Loch Arbour is a village situated on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the village's population was 224, an increase of 30 (+15.5%) from the 2010 census count of 194, which had in turn reflected a decline of 86 (−30.7%) from the 280 recorded at the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.

In 2020, Loch Arbour was the third-smallest municipality in New Jersey in terms of area (behind Shrewsbury Township and East Newark)Astudillo, Carla. "The 10 tiniest towns in New Jersey (they're really small)", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 1, 2016, updated May 16, 2019. Accessed March 5, 2020. "We used square mile data from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to rank the ten municipalities with the smallest area size.... 3. Loch Arbour At barely over one-tenth of a square mile, Loch Arbour, named after the town of Lochaber, Scotland, sits in Monmouth County to the north of Asbury Park.... In 1957, developers planned on building a beachfront condominium complex, but area homeowners in Ocean Township were not keen on the idea. They failed to stop the developers from going ahead with construction. Instead, Ocean Township residents came up with a plan to secede from the township and form the Village of Loch Arbour." and was the fifth-smallest municipality by population in the state of New Jersey.

History Loch Arbour was incorporated as a village by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 23, 1957, from portions of Ocean Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 181. Accessed May 29, 2024. The borough was named after Lochaber, Scotland.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 3, 2015.

Its formation was driven by efforts to build beachfront condominiums in the area. Residents who sought to prevent the development led the secession, taking with them the last portion of oceanfront property in what The New York Times described as "the now ironically-named Ocean Township."Strauss, Robert. "Communities; Municipal Madness or 'Creative Localism?'", The New York Times, January 4, 2004. Accessed August 17, 2013. "The final comeuppance for Ocean Township, though, came in 1957.... The Village of Loch Arbour was formed, the last new municipality in New Jersey. When it seceded, it took with it the last piece of oceanfront in the now ironically-named Ocean Township."

In 1997, Loch Arbour voters rejected a ballot proposal that would have it merge back into Ocean Township by an 88–69 margin, and proposals to merge with Allenhurst or Interlaken failed by a nearly 10–1 margin.Pristin, Terry. "The 1997 Elections: Other Races; New Jersey Voters Pick Local Officials and Decide on Changes in Government", The New York Times, November 5, 1997. Accessed July 30, 2012. "Loch Arbour will remain the state's smallest municipality. By a vote of 88 to 69, residents rejected a proposal to rejoin Ocean Township, of which Loch Arbour was a part until 1958. By an even greater vote -- 49 to 5 -- they refused to join neighboring Interlaken or Allenhurst."

A ballot proposal in 2011 again considered a merger with Allenhurst, citing a potential reduction in property taxes for residents.Via Associated Press. "Tiny Monmouth County village to consider merging with neighboring town", The Star-Ledger, March 18, 2011. Accessed December 5, 2012. "The village has faced a tax crisis since 2008 after the Legislature decided residents had to pay school taxes based on the value of their homes instead of per pupil cost to send a small number of children to Ocean Township schools". In 2012, Loch Arbour officials held discussions with their counterparts in Allenhurst towards a plan in which the two municipalities would merge, subject to approval by the councils of both communities and approval of a referendum by voters in both Loch Arbour and Allenhurst. The merger drive was driven by property taxes paid to the Ocean Township School District, a relationship that would be ended by the merger, under which the combined municipality would send students at lower cost to the Asbury Park Public Schools.Staff. "Loch Arbour puts off Allenhurst merger vote, according to report", Asbury Park Sun, May 4, 2012.

While there are four municipalities that retain the Village type of government (Loch Arbour, Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood and South Orange), none of them still use the Village form of government. Loch Arbour was the last to do so, but on December 20, 2011, its residents voted to change from having a form with five village trustees to the Walsh Act form of government, under which Loch Arbour is governed by a three-member board of commissioners.Shields, Nancy. "Loch Arbour to change government; staying village for now; Will switch from five-member board of trustees to three-member board of commissioners", Asbury Park Press, December 21, 2011. Accessed March 30, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Village residents Tuesday voted 51-35 to change its form of government from a five-member board of trustees to a three-member board of commissioners. The vote in the special election means that Loch Arbour is still a village, at least for now, but the town will have three commissioners elected at the same time every four years. The five trustees had three-year terms, which were staggered. The special election to change the form of government under the Walsh Act is part of a number of steps being taken in search of an answer to a very high school-tax bill, which residents were forced to take on after the state in 2008 ended a special financial deal the village worked out with Ocean Township a decade ago to keep school taxes low."Form Of Government Changed – Special Election Information, Loch Arbour Municipal Website, backed up by the Internet Archive as of March 13, 2012. Accessed March 26, 2017.

In 1892, James J. Corbett set up his training camp in Loch Arbour for the bout with John L. Sullivan in which Corbett won the world heavyweight boxing championship."Training a fighter." The Illustrated American, July 23, 1892.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the village had a total area of 0.13 square miles (0.35 km2), including 0.09 square miles (0.22 km2) of land and 0.05 square miles (0.12 km2) of water (36.15%).

The village is located along the Atlantic Ocean in eastern Monmouth County and is bordered to the north by the Borough of Allenhurst, to the west by the borough of Interlaken and to the south by the City of Asbury Park.Areas touching Loch Arbour, MapIt. Accessed February 26, 2020.Regional Location Map, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed February 26, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Deal Lake covers which is overseen by the Deal Lake Commission, which was established in 1974. Seven municipalities border the lake, accounting for of shoreline, including Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Deal, Interlaken, Neptune Township and Ocean Township.Home Page, Deal Lake Commission. Accessed July 8, 2015. "The Deal Lake Commission was created by the seven Monmouth County, NJ towns that surround Deal Lake. The Commission was chartered in 1974 by the Borough of Allenhurst, City of Asbury Park, Borough of Deal, Borough of Interlaken, Village of Loch Arbour, Neptune Township, and Ocean Township."

Demographics

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 194 people, 82 households, and 53 families in the village. The population density was . There were 159 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 94.85% (184) White, 1.55% (3) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.55% (3) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.52% (1) from other races, and 1.55% (3) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.61% (7) of the population.

Of the 82 households, 28.0% had children under the age of 18; 52.4% were married couples living together; 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.4% were non-families. Of all households, 29.3% were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.91.

19.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 13.9% from 25 to 44, 44.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 102.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 108.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $120,000 (with a margin of error of +/− $62,957) and the median family income was $119,167 (+/− $20,917). Males had a median income of $73,500 (+/− $27,181) versus $92,500 (+/− $38,683) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $60,575 (+/− $9,229). None of the population were below the poverty line.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Loch Arbour village, Monmouth County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 21, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 280 people, 120 households, and 77 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 156 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 95.00% White, 2.14% African American, 0.71% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Loch Arbour village, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 30, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Loch Arbour village, Monmouth County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 30, 2012.

There were 120 households, out of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 17.5% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 30.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $68,542, and the median income for a family was $74,250. Males had a median income of $61,964 versus $41,250 for females. The per capita income for the village was $34,037. None of the families and 4.8% of the population were living below the poverty line.

Government

Local government