[20] The borough is located on Long Beach Island and borders the Atlantic Ocean.

[21] The borough's name was derived from a March 1817 incident in which a woman was saved from a wrecked ship that had capsized as her rescuers used axes to cut through the bottom of the hull.

[1][22] What is now Ship Bottom was originally incorporated as the borough of Ship Bottom-Beach Arlington by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 3, 1925, from portions of Long Beach Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 23, 1925.

[2][3] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Beach Arlington.

[25][26][27] The 2010 United States census counted 1,156 people, 555 households, and 329 families in the borough.

[33] As of the 2000 United States census[15] there were 1,384 people, 664 households, and 395 families residing in the borough.

[6] The borough form of government used by Ship Bottom 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.

[37] As of 2022[update], the mayor of Ship Bottom Borough is Republican William Huelsenbeck, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2022.

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

[55][56][57] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Scott M. Colabella (R, 2025, Barnegat Light),[58][59] Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy (R, 2025; Toms River)[60][61] and Surrogate Jeffrey Moran (R, 2028, Beachwood).

[65] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 85.5% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 97.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).

[79] For pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, public school students attend the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, which also serves students from Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township and Surf City.

[91] Students in public school for seventh through twelfth grades attend the Southern Regional School District, which serves the five municipalities in the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, along with students from Beach Haven and Stafford Township, as well as students from Ocean Township (including its Waretown section) who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

[99] The eastern terminus of Route 72 is in Ship Bottom, which connects the borough to the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township via the Manahawkin Bay Bridge (formally known as the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge).

[100] Ocean Ride local service is provided on the OC9 Long Beach Island route.

[101][102][103] The LBI Shuttle operates along Long Beach Boulevard, providing free service every 5 to 20 minutes from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

The plant hardiness zone at Ship Bottom Beach is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 3.9 °F (−15.6 °C).