[23][24] The township was named for Revolutionary War brigadier general John Lacey, who developed Ferrago Forge in 1809.

[25] The Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station is located in the southern part of the township.

The single-unit 636 MWe boiling water reactor power plant adjoins the Oyster Creek and is owned and operated by Exelon Corporation.

[26] In 2010, Exelon announced that it would close the facility in 2019 as part of an agreement with the State of New Jersey under which the plant would be allowed to operate without cooling towers.

[27] The plant, which had contributed a third of the township's budget through taxes, was closed in September 2018, after which a decommissioning process estimated to take eight years and cost $1.4 billion was to be undertaken.

[28] Murray Grove is a Unitarian-Universalist retreat and conference center in Lanoka Harbor, traditionally considered the site where Universalism in America began.

[1][2] Forked River (with a 2010 Census population of 5,244[30]) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Lacey Township.

[31][32][33] Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Aserdaten, Bamber Lake, Barnegat Pines, Batuber, Cedar Creek, Cedar Crest, Deer Head Lake, Good Luck, Lake Barnegat, Lanoka Harbor, Osteam, Red Oak Grove, Union Clay Works and Webbs Mill.

[35][36] The north–south track of the Garden State Parkway serves as an informal use divider under the 1979 Pinelands Act and the subsequent Comprehensive Management Plan.

To the east of the Parkway are more than 95% of Lacey's residential dwellings, located in the unincorporated areas of Lanoka Harbor and Forked River.

The forest is interspersed with a scattered few farms, houses and ranches, the tiny community of Bamber Lakes and open pit gravel quarries—all of which predate passage of the Pinelands Act or were developed under its tight zoning rules.

Development west of the parkway, covering two-thirds of the township's area, is strictly controlled by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission.

[37] Some Ocean County residents refer to all of Lacey Township as Forked River with the first word pronounced with two syllables (FOR-kid or FORK-id).

[47][48] Lacey Township is home to many businesses, the largest employer has been the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station.

The facility, which closed in 2018, generated $70 million in wages in 2010 for its 700 employees, making it one of the largest employers in the county.

[27] In the early to late 2000s, Lacey experienced rapid growth in recent years with the addition of many new developments and new "big-box" stores being built around the township.

[54] The Relay for Life had been held annually at Gille Park to raise money towards cancer research.

However, in 2010, the Lacey Township Committee did not allow the walk to be held at Gille, and it was moved to Veteran's Park in Bayville.

Island Beach State Park, as well as the Barnegat Inlet, are accessible from the township via boat.

[69][70][71] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).

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

[82][83][84] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Scott M. Colabella (R, 2025, Barnegat Light),[85][86] Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy (R, 2025; Toms River)[87][88] and Surrogate Jeffrey Moran (R, 2028, Beachwood).

[92] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 66.0% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 85.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).

[120][121] In 2019 St. Mary Church in Barnegat took entire control of the school, which remained on the same Manahawkin campus, and changed its name.

[131] The Tuckerton Railroad's former roadbed runs parallel to Lacey Road, ending in nearby Whiting.