Forked River, New Jersey

Forked River, New Jersey
Lacey Schoolhouse Museum
Lacey Schoolhouse Museum
Map of Forked River CDP in Ocean County. Inset: Location of Ocean County in New Jersey.
Map of Forked River CDP in Ocean County. Inset: Location of Ocean County in New Jersey.
Forked River is located in Ocean County, New Jersey
Forked River
Forked River
Location in Ocean County
Forked River is located in New Jersey
Forked River
Forked River
Location in New Jersey
Forked River is located in the United States
Forked River
Forked River
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 39°50′23″N 74°11′25″W / 39.8398413°N 74.1901399°W / 39.8398413; -74.1901399
Country United States
State New Jersey
CountyOcean
TownshipLacey
Area
 • Total3.47 sq mi (8.99 km2)
 • Land2.73 sq mi (7.08 km2)
 • Water0.74 sq mi (1.91 km2)  73.66%
Elevation
13 ft (4 m)
Population
 • Total5,274
 • Density1,928.3/sq mi (744.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
08731
Area code609
FIPS code34-76107[3][4][5]
GNIS feature ID02390441[3][6]

Forked River (/ˈfɔːrkɪd/[7]) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)[8] located within Lacey Township, in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[9][10][11][12] As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 5,274,[2] an increase of 30 (+0.6%) from the 5,244 enumerated at the 2010 census,[13] which in turn reflected an increase of 330 (+6.7%) from the 4.914 counted in the 2000 census.[14]

Many Ocean County residents commonly refer to all of Lacey Township as Forked River. The first word is pronounced by locals with two syllables (/ˈfɔːrkɪd/). Pronouncing the first word with one syllable (/fɔːrkt/) is a sign of a new resident or outsider.[15][7]

  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Census2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Gazetteer of New Jersey Places, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 21, 2016.
  4. ^ U.S. Census website, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  5. ^ Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed June 9, 2023.
  6. ^ US Board on Geographic Names, United States Geological Survey. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  7. ^ a b Suhay, Lisa. "JERSEYANA; Where They Don't Speak With Forked Tongue", The New York Times, December 8, 2002. Accessed January 10, 2012. "When one person comes into the area and pronounces the name of the town Forkt River, that person is called a Benny, or an out-of-towner. 'It's FORK-ed River,' Jennifer Sawicki, 25, who was born in the town, said with a laugh. 'Nobody in town says Forkt. That would be silly.'"
  8. ^ State of New Jersey Census Designated Places - BVP20 - Data as of January 1, 2020, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 1, 2022.
  9. ^ GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Ocean County, New Jersey Archived 2020-02-12 at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 10, 2013.
  10. ^ 2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 10, 2013.
  11. ^ New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed January 10, 2013.
  12. ^ Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 18, 2015.
  13. ^ DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Forked River CDP, New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 10, 2013.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Census2000 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Pritchard, Michael. "Say What? : From 'Morris' River to 'R-Kansas' Avenue, Area Residents have own way of speaking.", The Press of Atlantic City, April 24, 2003. Accessed January 10, 2013. "There's Forked River in Lacey Township, Ocean County; Maurice River Township in Cumberland County and Green Creek in Cape May County, to name just a few. Locals know that the river may be forked, but it's the 'FOR-ked' River."