across the bay to Manhattan. By road, State Route 36 and the Garden State Parkway connect Keansburg to the rest of Monmouth County and the wider region, placing the borough within commuting distance of both the shore and the city.

Parks & Recreation

Recreation in Keansburg centers on the waterfront. The Keansburg Amusement Park, operating since 1904, offers rides, arcades, and games along the bay, while Runaway Rapids waterpark adds slides and pools for summer. The borough's bay beaches and marina support swimming, fishing, crabbing, and boating on Raritan Bay, with views across to Staten Island and the Verrazzano Narrows. Local parks, playgrounds, and sports fields serve families year-round, and the ocean beaches of Sandy Hook and the greater Jersey Shore are a short drive away, as are the trails of Hartshorne Woods and the Henry Hudson Trail.

MARKET SNAPSHOT