Tuckerton's housing stock reflects its age and small scale, with older single-family homes in the borough center alongside newer townhome and multi-family options such as Tuckerton Meadows and Bartlett Landing. The borough is compact and largely residential, while the adjacent Little Egg Harbor Township offers larger developments with single-family homes and townhomes, including communities like Tall Timbers, Atlantis, and Holly Lake. Buyers are drawn by the area's affordability relative to the oceanfront Shore towns, its bay access, and its location within reach of Long Beach Island and the Pine Barrens.

Tuckerton borough is a small, walkable community centered on its downtown and the waterfront along Tuckerton Creek. Within the borough, residential areas include townhome communities such as Tuckerton Meadows and Bartlett Landing, located off U.S. Highway 9. The borough blends closely with surrounding Little Egg Harbor Township, whose larger developments — Tall Timbers, Atlantis, and Holly Lake among them — extend the area's housing options. The overall setting keeps residents close to the Seaport, the bay, and the Pine Barrens, giving Tuckerton a distinctly South Jersey coastal character.

Tuckerton offers a quiet Jersey Shore lifestyle shaped by its seaport past and its setting between the Pine Barrens and the bay. The borough has a small-town feel, with a compact downtown and a working connection to the water through Tuckerton Creek. Residents enjoy proximity to boating, fishing, and the natural areas of the Pine Barrens, while the beaches of Long Beach Island are a short drive away. Community life centers on the Seaport's festivals and the borough's local events. Tuckerton appeals to those seeking a year-round Shore community with history and access to both bay and ocean recreation.

Tuckerton's public schools are split between two districts. The Tuckerton School District serves elementary students in the borough, while grades seven through twelve are handled by the Pinelands Regional School District, a regional district that also serves Little Egg Harbor Township, Eagleswood Township, and Bass River Township in Burlington County. This arrangement gives Tuckerton families a local elementary experience followed by a larger regional secondary program. The area's schools are complemented by private and parochial options across southern Ocean County, and the district structure reflects the shared resources common among small Shore municipalities.

Tuckerton is served by U.S. Route 9, the main north-south corridor along this stretch of the Jersey Shore, which runs parallel to the Garden State Parkway and provides the area's principal alternate route. The Garden State Parkway is accessible nearby via its interchange with County Route 539, connecting Tuckerton to Atlantic City, the northern Shore, and points beyond. The borough's location between the bay and the Pine Barrens places Long Beach Island and Manahawkin within a short drive. As in most Shore communities, residents rely on personal vehicles, with regional bus and rail options available in the wider Ocean County area.

Recreation in Tuckerton is anchored by the Tuckerton Seaport and Baymen's Museum, a 40-acre maritime village with historic and recreated buildings, a boardwalk, a wetlands nature trail, a decoy gallery, and a recreated Tucker's Island Lighthouse, along with boat tours on Tuckerton Creek. Nearby, the Great Bay Boulevard Wildlife Management Area and the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve offer birding, walking, and nature study, while the Pine Barrens provide extensive trails and forests. Long Beach Island's ocean beaches, marinas, and bay access are just a short drive away.