Mantoloking, New Jersey in the context of "Forbes"

Barrier islands are a coastal landform, a type of dune system and sand island, where an area of sand off the coast has been formed by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen, and are subject to change during storms and other action. They protect coastlines by absorbing energy, and create areas of protected waters where wetlands may flourish. A barrier chain may extend for hundreds of kilometers, with islands periodically separated by tidal inlets. The longest barrier island in the world is Padre Island of Texas, United States, at 113 miles (182 km) long. Sometimes an important inlet may close permanently, transforming an island into a barrier peninsula, often including a barrier beach. Though many are long and narrow, the length and width of barriers and overall morphology of barrier coasts are related to parameters including tidal range, wave energy, sediment supply, sea-level trends, and basement controls. The amount of vegetation on the barrier has a large impact on the height and evolution of the island.

There are chains of barrier islands along approximately 13 to 15% of the world's coastlines. They display different settings, suggesting that they can form and be maintained in a variety of environments. Numerous theories have been proposed to explain their formation.

New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $35,928 (2012) and a personal per capita income of $50,781 (2010). Its median household income is $71,637 (2012) and its median family income is $87,389 (2012), both the second highest in the country. The median value of an owner-occupied housing unit is $337,900 (2012), ranked fifth in the country. New Jersey has the highest percentage of millionaire residents in the country with 7.12% of New Jersey households having $1 million or more liquid or investible assets, not including equity in homes.

New Jersey’s proximity to the metropolitan giants of New York City and Philadelphia greatly influences its wealth. A vast majority of the state consists of suburbs of these two cities, an explanation for much of the state’s high incomes. Approximately 76% of New Jersey places have per capita incomes above the national average; however, according to the 2008-2012 American Community Survey, 9.9% (US average 14.9%) of the population lives below the poverty line. Three of the country's wealthiest counties are located in the north and central portion of the state, including Morris County (4th nationally), Somerset County (8th), and Hunterdon County (10th). There are also several seaside resorts along the New Jersey shoreline that are particularly wealthy, such as Mantoloking, Sea Girt, and Spring Lake along the coast close to New York and Sea Isle City, Avalon, and Stone Harbor in the south. Southern New Jersey, is less affluent overall, excluding several Philadelphia suburbs in Camden, Burlington and Gloucester Counties and the coast. Camden, the poorest city in the state, has a poverty rate of 35.5%. Other poor areas are the cities across the Hudson River from New York City, including Newark, Paterson, and Passaic.