NJ beach town among top 50 best-rated in America

Ah, the beach. There's nothing quite like it, and here in New Jersey, we're very fortunate to have so many great beaches all along the Jersey Shore.

No matter where you go, you're sure to find that perfect beach to relax and unwind at.

And in New Jersey, we have so many great beach towns that most of us would certainly rank them as one of the best in the country.

Speaking of which, did you know that the Garden State actually did land on this list? It's true, and we're so proud New Jersey made the cut.

Check out the list below to see which beach towns made the list among the top 50 in the United States, including where we represent.

But before we get started, let's first dive into how these ratings were formulated.

Mike Brant - Townsquare Media

LOOK: See America's 50 Best Beach Towns

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

Bradley Beach (Bud McCormick)

More New Jersey beach towns should be on this list

Of course, a Florida beach took the top spot, but is anyone really surprised? But let's forget about that for a moment and focus on what we have right here in New Jersey.

Congratulations to Ocean City in Cape May County for making #47.

Although most of us probably feel Ocean City belongs closer to #1 nationally, it's still great to see great the Garden State represent as having the best beach towns around.

So what's your ultimate favorite beach town in New Jersey, and would you also include your favorite among the national top 50?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Water tank in Ocean City (Bud McCormick)

Oh, and in case you're wondering, New Jersey actually does have a handful of beaches that don't require badges during the summer months (yes, free summer beaches).

Here are a few of those locations to help you plan for the warmer months ahead.