Population 11,427 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cape May
Household size in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.09 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.27 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.94 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Cape May are small: just 1.94 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.09, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only three of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.1 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 49.1 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.2 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 52.9 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.8 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Cape May skews older: half of its residents are older than 52.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 49.1, in line with the national trend. Only 12 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Cape May: 4.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 6.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Cape May has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five New Jersey cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cape May
Renters in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.5% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.2% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.8% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.8% of households in Cape May rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About four in ten owners (40.4%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share is down 2.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.6% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 32.9% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Cape May: 24.5% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Only seven of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have a higher vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Cape May are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in New Jersey as a whole, where the median home dates to 1969. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the south.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,048 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,084 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,223 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,467 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$419 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cape May costs $1,467 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $419 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 24.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cape May
Bachelor's degrees in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.7% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.2% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.8% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.1 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Cape May (40.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 16.1 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.6% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.0% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.3% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Cape May: 95.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cape May
| Period | Cape May | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Cape May is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in New Jersey overall (6.4%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.8 points, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cape May compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape May | 1.94 | 52.9 | 4.3% | 23.8% | 24.5% | 1978 | $1,467 | 40.8% | 95.2% | 5.2% |
| Cold Spring | 2.02 | 67.7 | 3.4% | 0.0% | 22.9% | 1987 | $1,636 | 40.3% | 98.4% | 5.2% |
| North Cape May | 1.82 | 48.6 | 7.0% | 28.3% | 31.8% | 1965 | $2,053 | 28.2% | 92.7% | 3.7% |
| West Cape May | 2.04 | 59.9 | 3.9% | 12.9% | 55.2% | 1975 | $1,250 | 54.3% | 97.9% | 0.8% |
| Wildwood Gables | 2.40 | 52.6 | 3.9% | 52.9% | 55.1% | 1987 | $1,404 | 44.5% | 96.5% | 3.1% |
| Villas | 2.26 | 46.5 | 16.3% | 9.5% | 22.4% | 1967 | $1,608 | 25.9% | 94.2% | 8.5% |
| Cape May Point | 1.97 | 62.2 | 3.6% | 0.8% | 71.5% | 1975 | $1,232 | 55.0% | 99.3% | 5.3% |
| Rio Grande | 2.17 | 50.0 | 10.5% | 19.5% | 14.7% | 1990 | $1,414 | 28.6% | 88.8% | 5.4% |
| Wildwood Crest | 1.64 | 62.5 | 8.2% | 18.7% | 57.9% | 1965 | $1,081 | 44.2% | 98.2% | 8.2% |
| Wildwood | 2.04 | 44.0 | 15.5% | 51.8% | 56.2% | 1976 | $1,072 | 25.1% | 89.7% | 6.5% |
| West Wildwood | 2.14 | 60.0 | 13.2% | 10.2% | 69.8% | 1964 | $1,222 | 29.3% | 90.6% | 14.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Camdenton, MO · Tillamook, OR · Totowa, NJ · Tres Hermanos, PR · Chamblee, GA · Central, SC · Celebration, FL · Urbana, MD · Vineyard Haven, MA · Cardiff By The Sea, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cape May. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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