CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Cape May

New Jersey · 4,668 residents · 2.47 sq mi

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The short version

Cape May is home to 4,668 people in New Jersey. At a median age of 38.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Median home value sits at $149,700. That trails the New Jersey median by roughly 33%. Owners hold 52% of the housing stock. Density works out to 1,888 people per square mile.

At a glance

Lower income

median household income $27,560, below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 38.1

US median: 33.0

More educated

25% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 13%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

4,668

+16%vs 2000

vs 4,034 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Population density

1,888 / sq mi

+16%vs 2000

vs 1,631 / sq mi in 2000

US average: 221

Median age

38.1

−20%vs 2000

vs 47.4 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

2.47 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20243K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 55.1%(239)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 96.3%(293)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 142.4%(111)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 199%(420)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 2410.1%(470)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.6%(681)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 449.7%(455)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 547.6%(356)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.2%(476)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7413.5%(629)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 848.3%(388)

US avg: 4%

85 and over3.2%(150)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$27,560

+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $33,462 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$15,884

−47%vs 2000

vs $29,902 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

4.9%

−4.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.1% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$149,700

−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $227,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$435

+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $564 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

52.2%

−4.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 56.8% in 2000

47.8% rent

Afford Score

5.4

1990 – 2024

Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic89.5%(3,609)

Black5%(201)

Hispanic / Latino3.8%(153)

Asian0.4%(15)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic89.6%(4,181)

Black7.5%(352)

Hispanic / Latino1.7%(79)

Asian0.6%(26)

Other0.6%(30)

Diversity Score

1990 – 2024

Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Puerto Rican5.3%(147)

South American4.4%(121)

Peruvian4.4%(121)

Central American1.2%(33)

Panamanian0.7%(18)

Guatemalan0.5%(15)

Mexican0.4%(11)

Asian origin

Asian Indian0%(1)

Ancestry

Irish28.6%(790)

German14.6%(405)

Italian13.7%(379)

English9.9%(274)

American4.6%(127)

Polish4.6%(126)

Welsh3.8%(104)

Scottish3.5%(97)

Swedish2.7%(74)

French1.9%(53)

West Indian1.3%(35)

Jamaican1.3%(35)

+ 13 more ancestry groups with data

Russian1.1%(31)

Subsaharan African0.9%(25)

French Canadian0.7%(19)

Greek0.7%(19)

Ukrainian0.7%(19)

Austrian0.6%(16)

Hungarian0.5%(15)

Dutch0.5%(14)

Norwegian0.5%(14)

Scotch-Irish0.5%(13)

Lithuanian0.4%(12)

British0.4%(10)

Armenian0.1%(4)

RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population · Largest English population · Largest Puerto Rican population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

25.2%

−5.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 30.8% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

84.4%

−3.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 87.6% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

8.3%

−3.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 11.8% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

15.4 min

+4%vs 2000

vs 14.8 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married38.9%(493)

Married54.6%(692)

Widowed2.3%(29)

Divorced4.3%(54)

Women 15+

Never married24.9%(313)

Married54.7%(687)

Widowed6%(75)

Divorced14.5%(182)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

2.0%

−0.4 ptssince 2013

from 2.4% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

46.9%

+5.3 ptssince 2020

from 41.6% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

19.5%

−9.4 ptssince 2020

from 28.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

35.8%

+0.6 ptssince 2020

from 35.2% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

15.8%

+9.8 ptssince 2020

from 6.0% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.1%

Unchangedsince 2020

from 2.1% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

70.6%

−13.1 ptssince 2020

from 83.7% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

47.7%

+8.1 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era59.1%(55)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War28%(26)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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