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Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, US

Bradley Beach is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U. S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,282, The summer population can reach 30,000. In 1871, William B. Bradner, with James A. Bradley as an investor, acquired of land north of Avon by the Sea, and south of Ocean Grove. At the time the area where they had purchased their land was known informally as Ocean Park and was part of Ocean Township and later became part of Neptune Township. Citizens appealed to the New Jersey Legislature for a referendum to separate Bradley Beach from Neptune Township, and on March 13, 1893, Bradley Beach was incorporated, based on the results of a referendum held on March 6, 1893. The borough's incorporation was confirmed on March 13, 1925. It was the first location in the United States to charge sea bathers for beach access when it began minting its own tin badges starting in 1929. Sand dunes were constructed on the borough's beaches in the mid 1990s at a cost of $10,000, using snow fences and discarded Christmas trees to build a base of wind driven sand that rose 15 feet (5 m), atop which dune grass was planted. These dunes helped provide significant protection to Bradley Beach from the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, blunting the impact of the storm surge and limiting damage in the borough to beach areas and homes near the shore to $3 million, while neighboring communities that hadn't constructed such dunes suffered much more extensive damage. The borough had gone into decline after World War II, with growth returning around 2000 as seasonal visitors and new residents purchased properties, which borough regulations require that they must be renovated on the same footprint as the original home.

According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.63 square miles (1.64 km2), including 0.61 square miles (1.58 km2) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) of water (3.33%).

The 2010 United States census counted 4,298 people, 2,098 households, and 980 families in the borough. The population density was There were 3,180 housing units at an average density of The racial makeup was 85.06% (3,656) White, 4.96% (213) Black or African American, 0.42% (18) Native American, 1.81% (78) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 5.21% (224) from other races, and 2.51% (108) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.54% (840) of the population.

Bradley Beach is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th state legislative district.

The Bradley Beach School District serves public school students in pre kindergarten through eighth grade at Bradley Beach Elementary School. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprising one school, had an enrollment of 263 students and 37.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.0:1. For public school students in ninth through twelfth grades, the school district maintains sending/receiving relationships with the Asbury Park Public Schools and Neptune Township Schools under which 93% of Bradley Beach students are sent to Asbury Park High School and the other 7% are sent to Neptune High School. As of the 2020–21 school year, Asbury Park High school had an enrollment of 682 students and 54.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.5:1 and Neptune High School had an enrollment of 1,270 students and 115.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. An application program with Red Bank Regional High School or the schools in the Monmouth County Vocational School District are alternatives available for students from the borough attending public high school. Public school students also have the option to attend Academy Charter High School in Lake Como, which accepts students on a lottery basis from the communities of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Avon by the Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Deal, Interlaken and Lake Como. Public high school students may also apply to attend one of the magnet schools in the Monmouth County Vocational School District—Marine Academy of Science and Technology, Academy of Allied Health & Science, High Technology High School, Biotechnology High School, and Communications High School. The Bradley Beach Public Library is located at 511 Fourth Avenue, on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Hammond Avenue. In early 2017, a building expansion was added to the south elevation of the circa 1927 built library building. The structural design was performed by the Structural Engineering department of French Parrello Associates (FPA). There are many activities at the library for people of all ages including various story times, a writing group and weekly Overeaters Anonymous meetings. In the spring of 2014 the library introduced a book bike which a librarian or volunteer rides around town and on the boardwalk to give books and to tell residents about the opportunities and activities coming up at the library and around the borough.

as of 2010, the borough had a total of 14.31 mile (23 km) of roadways, of which 10.90 mile (18 km) were maintained by the municipality, 2.56 mile (4 km) by Monmouth County and 0.85 mile (1 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Route 71 (Main Street) is the main road that runs through the town. Route 18 is in neighboring Neptune Township, and both the Garden State Parkway and Interstate 195 are within a 10 to 15 minute drive.

NJ Transit provides rail service at the Bradley Beach station. Commuter service connects the borough to Hoboken Terminal, Newark Penn Station, Secaucus Junction and New York Penn Station on the North Jersey Coast Line. NJ Transit bus service is available between the borough and Philadelphia on the 317 route, with local service offered on the 830 route.

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Bradley Beach has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average temperature above , at least four months with an average temperature greater than or equal , at least one month with an average temperature greater than or equal and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are slightly humid with a cooling afternoon sea breeze in Bradley Beach, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values greater than Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on August 9, 2001, and the highest daily average mean dew point was on August 13, 2016. The average wettest month is July which correlates with the peak in thunderstorm activity. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on August 27, 2011. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on January 22, 1984. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

According to the A. W. Kuchler U. S. potential natural vegetation types, Bradley Beach would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak (104) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest (25). The plant hardiness zone is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of and fall color typically peaks in early November.

In 1929, Bradley Beach hosted an international chess tournament at Hotel La Reine. Alexander Alekhine, the reigning world chess champion at the time, won the tournament with an impressive score of 8.5/9.