Belmar is a small beach borough in eastern Monmouth County, New Jersey, on the Atlantic Ocean between Avon-by-the-Sea and Spring Lake. The Shark River Inlet marks its northern edge, and the Shark River's estuary gives the borough a second waterfront distinct from its ocean beaches. Roughly 5,900 year-round residents are joined each summer by far larger numbers of visitors who come for the beaches, boardwalk, and marina that anchor Belmar's identity as one of the Jersey Shore's classic shore towns. The borough began as Ocean Beach, reflecting its resort origins, before taking the name Belmar — a blend of the French "belle" and "mer" ("beautiful sea") that suited its founders' ambitions for a stylish seaside destination. Through the twentieth century it grew from a summer colony into a full-time community, while retaining its boardwalk-town character: a roughly 1.25-mile oceanfront boardwalk, a working marina on the Shark River, and a walkable Main Street of shops and restaurants. Belmar is a true year-round town rather than a seasonal-only resort. The Belmar School District educates local students through eighth grade, and Belmar sends its high school students to Manasquan High School through a long-standing sending/receiving relationship that also includes Avon-by-the-Sea, Brielle, Lake Como, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, and Spring Lake Heights. Saint Rose of Lima Catholic schools provide a parochial option in town. The Belmar Arts Council and the borough's marina, fishing fleet, and boardwalk events keep the community active through all seasons. Commuting is part of Belmar's appeal. An NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line station offers direct rail service toward New York City, and Academy Bus routes serve the Shore Points corridor, while Route 35, Route 71, and the Garden State Parkway handle local and regional driving. Who Belmar suits: it draws buyers who want an oceanfront or near-ocean lifestyle with real transit options, a walkable downtown, and the energy of a classic Jersey Shore beach town — without giving up a full-time community and its own schools.