Manahawkin is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)[9] located within Stafford Township, in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

[5][16] The 2010 United States census counted 2,303 people, 931 households, and 586 families in the CDP.

Of all households, 30.9% were made up of individuals and 19.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

[13] As of the 2000 United States Census[6] there were 2,004 people, 757 households, and 555 families living in the CDP.

21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Students also have the option of attending the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science, a specialized high school operated by the Ocean County Vocational Technical School that is located in Manahawkin and focuses on marine and environmental sciences.

[17] St. Mary Academy, a K-8 school of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, is in Stafford Township, near Manahawkin CDP.

From 1997,[20] until 2019 it operated as All Saints Regional Catholic School and was collectively managed by five churches.

In 2019 St. Mary took entire control of the school, which remained on the same Manahawkin campus, and changed its name.