Living in Longport, NJ: A Complete Guide for Buyers and Sellers

The Short Answer

Longport is a small borough of roughly 900 year-round residents at the southern tip of Absecon Island in Atlantic County, New Jersey, bordered by Margate City to the north, the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to the southwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Incorporated in 1898 and named for the 1850s landowner James Long, it is one of the smallest municipalities in the county at about 0.4 square miles, and one of the highest-value: per the July 2026 Realtors Property Resource profile in the Longport area guide, the median home value is about $2.05 million, up 15.9% year over year. There is no boardwalk and no downtown. Instead, Longport offers quiet guarded beaches, bay-side boating and fishing, a working fishing pier saved from the old 1928 bridge, and some of the most expensive real estate on the Jersey Shore.

For buyers and sellers, the practical realities are flood-zone elevation rules that apply to nearly the whole island, a revaluation ordered by the Atlantic County Board of Taxation that must be completed by December 31, 2026, and a market where most homes trade above $1 million. This guide is written for people looking at Longport, including luxury buyers, waterfront and bayfront owners, second-home buyers, downsizers, and families considering the island's schools. It covers how to get there, the history, beaches, schools, flood and elevation rules, the housing market, property taxes, and what to expect when buying or selling in this barrier-island borough.

• Longport sits at the southern tip of Absecon Island, with Margate City to the north, bay waters to the northwest, the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to the southwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east and southeast.
• The borough was incorporated on March 7, 1898, from portions of Egg Harbor Township, and is named for James Long, a 19th-century parcel owner; the naturally long port on the bay side also contributed to the name.
• Route 152 (Somers Point-Longport Boulevard) connects Longport to Somers Point and U.S. 9, and the Ocean City-Longport Bridge connects it to Ocean City across the inlet, with a toll collected toward Ocean City.
• Longport has no boardwalk and no downtown; a handful of businesses, including Ozzie's Luncheonette and Catch Restaurant & Bar, sit along Atlantic Avenue, with most dining and shopping a short drive away in Margate, Ventnor, and Somers Point.
• Public school students in grades K-8 attend Margate City Schools, and grades 9-12 attend Ocean City High School through a sending/receiving relationship that began in the 2014-15 school year.
• Per the July 2026 Realtors Property Resource profile in the Longport area guide, the median home value is about $2.05 million with a median list price around $2 million, homes selling at 95.8% of list after a median 16 days on market, and roughly 10 months of inventory.

Where Is Longport, and How Do You Get There?

Longport occupies the southern end of Absecon Island, the barrier island that also holds Ventnor, Margate, and Atlantic City. The island narrows as it runs south, and Longport is where it ends: the Great Egg Harbor Inlet separates it from Ocean City to the south, while the bay waters of Beach Thorofare and Great Egg Harbor Bay lie to the northwest. The borough covers only about 0.4 square miles of land, making it one of the smallest municipalities in Atlantic County, with the ZIP code 08403.

Getting to Longport is straightforward from the mainland. Route 152, the Somers Point-Longport Boulevard, crosses the bay from Somers Point and U.S. 9 to the north end of the island. The Ocean City-Longport Bridge, a Cape May County Bridge Commission toll bridge on the Ocean Drive coastal route, connects Longport to Ocean City across the inlet; the commission's bridges went cashless in May 2025 and the toll is collected on the trip toward Ocean City. Atlantic Avenue runs north from Longport through Margate and Ventnor into Atlantic City, and the Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway are about 10 to 15 minutes away via Somers Point or Margate. The relocation guide covers how island access, school districts, and daily drive patterns factor into a South Jersey move.

A Short History of Longport

The area that became Longport has a recorded history back to 1695, when Thomas Budd made an early land claim in the region. In the 1850s, James Long acquired Lot 32, which covered much of what is now the borough, and in 1882 M. Simpson McCullough bought the property and began selling lots, developing the community that would carry Long's name. Longport was officially incorporated as a borough on March 7, 1898, from portions of Egg Harbor Township. The name honors James Long and the naturally long port on the bay side, and the borough's early street grid reflected its island geography.

