For the average person it has become nearly impossible to live on the island year round. I've been here over 30 years and now very likely moving offshore, my landlord is not renewing my lease to do a tear down, no one wants year round tenants. OC is rapidly becoming another version of Avalon.
You're not wrong - most of those fortunate enough to own property here either want the ability to use the property themselves (some for 1 week, some all year) or simply want to maximize their ROI (return on investment). The fabric of the town has changed over time, but not all for the worse! I absolutely love it here and am thrilled to be able to raise my son in the best town in NJ!
For folks who live there year round, do most people work within let’s say Cape May County or commute to further cities? I know higher paying jobs are likely in the bigger cities.
Great question! While I don't have stats to back this up, but I think of it in 3 groups: 1. Those who work on the island or own/start a business here (remote or physical). This is likely the largest group - we have an AMAZING community that supports small businesses! I used to be in the corporate world but, since moving back here full time, my wife quit her corporate job to start a business and I did the same (in real estate). 2. Those who work within ~30 minutes of the island. Believe it or not, there are a TON of great jobs within 30 minutes or so in various fields. 3. Those who work in or around Philly (the primary city where people commute to). While there are definitely others who commute further out, I can't imagine they do that daily and likely have an arrangement where they work remotely from time to time. Big cities will almost always have more job opportunities and likely higher salaries, but ultimately it depends on your line of work. Would you have to change jobs in order to make a move down to the beach?
I actually just went from corporate to dipping my toe in education. My wife is also a teacher. At this point I’d take any job just to be able to live there 😀
@@orenphillips8344 Congrats on the change! 🙌 I hear ya - we took the plunge and haven't looked back. Loving every minute! If you ever want to talk about the possibilities (teaching in the area or something else), happy to be a sounding board 👍
I heard that winters is nesting season for sea monsters. Baby godzillas, while adorable can impact your lawns and planting beds. For this reason stay out of OCNJ!