By MADDY VITALE
Ocean City has been recognized for its beaches, Boardwalk and downtown. The resort is also known as a family-friendly destination for vacationers. To add to the list of accolades is Ocean City’s selection by a travel site as one of the Top 5 places to live in the state.
NomadLawyer.org, a travel website dedicated to tourism, volunteer travel, travel laws, charity and knowledge-sharing, ranked “America’s Greatest Family Resort” as No. 4 of eight communities in New Jersey as great places to live year-round.
Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview Sunday that the Chamber is excited that the resort is being recognized “as a great place to live and raise a family, have your business and enjoy all of the amenities of a hometown.”
“This is the first this year for this honor and it just speaks to the quality of life in Ocean City, that it is not just about the beaches and the Boardwalk,” Gillian noted.
She also pointed out other attributes that contribute to why the resort is attractive to families.
“It is the Community Center, the Ocean City Pops, the (Ocean City Municipal) golf course, the airport, a recreation program that is second to none. The quality of life is the most outstanding in the region,” she said. “There is something for everyone. It makes us not just a summer destination, but an all-year destination.”
City Council President Pete Madden, who is also a broker/owner of Goldcoast Sotheby’s International Realty in Ocean City, said families continue to buy in the resort for the hometown way of life with all of the amenities.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic only increased home buying in Ocean City as more and more companies switched their operations to remote and workers could work from anywhere.
“The quality of life to live here in this town is to me second to none and I think that was really highlighted during the pandemic, when people started moving here to raise their families,” Madden said. “People were able to work from home and took advantage of that opportunity to move to Ocean City.”
And the market doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Families continue to relocate to Ocean City for all that it has to offer, Madden noted.
“The taxes are great, and it offsets the increase in price, compared to other towns,” he added.
He said sometimes buyers have to purchase a smaller house to move to the resort, but the reward is that they are moving to a great, safe community, with good schools.
Madden said of Ocean City being selected as No. 4 by the travel site, “It’s awesome and a credit to all the hard work of all of Ocean City — from the schools to the city.”
Following are excerpts from the list of the Top 5 best places to reside in New Jersey as per Nomadlawyer.org:
Fort Lee, No. 1
“Fort Lee sits pretty on the eastern border of Bergen County, with a growing population of about 35,000. There are many parks, historic sites, museums, and shops to explore, which attracts a diverse community who loves living there.”
Jersey City, No. 2
“You can find lush parks, spas, art galleries and all kinds of shopping in Jersey City and the atmosphere is warm and friendly.”
Millburn Township, No. 3
“Millburn Township is an affluent suburb in Essex County. Not far from Manhattan, it is a great place to live with a free library, and wide-open green spaces to enjoy the great outdoors, walking trails, waterfalls and golf courses.”
Ocean City, No. 4
“If beach life is calling, Ocean City could be the ideal place for you to settle down.
Prices can be a little higher since it’s a touristy area, but if you live like a local, you can have a comfortable lifestyle that includes sun, sand and shopping.
There are no bars or nightclubs which many families don’t mind and even if you do like to party now and then it is pretty close to the next neighborhoods where you can get a drink.”
Cherry Hill, No. 5
“The place is as charming as the name sounds. Cherry Hill is Camden County, but is considered a part of Philadelphia. It is a wealthy area with quality shopping, parks, schools and amenities, and the population has been steadily growing for many years.”
Englewood Cliffs, located in Bergen County, is ranked No. 6. Princeton, in Mercer County, comes in as No. 7 and Cresskill Borough, in Bergen County, rounds out No. 8.
The honor bestowed this year on Ocean City from nomadlawyer.org is among the many that have been awarded to the beach town over the years. Ocean City has been named “Best Beach in America” and “Best Beach” in several polls.
“America’s Greatest Family Resort” also has been recognized for its Boardwalk, downtown, ecotourism, family destinations, women-owned businesses and more.
For more information about Ocean City and its attractions, go to https://www.facebook.com/OceanCityNJVacation/ and to view the complete results of the Top 8 towns in New Jersey for places to live go to www.Nomadlawyer.org.