The island's coastline has never been static. Between 1900 and 1916, Longport lost its first ten numbered avenues to shoreline and inlet changes, a reminder of how dynamic this barrier island is. The original Ocean City-Longport Bridge opened in 1928 as a privately built span with a 25-cent toll; the Cape May County Bridge Commission bought it in 1946, and it was replaced in 2000-2002 with a high-level fixed span. A 500-foot section of the old bridge was kept in place on the Longport side and converted into a public bay fishing pier, which the commission renovated and reopened in June 2025. That pier, plus the preserved beachfront, is how Longport holds on to its past while the rest of the island modernizes.

Beaches, the Bay, and Outdoor Life

Longport's reason for being is the water. The ocean beaches are guarded from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with daily hours of 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and beach badges are required for anyone 12 and older. Handicap ramps are located at 16th, 27th, 32nd, 33rd, and 35th Avenues, and the borough runs a Beach Transport Program for residents who need assistance over the dunes. There is no boardwalk, no amusement pier, and no commercial strip on the beach, which is exactly what many Longport buyers are looking for. The full beach tag, access, and dog rules are in the Longport area guide.

The bay side is a different world. Beach Thorofare and Great Egg Harbor Bay offer calmer water for kayaking, paddleboarding, and small-boat fishing, and the Great Egg Harbor Inlet just south of the island is a serious fishing ground. The Longport Pier, the preserved section of the old 1928 bridge, is a public bay fishing pier operated by the Cape May County Bridge Commission and reopened in June 2025 after a roughly $700,000 renovation. For a small town, Longport also has a real community calendar: the Veterans Day ceremony at the borough memorial, the annual Tree and Menorah Lighting, and the fall Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweep, with Lucy the Elephant's Trunktoberfest just up the island in Margate.

Schools in Longport

Longport is a non-operating school district, meaning it runs no schools of its own. Through a sending/receiving relationship, public school students in grades K-8 attend the Margate City Schools, which operate the William H. Ross and Eugene A. Tighe schools in Margate. For grades 9-12, Longport students attend Ocean City High School through a sending/receiving arrangement that began in the 2014-15 school year, after the state approved Longport's request to end its prior high school arrangement with Atlantic City High School.

Relocating buyers should confirm the current grade configuration and busing with the districts, because sending arrangements can change. The relocation guide covers how districts, taxes, and commute patterns factor into a South Jersey move, and the Longport area guide includes the current enrollment information for the sending districts.

Flood Zones and Elevation Rules

Longport is a barrier island, and nearly the entire borough sits within FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas. Under the Atlantic County Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Map effective August 28, 2018, which the borough adopted by reference (community No. 345302), properties are mapped in high-velocity coastal Zone VE, Coastal A (AE), and Zone A. In plain terms, almost every property in Longport is in a flood zone, and flood insurance is a standard part of the ownership math, not an exception.

The borough's floodplain management ordinance, Chapter 99 as amended by Ordinance 2024-23, sets a Local Design Flood Elevation equal to at least the higher of the base flood elevation plus four feet of freeboard (plus the additional freeboard required by ASCE 24-14), or the statewide minimum under the New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act (N.J.A.C. 7:13). New construction and substantial improvements must be elevated so the lowest floor, including any basement, is at or above that elevation, verified with a FEMA Elevation Certificate, and a Floodplain Development Permit is required. Work counts as a "substantial improvement" when the cost equals or exceeds 50% of the structure's market value, which is the NFIP and NJDEP standard that catches many renovation projects. A separate borough ordinance caps building height at 29 feet 6 inches above the finished first floor for new and elevated construction. My flood insurance and flood zone guide explains the FEMA zones, NFIP pricing, and New Jersey's flood risk disclosure law in detail, and the tidelands guide covers the state's claims on submerged waterfront property.

The Longport Real Estate Market

Longport is one of the highest-value markets in Atlantic County. Per the July 2026 Realtors Property Resource profile in the Longport area guide, the median home value is about $2.05 million, up 15.9% year over year, with a median list price around $2 million and homes selling at 95.8% of list price after a median 16 days on market. The borough shows roughly 10 months of inventory, which at this price level reads as a buyer's market: there are more high-end homes available than there are buyers at any given moment, and pricing and presentation decide the outcome. The median home age is about 40 years, and 93% of housing units are owner-occupied, with a mix of single-family homes, condominiums, and townhouses.

