Ventnor

With less than 11,000 full­-time residents, Ventnor City is more than just a bedroom
community to its bigger, glittery neighbor of Atlantic City just to the north. Located in the
middle of Absecon Island’s fantastic coastline, the community’s economy benefits from
thousands of tourists who visit each year to enjoy its large and well-­maintained beach.
Less crowded that Atlantic City’s beaches to the north, it’s the ideal place for kayaking,
surfing, swimming, jet skiing, and other water sports – in fact, separate areas of the beach
are set aside for kayakers, sail­boaters and surfers. In addition to the Atlantic, a network
of inlets, bays and waterways along the coast means the entire region is a boater’s
paradise. Services from the city, first incorporated in 1903, include maintaining its
acclaimed beach, a community pier, boat ramp, tennis courts, and many more facilities
and services for its residents. The Ventnor City Cultural Art Center offers a variety of
classes throughout the year, with art classes that include painting, sculpture and dance.
There are also movement and exercise classes that include yoga, tai chi, ballet, jazz and
tap dancing. Residents enjoy the convenience of an excellent public transit system for
trips to the casinos and other amusements found in Atlantic City, just 15 minutes away.
The many shops, attractions, museums and historic sites of Philadelphia are just an
hour’s drive distant.

Ventnor is known for having some of the most moderately priced housing along the New
Jersey coastline with a mix of single­-family homes, condominiums and townhomes. About
one­-third of the community’s homes are considered historic and built before 1940 with
another third built between 1940 and 1969. Median home value in the community is
approximately $275,000. Truly a place where almost anyone can afford a home, prices for
handyman’s specials begin below $50K and soar into the millions for luxury oceanfront
estates. A good selection of condominiums is available in both smaller low-­rise as well as
high­rise properties, with prices beginning under $50K and generally topping out in the
$500s. Residents represent a mix of both white and blue-­collar workers. At about 65
percent, the number of homes that are owner occupied in Ventnor is a bit higher than
other coastal communities.