West Long Branch Borough, NJ

Nymphs are questing, the highest-risk stage for people. Nymphal deer ticks peak in late spring and summer. They're the size of a poppy seed, easy to miss, and cause most Lyme transmission.

West Long Branch Borough is 75% natural land cover (48% forest, plus open and brushy areas) across its 2.86 sq mi, home to about 8,555 people. That makes it the 24th-most wooded of the 53 towns in Monmouth County. Deer ticks live in wooded areas, along trail edges, and in tall grass — the more of that a town has, the more places ticks can quest.

Monmouth County reports about 97 Lyme cases per 100,000 people a year, the 145th-highest of 210 Northeast counties. That county-level disease pressure, combined with West Long Branch Borough's local habitat, sets how high its daily score can climb when the weather and season allow.

Yes. Nymphs are questing, the highest-risk stage for people. In West Long Branch Borough, today's risk reads moderate (40/100). Ticks are active. Use repellent, stick to trails, and do a tick check when you come inside.