Manchester 55+ Retirement Communities

Manchester Township provides seniors with a relaxing small town environment with the added bonus of being within a two hour drive of Philadelphia, Wilmington Trenton, and Atlantic City. There are abundant outdoor recreational opportunities in the area, including spots for hiking and golf. Manchester is also just 12 miles from Ocean Gate Beach or Brick Beach.

Climate & Geography

Manchester Township is located in Ocean County, less than ten miles northwest of Tom’s River.  McGuire Air Force Base is to the east of Manchester. Lakehurst Naval Air Station is within Manchester Township and is the site of the Hindenburg airship explosion.

The area sees about 10 inches of rain per year, much of it falling during the month of July. Winter temperatures range from 27° to 38° and snow accumulations average over 2 inches a year. Summer in Manchester is hot with summer temperatures averaging 69° to 83° and 78% humidity.

Recreation & Entertainment

There are a variety of leisure options for active adults in the Manchester Township area, including:

Historical sites and museums

• • Laurelhurst Hanger 1 - site of the Hindenburg airship explosion in 1937

Outdoor activities

• • Harry Wright Lake
  • Crossley Preserve
  • Pine Barrens Golf Club

Other activities

• • Insectropolis, the Bugseum of New Jersey

Cost of Living & Taxes

New Jersey cost of living is lower than other east coast states but higher than the nationwide average. Retirees can be comfortable shopping here because of the low sales tax and sales tax exemptions for a variety of items including clothing and groceries. Residents of New Jersey usually spend more on property taxes than other states and property tax varies from county to county. Manchester Township is part of Ocean County, and their average property tax rate is 2.05%.

Health Care

The three closest hospitals in the Manchester Township area are Community Medical Center in Toms River, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, and Ocean University Medical Center in Brick Township.

Community Medical Center has 592 beds and is the largest general hospital in the area. Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus is a 350 bed hospital known for their state of the art Geriatrics Institute and Oncology Rehabilitation program. Ocean University Medical Center is a 343 bed teaching hospital that has been rated one of the safest hospitals in the state by Forbes Magazine.