The market divides by water exposure. Oceanfront and bayfront properties carry the biggest premiums, and even a few blocks inland changes what a home is worth, because flood zone, elevation, and view all shift with the block. Buyers at this level often pay cash or use jumbo financing, and sellers compete on presentation: professional photography, video, and Matterport 3D tours matter more at $2 million than almost anywhere else in South Jersey. The monthly market update tracks Atlantic County trends, the waterfront selling guide covers the special considerations of water-adjacent properties, and the Matterport guide explains why 3D tours move high-end listings.

Property Taxes and the Coming Revaluation

Longport's property taxes follow a pattern that is about to change. The New Jersey Division of Taxation's 2025 general tax rates put Longport's rate at $1.111 per $100 of assessed value, with an effective rate of about 0.698%, which is low by New Jersey standards because assessments have lagged far behind market values. Longport last conducted a municipal-wide revaluation in 1993, with a reassessment in 2012, and in October 2025 the Atlantic County Board of Taxation ordered the borough to conduct a new revaluation because assessments had fallen out of line with market values. The revaluation must be completed by December 31, 2026.

What that means in practice: assessments will move toward market value, tax bills will be recalculated, and the share of the tax levy each property pays will shift. A property that has been under-assessed for years can see its assessment rise substantially, even if the tax rate falls to offset it. Buyers should never assume the seller's current tax bill is what a new owner will pay, and sellers should expect questions about assessed value and the revaluation timeline. The property tax appeal guide and the Atlantic County appeal guide explain what to do if a new assessment comes in too high, the NJ ANCHOR guide covers the property tax relief program most homeowners qualify for, and the senior and veteran relief guide covers the deductions and exemptions available to many Longport owners.

What This Means for Buyers

If you are buying in Longport, go in with your eyes on five things: elevation and flood insurance, financing, taxes, schools, and the second-home or rental question.

• Elevation and flood insurance. Verify the FEMA zone and ask for the property's Elevation Certificate before you make an offer. Nearly the whole island is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, so budget for flood insurance on top of the mortgage, and understand the 50% substantial improvement rule before you plan any renovation. The flood guide walks through the numbers.
• Financing. Most Longport sales are above $1 million, which means jumbo loans, larger down payments, and often cash offers. If you are looking at a condo, confirm the project is warrantable under current Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rules; the condo mortgage guide explains the 2026 guidelines.
• Taxes. Ask for the current tax bill and assessed value, and plan for the revaluation due by December 31, 2026. A new owner can receive a very different bill than the seller's most recent one.
• Schools. Confirm the K-8 arrangement with Margate City Schools and the 9-12 arrangement with Ocean City High School, and factor the school commute into your decision. The relocation guide covers how districts factor into a move.
• Rental use. If you plan to rent the property short term or long term, confirm the current rental rules with the borough before you buy. Shore towns differ, and the rules have been changing across Atlantic County.

Start with the buying guide for the full South Jersey purchase process, from pre-approval to closing, and the Margate guide and Ventnor guide for comparison up the island.

What This Means for Sellers

Selling in Longport is a high-end, high-stakes version of the South Jersey market, and four things matter most.

• Pricing discipline. With roughly 10 months of inventory, Longport buyers have options. Homes that sell at 95.8% of list are priced correctly from day one; overpriced listings sit and then discount. A data-backed pricing strategy is the difference, and the guide to selling for the most money covers the approach.
• Presentation. At this price point, buyers expect professional photography, video, and Matterport 3D tours before they ever visit. The Matterport guide explains how 3D tours and video marketing separate a listing from the rest of the island.
• Flood and waterfront disclosure. Be accurate on the flood risk disclosure form, and if the property touches the bay or the inlet, review the title for any tidelands or riparian claims with your attorney. The tidelands guide explains what to check.
• Municipal inspection. Longport does not publish a widely documented resale certificate of occupancy requirement the way some mainland towns do, but confirm with the borough's construction or code enforcement office before you list. My town-by-town municipal inspection guide puts the rules in context across Atlantic County.

Sellers should also read the selling guide for the full process, including the Graduated Percent Fee that applies to sales over $1 million, which matters in a market where most homes clear that threshold. The Brigantine barrier island guide is a useful comparison for how Atlantic County's other island markets handle the same flood and elevation questions.

