City · New Jersey
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May, city, in Cape May County, New Jersey. Cape May had 2,716 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,768 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,767 (±15). GEOID 3410270.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,716
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,768 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,767 ±15
Median household income
$62,576
±$14,495 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $103,556
Median home value
$863,900
±$65,604 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $454,400
Median gross rent
$1,013
±$454 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $1,720
Where is Cape May and what county is it in?
Cape May is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey. It covers 2.5 square miles of land, 1,119 residents per square mile in 2020.
Cape May is in the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Cape May is the same area as Census Tract 220 of Cape May County: the tract's figures are Cape May's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cape May, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,716 people lived in Cape May on July 1, 2025, down 1.8% since 2020, while New Jersey grew 2.8%. The 2020 Census counted 2,768 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,767 (±15).
| Measure | Cape May | Cape May County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,767 ±15 | 94,941 | −696 |
| Households | 1,438 ±110 | 44,884 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.82 ±0.13 | 2.08 | −0.26 |
| Housing units | 3,819 ±225 | 99,599 | −357 |
Cape May's population since 2000
From 4,034 in 2000 to 2,716 in 2025: down 32.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Cape May as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Cape May?
The median resident of Cape May is 56.7 years old; 11.3% are under 18 and 33.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.3%. 7.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Cape May | Cape May County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.7 ±8.3 | 51.8 | +23.3 |
| Under 18 years | 11.3% ±3.9 pts | 17.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 33.3% ±6.7 pts | 29.5% | – |
| Male | 50.8% ±5.9 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.3% ±5.6 pts | 8.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.6% ±6.3 pts | 83.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±2.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±3.2 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.3% ±4.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.3% ±6.0 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.2% ±2.2 pts | 6.9% | – |
| With a disability | 9.7% ±3.0 pts | 15.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.0% ±2.3 pts | 5.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.3% ±2.5 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 55.9% ±8.2 pts | 39.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 23.3% ±6.7 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.8% ±8.1 pts | 89.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 13.6% ±6.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Cape May earn?
Half of Cape May's 1,438 households earn less than $62,576 a year (±$14,495), against $91,128 in Cape May County and $103,556 in New Jersey. In 2015-2019 it was $68,550 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Cape May | Cape May County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,576 ±$14,495 | $91,128 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $133,269 ±$40,861 | $122,129 | – |
| Per capita income | $71,810 ±$22,226 | $55,694 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.3% ±6.0 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.0% ±12.1 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.3% ±9.3 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.2% ±3.4 pts | 96.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.2% ±3.3 pts | 93.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Cape May?
Owners occupy 64.5% of Cape May's occupied homes and renters 35.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $863,900 by its owner (±$65,604). The median renter pays $1,013 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Cape May | Cape May County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $863,900 ±$65,604 | $434,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,013 ±$454 | $1,360 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 23.4% ±15.8 pts | 46.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,586 ±$418 | $2,232 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 64.5% ±8.3 pts | 80.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 35.5% ±8.3 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Housing units | 3,819 ±225 | 99,599 | −357 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2% ±2.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 44.3% ±12.5 pts | 26.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 48.0% ±6.3 pts | 51.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.6% ±2.3 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.8% ±6.1 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.0% ±3.7 pts | 5.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Cape May building?
Builders took permits for 23 new housing units in Cape May in 2025 (23 in single-family houses; the permit office reported 4 of 12 months), 8.5 per 1,000 residents against 2.9 across New Jersey.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Cape May work and get to work?
70.4% of Cape May's workers drive alone and 11.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.0 minutes.
| Measure | Cape May | Cape May County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.4% ±8.0 pts | 57.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% ±2.7 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.4% ±9.5 pts | 72.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.6% ±4.8 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.5% ±1.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 5.8% ±3.8 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.4% ±6.6 pts | 12.1% | +8.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.0 min ±4.8 | 22.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Cape May?
1 census tract lies mostly in Cape May, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Cape May) · Census block assignment files
How does Cape May compare with other places in New Jersey?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Cape May is the 6,646th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 244th-most populous of 323 in New Jersey.
Cape May ranks 728th of 771 places in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 244th | 323 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 512th | 532 |
| Residents per square mile | 550th | 787 |
| Median household income | 728th | 771 |
| Per capita income | 182nd | 785 |
| Median home value | 57th | 777 |
| Median gross rent | 686th | 701 |
| Poverty rate | 125th | 539 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 250th | 780 |
| Median age | 58th | 786 |
| Owner-occupied share | 589th | 777 |
| Work from home | 537th | 695 |
| Travel time to work | 775th | 787 |
Cape May's figures with every place in New Jersey (CSV)
Every place in New Jersey, sortable · Compare Cape May with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Cape May?
16 of the 57 figures for Cape May on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Cape May are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Cape May.