Together with Mantoloking, Bay Head is considered part of the Jersey Shore's "Gold Coast".

[22] Bay Head was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on June 15, 1886, from portions of Brick Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier.

[24] A railroad sign posted in the 1880s labeled the station as "Bay Head," and the name stuck when the borough was incorporated in 1886.

Within several years, the resort had grown in population, with a seawall installed, roads built and graded.

The 1,260 metres (4,130 ft) stone rubble seawall built in 1882, which had been buried by dunes and largely forgotten, played a role in reducing damage to the town by Hurricane Sandy.

[1][2] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Twilight Lake.

[33][34][35] The 2010 United States census counted 968 people, 459 households, and 270 families in the borough.

[43] As of the 2000 United States census[16] there were 1,238 people, 584 households, and 349 families residing in the borough.

[7] The borough form of government used by Bay Head is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie.

The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council.

[45][46] As of 2024[update], the mayor of the Borough of Bay Head is Republican William W. Curtis, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.

[3][47][48][49][50][51][52] In February 2020, the borough council chose Andrew Frizzell from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the term expiring in December 2020 that became vacant following the resignation of Brian Magory.

[55][56][57] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 4th congressional district is represented by Chris Smith (R, Manchester Township).

[60] For the 2024-2025 session, the 10th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by James W. Holzapfel (R, Toms River) and in the General Assembly by Paul Kanitra (R, Point Pleasant Beach) and Gregory P. McGuckin (R, Toms River).

[67][68][69] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Scott M. Colabella (R, 2025, Barnegat Light),[70][71] Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy (R, 2025; Toms River)[72][73] and Surrogate Jeffrey Moran (R, 2028, Beachwood).

[100] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 86.5% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 102.3% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).

[113] The main roadway through Bay Head is Route 35, a two-lane highway that connects many of the Jersey Shore's small communities.