Barnegat's housing stock is predominantly single-family, reflecting its growth as a residential Ocean County township. The community includes established neighborhoods near its historic core and waterfront, alongside newer subdivisions developed as the township has expanded. The mix spans several decades of construction, giving buyers options from older, smaller homes to larger contemporary houses. The bayfront and the areas nearest the Garden State Parkway and Route 72 corridors are especially convenient for commuters and beachgoers.

Barnegat is organized around its historic center, the bayfront, and the road corridors that connect it to the rest of southern Ocean County. Rather than a small set of signature subdivisions, the township reads as a collection of established residential streets and newer developments spread across a large area. The municipal dock and bay beach anchor the waterfront, while the Garden State Parkway and Route 72 corridors define the edges and provide the connections that make the township a practical home base for the shore region.

Barnegat offers a Jersey Shore lifestyle built around the bay. Boating, crabbing, and fishing from the municipal dock, afternoons at the bay bathing beach, and easy trips to the Long Beach Island ocean beaches define the local rhythm. The township has a family-oriented, residential character, with parks, playgrounds, and community events anchoring neighborhood life. Its position along the Garden State Parkway keeps Atlantic City, the beaches, and the larger New York and Philadelphia regions within reach, making it a convenient base for shore-area living.

Barnegat is served by the Barnegat Township School District for its younger students, with campuses including Robert L. Horbelt Elementary School. Older students continue at the regional Southern Regional middle and high schools, which serve Barnegat and other southern Ocean County municipalities. This arrangement keeps elementary education close to home while connecting secondary students to the larger regional campuses a short drive away in the Manahawkin area.

Barnegat sits directly on the Garden State Parkway, with the Barnegat Toll Plaza providing access north toward New York and south toward Atlantic City. Route 72 connects the township to Long Beach Island, about 20 minutes away, and a network of state and county highways links it to neighboring Ocean County municipalities. Atlantic City is roughly 45 minutes south, while New York City and Philadelphia are each within about two hours by car. The township is car-dependent, with no rail transit of its own.

Barnegat's recreation revolves around the bay. The municipal dock on East Bay Avenue provides a boat launch, crabbing, fishing, picnic areas, and seasonal dock concerts, while the township's bathing beach offers a badge-free swimming spot on the bay. Parks and playgrounds are distributed through the community. Across the bay, Barnegat Lighthouse State Park preserves the historic "Old Barney" lighthouse and surrounding maritime forest, and the Long Beach Island ocean beaches lie roughly 20 minutes away via Route 72.