Local Life: Where People Actually Go

Longport has no downtown, but it is not short on local spots. Ozzie's Luncheonette at 2401 Atlantic Avenue is the Longport institution, a classic Jersey Shore breakfast-and-lunch counter that has fed the island for decades. Catch Restaurant & Bar, in the same small commercial node, is the island's evening spot, and LaBarca at the causeway end of town serves Italian at 301 Somers Point Longport Boulevard.

Most everyday errands and dining happen a short drive up the island or across the bay. Margate has Margate Dairy Bar & Burger, Steve & Cookie's By the Bay, and Sofia, plus Lucy the Elephant and her seasonal events. In Somers Point, just over Route 152, The Crab Trap anchors the bayfront dining scene. Groceries, hardware, and services are concentrated in Margate, Ventnor, and Somers Point, and Atlantic City's restaurants, casinos, and airport are about 15 to 20 minutes north. The Margate guide, Somers Point guide, and neighborhoods overview show how Longport compares with the rest of the island and the mainland.

Key Takeaways

• Longport is a borough of roughly 900 year-round residents at the southern tip of Absecon Island in Atlantic County, about 0.4 square miles, with the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
• It was incorporated on March 7, 1898, from portions of Egg Harbor Township, named for the 1850s landowner James Long, and it lost its first ten numbered avenues to shoreline changes between 1900 and 1916.
• Route 152 connects Longport to Somers Point, and the Ocean City-Longport Bridge connects it to Ocean City; a 500-foot section of the old 1928 bridge remains as a public bay fishing pier that reopened in June 2025.
• Nearly the entire borough is in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas, with a Local Design Flood Elevation of at least the base flood elevation plus four feet of freeboard, elevation certificates required, and a 50% substantial improvement trigger for renovations.
• Per the July 2026 RPR profile in the area guide, the median home value is about $2.05 million with a 95.8% sale-to-list ratio, 16 median days on market, and roughly 10 months of inventory.
• The 2025 general tax rate is $1.111 per $100 of assessed value, and the Atlantic County Board of Taxation ordered a revaluation that must be completed by December 31, 2026, which will reset assessments toward market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources and References

• Borough of Longport, official website (beach, events, borough government)
• Borough of Longport, Chapter 99 Floodplain Management (Ordinance 2024-23, Local Design Flood Elevation)
• Borough of Longport Ordinance 2023-13 (adopts Atlantic County FIS/FIRM effective August 28, 2018)
• New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 General Tax Rates (Longport: $1.111 per $100)
• Downbeach: Atlantic County orders Longport to conduct revaluation (October 22, 2025)
• NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife: old Ocean City-Longport Bridge section retained as fishing pier
• Cape May County Bridge Commission, bridge history (Ocean City-Longport Bridge, cashless tolls)
• Margate City Schools (K-8 sending district for Longport)
• FEMA Community Status Book, New Jersey (Longport NFIP participation, community 345302)

Market figures reflect the Realtors Property Resource profile in the Longport area guide (report date July 10, 2026), accessed October 2026. Population and demographic figures reflect the Longport area guide's census data. Local conditions change, so verify the current tax bill and assessment status, revaluation timeline, flood information, school configuration, beach rules, and any municipal inspection requirements with the Borough of Longport and the school districts before acting.

Thinking About Buying or Selling in Longport?

Longport rewards local knowledge: the flood-zone elevation rules, the revaluation timeline, the high-end pricing dynamics, and the waterfront title questions are all specific to this island. If you are considering a Longport property, or comparing it with Margate, Ventnor, Brigantine, or Ocean City, I can help you look at the numbers with a free, no-obligation market assessment and a clear plan for your situation. My advice is direct, based on the local market, and never pressured.

Derek Doernbach, REALTOR
Century 21 Action Plus Realty · Your Jersey Shore Team
https://www.derekdoernbach.com/

Contact Derek Doernbach, call (609) 403-3315, or use the booking calendar to schedule a conversation. Neighboring-town buyers can start with the Margate guide for comparison, and the Longport area guide has the full town directory, beach rules, and market data.