The gateway to LBI — top schools, easy bay access, and Manahawkin at its heart.
Stafford Township is the largest year-round community at the foot of the LBI Causeway. It is where the island commuters live, where the seasonal businesses are headquartered, and where most LBI second-home owners do their grocery shopping. The township covers Manahawkin, Beach Haven West, Cedar Run, Mayetta and the Stafford Forge area.
For year-round buyers, Stafford offers something the island can’t: a real public school district that families stay through K–12, neighborhoods with sidewalks and cul-de-sacs, and inventory well below LBI prices for similar square footage. Lagoonfront homes in Beach Haven West remain the township’s flagship product — deepwater dockage, no bridge to the open bay, and a 15-minute boat ride to Barnegat Inlet.
New construction has accelerated along Route 72 and at the Beach Haven West infill lots. The Stafford Business Park and the Manahawkin Hospital corridor anchor the western side of town, while the Causeway corridor handles the seasonal retail and dining demand.
Stafford Township School District serves elementary and middle grades; high school students attend Southern Regional, which also draws from the LBI district, Eagleswood and Bass River.
Stafford’s recreation infrastructure is one of the strongest in southern Ocean County — a full community center, miles of bay frontage, several large parks, and direct access to one of the largest national wildlife refuges on the East Coast.
Fishing pier, walking loop, playground and the seasonal farmers market on Bay Avenue.
Indoor courts, fitness floor, classes and youth programming year-round.
Eight-mile wildlife drive, marsh trails and one of the largest osprey populations on the Atlantic Flyway.
State Wildlife Management Area for hunting, freshwater fishing and hiking in the Pine Barrens.
Bayfront park with playground, picnic pavilion and walking paths along Manahawkin Bay.
Private docks at virtually every home; direct deepwater access to Barnegat Bay.
Stafford’s youth sports programs feed directly into Southern Regional’s NJSIAA Group IV teams. The Rams have produced state finalists in baseball, lacrosse, wrestling and swimming over the last decade.
High school football, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, wrestling and a long-standing swim program.
Township-run baseball, softball, basketball and soccer for grades K–8.
Travel soccer, lacrosse and baseball based in or near Stafford with strong regional schedules.
Pop Warner-style program feeding Southern Regional’s varsity pipeline.
The retail and service hubs that LBI relies on too — from the hospital and supermarkets to the everyday restaurants that fill up off-season.
Born and raised on Staten Island, Matt made the move to Ocean Acres in Manahawkin — right in the heart of Stafford Township — where he’s been rooted since 2017. He knows firsthand what it feels like to leave the city behind and discover the quality of life the Jersey Shore offers. That experience gives him a perspective no lifelong local can replicate — he understands exactly what buyers from Staten Island, Brooklyn and North Jersey are looking for because he made the same move himself.
Whether you’re searching for a year-round home in Ocean Acres, a waterfront retreat on LBI or your first shore investment — Matt brings honest local knowledge, direct communication and an agent who actually picks up the phone.
Matt Dunn has helped buyers and sellers across Stafford Township for over a decade. Get local insight, current listings, and a no-pressure conversation about your next move.