City comparison
Lakewood, NJ is about 10 miles (10 km) from Toms River, NJ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 9 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Lakewood, NJ to Toms River, NJ takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Toms River has a population of 92,827, vs 68,555 in Lakewood — about 1.4× larger by population. By land area, Toms River covers about 39 sq mi vs 7.1 sq mi for Lakewood.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Lakewood | Toms River | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,619/mo | $1,592/mo | 1.7% higher in Lakewood |
| Median home value | $604,600 | $356,100 | 69.8% higher in Lakewood |
| Median household income | $54,826 | $92,012 | 67.8% higher in Toms River |
| Groceries index | 107.2 | 107.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 121.4 | 121.4 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 103.3 | 103.3 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lakewood, you'd need $99,935 in Toms River to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lakewood and Toms River have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Lakewood, you'd need about $79,948 in Toms River to keep the same standard of living.