Pleasantville's housing market is dominated by multifamily and rental properties, with a majority of residents renting rather than owning. The stock includes apartments, townhouses, and single-family and two-family homes, much of it older construction reflecting the city's growth through the early and mid-20th century. The city's affordability relative to the nearby shore communities and its proximity to Atlantic City's employment make it a practical choice for renters and first-time buyers. Buyers and renters are typically seeking value, transit access, and convenience to the shore, with the dense, walkable neighborhoods offering a more urban feel than the surrounding suburban towns.

Pleasantville is organized around its Main Street commercial corridor and a grid of residential streets that grew up around the railroad and trolley routes to Atlantic City. The city's neighborhoods are dense and walkable, with a mix of multifamily buildings, townhouses, and older single-family homes. The commercial districts along its main avenues anchor local shopping and services, and the city's schools and parks are distributed throughout. Because Pleasantville is compact and transit-connected, neighborhood identity often follows proximity to Main Street, the schools, and the bus routes to Atlantic City, giving the city a cohesive, urban-suburban character distinct from the more sprawling communities to its west.

Pleasantville offers a dense, diverse, and convenient suburban-urban lifestyle just minutes from Atlantic City. Daily life is oriented around the city's neighborhoods, schools, and commercial corridors, with the beaches, boardwalk, entertainment, and employment of Atlantic City a short ride away. The city's diversity and its role as a commuter community for the casino district shape its character, and NJ Transit bus service keeps the shore and surrounding towns accessible without a car. Housing is oriented toward renters, and the city provides an affordable base within the South Jersey shore region. Residents balance local community life with easy access to the attractions and jobs of Atlantic City and the wider Atlantic County area.

Public education in Pleasantville is provided by the Pleasantville Public School District, which operates the city's public schools, including Pleasantville High School and a set of elementary and middle schools serving the community. The district is a central institution in this dense, diverse city and serves a student population reflective of the community's demographics. In addition to the public system, private and parochial school options are available in the region. Families commonly confirm school assignments through the district. For higher education, Atlantic Cape Community College and Stockton University, both nearby, provide accessible pathways within Atlantic County.

Pleasantville is well connected to the South Jersey transportation network. NJ Transit bus service operates throughout the city, connecting residents to Atlantic City and other nearby towns, and the city sits close to the Garden State Parkway and the Atlantic City Expressway, which provide regional highway access to the rest of New Jersey and Philadelphia. The city's historic role as a gateway to Atlantic City continues through these transit links, making it a practical base for commuters to the casino district and surrounding employment centers. Within the city, the dense street grid is walkable, and many daily errands can be accomplished on foot or by bus.

Recreation in Pleasantville benefits from its location minutes from Atlantic City's beaches, boardwalk, and entertainment venues, which provide a full range of recreational and cultural activities. Within the city, parks, playgrounds, and school facilities offer local recreation for residents, and the city's community programs serve families and youth. The broader Atlantic County region provides additional parks, golf courses, and open space, while the Jersey Shore's beaches and the bays of South Jersey support swimming, boating, and fishing. Residents enjoy the combination of local, community-scale recreation and the larger attractions of Atlantic City and the shore just a short trip away.