Southern Ocean County
Little Egg Harbor Township is the southernmost township on the Ocean County portion of the Jersey Shore, fronting Great Bay and the salt marshes behind Long Beach Island.
The community
Little Egg Harbor and Mystic Island
The history, waterways, and character of the community behind 1072 Radio Rd, and what buyers should know before they make the move.
Where this home sits
A township built on the water
Little Egg Harbor Township sits on the southern edge of Ocean County, fronting Great Bay and the salt marshes that lie behind Long Beach Island. The name traces back to the Dutch sailors who mapped the bay in the 1600s and named it for the seagull eggs they found there. The township has been on the map since 1740, and its character still comes from the water.
Mystic Islands, the lagoon community where 1072 Radio Rd stands, grew out of one of the more unusual chapters in local history. The area was once home to the Tuckerton Wireless Tower, a massive radio transmission station built in 1912. After the tower was dismantled in the 1950s, a developer bought the land, filled in the waterways between seven small islands, and starting in the early 1960s built a planned, family-friendly waterfront community along a network of man-made, bulkheaded lagoons.
Today the concrete anchor monoliths of the old tower still stand here and there, quiet reminders that this stretch of the Shore has been a crossroads for more than a century. The rest of the story is rooflines, docks, and boats in the water.
At a glance
- Little Egg Harbor Township, Ocean County, NJ
- Navigable lagoons out to Great Bay
- Boating, fishing, and crabbing at the heart of local life
- Garden State Parkway access for the rest of the Shore
The numbers
Little Egg Harbor in four facts
Founded in 1740
The township was founded in 1740 and incorporated in 1798. It surrounds the separate borough of Tuckerton, formed from township land in 1901.
About 20,800 residents
The 2020 census counted 20,784 residents across roughly 47 square miles of land, the highest decennial count in the township's history.
Mystic Islands
Mystic Islands is an unincorporated community and census-designated place within the township, home to about 8,300 people at the last census.
The waterways
Your boat lives at your dock
The defining feature of Mystic Islands is its network of man-made lagoons, which give homes direct boat access to Great Bay and Little Egg Harbor Bay. From a lagoon home you can keep a boat at your own dock, crab off the bulkhead, and reach open water in minutes on a good tide.
Boating, fishing, and crabbing are central to life here, and the marinas along the nearby Tuckerton waterfront and surrounding lagoons are minutes away for slips, fuel, and services. The same water that makes the community special also shapes the practical side of buying here, which is covered below.
See the neighborhood page for marinas, dining, and things to do around Mystic Islands.
Before you buy
What buyers should know about the community
Waterfront living here is wonderful, and it comes with a practical checklist. Work through these points with your agent, lender, and inspector before you commit.
Flood insurance is usually part of the deal
Lagoon and bayfront neighborhoods are low-lying, and waterfront homes generally require a separate flood policy. Check the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map for the specific property and get a quote before you make an offer.
Elevation and history matter
Ask about a home's elevation relative to the water, whether it flooded in past storms, and when it was built or rebuilt. Superstorm Sandy flooded parts of the community in 2012, and many homes were rebuilt, raised, or replaced afterward.
Salt air takes its toll
Coastal salt air corrodes standard building materials over time. Ask about siding, gutters, metal fixtures, and when major systems were replaced. Recently maintained homes wear the Shore well.
Docks and bulkheads are features to verify
A private dock and bulkhead are part of the appeal, but waterfront structures need upkeep. Have them inspected along with the home and understand who is responsible for maintenance.
Everyday life
Schools, water, and where the Shore meets the Pinelands
Homes in Mystic Islands are served by the Little Egg Harbor Township School District through sixth grade, then feed into the Pinelands Regional School District for junior high and high school. School assignments are set by the district and can change, so confirm the current feeder pattern before relying on it.
The township offers everyday conveniences like public water and public sewer in its neighborhoods, and the Garden State Parkway puts the rest of the Jersey Shore within easy reach. Tuckerton, a separate borough that the township surrounds, is the local hub for dining and waterfront history, and Long Beach Island beaches are a short drive across the bay.
Come see it
See the community from the water
The best way to understand lagoon living is to stand at the dock at sunset. Derek can show you 1072 Radio Rd and answer your questions about the community around it.