OCEAN COUNTY – In a state as densely populated as New Jersey, cracking the top five safest communities is no small feat. For Barnegat, it also comes with national recognition as well.
According to newly released 2026 SafeWise crime rankings based on FBI data, Barnegat Township, with a population of 26,000, ranked #4 among the Safest Cities in New Jersey. But the good news didn’t stop there.
Barnegat also earned a spot on the national stage, ranking #85 among the 100 Safest Cities in the United States.
How The Rankings Work
SafeWise bases its lists strictly on reported crime data submitted to the FBI. The 2026 rankings rely on crimes reported in calendar year 2024.
For ranking purposes, violent crimes include aggravated assault, murder, rape and robbery. Property crimes include burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft. The organization calculates how many of those crimes occurred per 1,000 residents in each qualifying municipality.
The report emphasizes that the terms “safest” and “dangerous” refer only to those per-capita crime rates and are not intended to define the character or quality of life in any community.
Barnegat reported 0.6 violent crimes and 0.8 property crimes per 1,000 residents. By comparison, the national averages cited in the report are 4.43 violent crimes and 22.89 property crimes per 1,000 residents.
SafeWise researcher Cathy Habas noted that property crime in Barnegat has declined each year for the past two years, resulting in what she described as an 81 percent overall decrease. She also pointed out that the township reported no motor vehicle thefts during the reporting period.
Barnegat Police Chief Jason Carroll said the ranking reflects the consistent work happening behind the scenes at the department. He called it “first and foremost a reflection of the dedication and daily sacrifice of our uniformed officers and detectives who work tirelessly to serve and protect our community.”
Carroll credited specific initiatives for helping drive those results, including Neighborhood Policing Zones and the department’s Crime Reduction Unit, programs launched under former Chief Keith Germain. He also acknowledged the role of municipal leadership, saying the support and partnership of the mayor, Township Council and township administrator have been “vital to our successes.”
“Barnegat is a great place to live and work, and we are proud to serve its residents,” Carroll added, noting that the department intends to continue building on its progress and hopes to climb even higher in next year’s rankings.
Not every municipality is eligible for ranking. For the New Jersey report, towns must exceed the state’s median population and submit complete FBI crime data. New Jersey’s median municipal population is approximately 18,000 residents, which means many smaller boroughs are automatically excluded from consideration.
For the national Top 100 list, the population requirement is based on the national median population, which is lower than New Jersey’s threshold. That difference explains why some smaller New Jersey towns may qualify nationally but not at the state level.
New Jersey also made a strong showing nationally. Seventeen municipalities from the Garden State appeared on the national Top 100 list this year, the highest number of any state. Ocean Township, commonly referred to as Waretown, joined Barnegat as the only other Ocean County municipality to make the national list. With a population of 9,314, they were not big enough to make the state list but came in ranked at #89 nationally.
Ocean County’s Broader Picture
Barnegat was not alone in representing Ocean County in the New Jersey rankings. Also appearing on the state’s safest list were:
- Jackson Township, ranked 16th
- Manchester Township, ranked 25th
- Stafford Township, ranked 41st
- Lakewood Township, ranked 51st
- Little Egg Harbor Township, ranked 58th
- Lacey Township, ranked 60th
- Toms River Township, ranked 79th
Meanwhile, municipalities such as Brick Township and Berkeley Township did not appear in either ranking this year. Smaller communities including Bay Head, Mantoloking, Lavallette, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Beach Haven, Long Beach Township, Eagleswood Township, Plumsted Township, Ocean Gate, Pine Beach, Island Heights, Lakehurst, South Toms River and Tuckerton also were not ranked. In most cases, the absence reflects population thresholds or reporting requirements rather than an evaluation of crime levels.
The statewide list also highlights how widely crime rates can vary across New Jersey. Atlantic City ranked 151st, placing last in the state report. It reported 17.59 violent crimes and 63.62 property crimes per 1,000 residents. Those figures differ substantially from the lower per-capita rates reported by several Ocean County municipalities.
SafeWise notes that its rankings are based solely on reported violent and property crime data. They do not account for seasonal tourism, economic conditions, public perception of safety or other social factors.
Ocean County communities range from quiet barrier island boroughs to growing suburban townships and rural stretches of pine forest. Summer populations swell along the shore. Year-round communities vary widely in size and density.
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