Housing in Belford is largely single-family and low-rise, with older cottages, capes, and colonials on quiet residential streets, along with some newer construction near the water. The community's small lots and established street grid reflect decades of gradual, small-scale growth rather than large subdivisions. Its position on the Raritan Bayshore and the convenience of the Manhattan ferry give Belford a commuter-town character, and homes here sit within a township whose broader housing stock spans everything from waterfront properties to inland developments.

Belford is a compact section of Middletown Township, set between Port Monmouth to the west and Leonardo to the east. The waterfront and the ferry terminal anchor its northern edge, while residential streets run inland toward the Henry Hudson Trail. Neighboring sections — Leonardo, Navesink, Lincroft, and North Middletown — form the surrounding township fabric, each with its own schools, parks, and retail. Within Belford itself, the scale stays small and walkable, with the marina and bay in easy reach of most homes.

Life in Belford carries a distinctly maritime, Bayshore character. The community's fishing-port origins remain part of its identity, and the waterfront, marina, and Compton Creek keep the water close to daily life. The SeaStreak ferry gives residents an unusually direct commute to Manhattan, blending a quiet bayside setting with big-city access. Nearby Port Monmouth, Leonardo, and the rest of Middletown Township provide shops, schools, and services, while the Bayshore's marinas, seafood spots, and laid-back pace distinguish it from the busier oceanfront towns farther south.

Belford is served by the Middletown Township Public Schools, the district that covers the surrounding township. Students attend schools in neighboring sections, including Leonardo Elementary School and Bayshore Middle School, with the township operating multiple elementary and middle schools and two high schools across its larger area. This arrangement gives Belford families access to a large, well-resourced district while the community itself remains small and residential.

Belford's defining transportation asset is the SeaStreak ferry terminal, which offers weekday commuter service across Lower New York Bay to Jersey City's Paulus Hook and to Manhattan's Wall Street, Battery Park City, and West Midtown terminals in about forty minutes. For drivers, the Garden State Parkway lies nearby, connecting Belford to the rest of Monmouth County and beyond, and NJ Transit rail and bus service is available in the surrounding township. This combination of a direct ferry and regional highways makes Belford a practical base for both New York and local commuting.

Recreation in Belford is centered on the water and the trail network. The Henry Hudson Trail, a paved rail-trail popular with cyclists and walkers, passes through the community, and Huber Woods Park offers woodland paths and open space nearby. Raritan Bay provides boating, fishing, and crabbing from the marina, while Sandy Hook, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, is a short drive east with beaches, fishing, and the historic Sandy Hook Lighthouse. The wider Bayshore adds seafood restaurants, marinas, and waterfront parks along its quieter stretch of the Jersey Shore.