Ocean County insight? (rental, best schools, live)

[MrSportsNut]

I have been looking at the housing & the schools and think Ocean county might work.

I know this is an open ended question but what can you tell me about the schools, lifestyle (trendy or family?)
How is the transit support? Trains & such ? Feel free to tell me anything about the area good or bad.

Thanks

[hrjersey]

The best schools in OC are in Pt. Pleasant Beach. There is also Pt. Pleasant Boro with decent schools. For the most part most other districts are moderate to poor (lakewood being poor).

I can't really think of anywhere in OC where it is "Trendy." It is more of a family oriented area with a fairly heavy blue collar population.

I would say it is more laid back than the areas north of Monmouth County. That is to say, we are more Target shoppers than Macy's. I don't feel like I'm going to have to worry too much about whether my daughter wears real Uggs. Not saying it doesn't have a place here, but just not to the same degree.

There are buses that go to NYC from here but I don't know much about them.

One last comment. I commute about 60 miles each way to work. People will say I'm crazy until they come to my house. I live waterfront. I'm 10 minutes from the beach. Our summers are centered on the water and even in the winter there is nothing like washing dishes while I look out over the lagoon. However, if I didn't live on the water, I doubt I would stay here. The commute is long and expensive.

[Jrsygrl51]

I agree that Pt. Beach has the best high school. I could never get a rental year round there, so I ended up in TR, but ALWAYS in the EAST school district.