United States › New Jersey › Cape May CITY
Cape May New Jersey · 2,716 residents (2025 est.) · 2.47 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Cape May is home to 2,767 people in New Jersey. At a median age of 56.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $863,900. 56% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Households here earn about 40% less than in New Jersey as a whole. There are 1,267 fewer people here than in 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 56.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
56% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 108%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,034 in 2000
2,716 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,119 / sq mi
−26%since 2009
from 1,509 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 47.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 3K 4K 4K 5K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cape May Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $62,576
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,462 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $29,902 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.487 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Transportation & warehousing 0.6%
Education & health services 0%
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$863,900
+108%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $227,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,013
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $564 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 56.8% in 2000
35.5% rent
from 59.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 1.79 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 40.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 19.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 89.5%(3,609)
Hispanic / Latino 3.8%(153)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 82.6%(2,285)
Hispanic / Latino 11.3%(312)
from 29 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 30.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 87.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 11.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 34.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 59.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 28.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 2.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 73.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 88.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 7.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 2.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 28.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 35.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 6.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 83.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 0%(0)
Share of the 93 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Cape May, New Jersey? Cape May, New Jersey has about 2,767 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cape May, New Jersey? The typical household in Cape May, New Jersey earns about $62,576 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cape May, New Jersey expensive? In Cape May, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $863,900, and the typical rent is about $1,013 a month.
How educated are people in Cape May, New Jersey? About 55.9% of adults age 25 and over in Cape May, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cape May, New Jersey? About 10.3% of people in Cape May, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cape May, New Jersey grown since 1990? Yes, Cape May, New Jersey has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,901 residents, a change of about -41 percent over that period.
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