CensusEasy
CITY · 2020 ACS

Cape May

New Jersey · 2,768 residents · 2.47 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

With 2,768 people, Cape May is a city in New Jersey. At a median age of 58.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $651,600. 47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. People stay put here: 73% were in the same home a year ago. There are 1,266 fewer people here than in 2000.

At a glance
Average income
median household income $64,330, near the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 58.3
US median: 38.8
More educated
47% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 90%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

2,768
−31%since 2000
from 4,034 in 2000
1990 – 2025
1,119 / sq mi
−31%since 2000
from 1,631 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 280
58.3
+23%since 2000
from 47.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
2.47 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K3K4K4K5K19902000201020202024Cape May
20243K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.7%(131)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.2%(117)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 142.9%(80)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 193%(84)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.9%(191)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412%(333)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 446.9%(190)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 546%(165)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414%(387)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7421.3%(590)
US avg: 10%
75 to 8413.1%(363)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over4.9%(137)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$64,330
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,462 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$48,631
+63%since 2000
from $29,902 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
49.3%
+27.5 ptssince 2009
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
5.9%
−3.3 ptssince 2000
from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Wholesale trade16.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Information5.6%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services2.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Retail trade2.1%
US avg: 10%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.5%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance1.3%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical1.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing0.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
Education & health services0%
US avg: 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$651,600
+90%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $227,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,119
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $564 in 2000
US average: $1,124
52.0%
−4.8 ptssince 2000
from 56.8% in 2000
48.0% rent
2.07 people
+16%since 2009
from 1.79 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
10.1
−49%since 2009
from 19.7 in 2009
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%
2020
White, non-Hispanic84%(2,325)
Black2.6%(73)
Hispanic / Latino8.6%(237)
Asian0.8%(22)
Other3.4%(94)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican9.5%(327)
Mexican4.7%(162)
Panamanian0.8%(26)
Spaniard0.6%(21)
Ecuadorian0.5%(18)
Cuban0.5%(16)
Dominican0.3%(9)
Salvadoran0.1%(4)
Asian origin
Ancestry
Irish25.2%(870)
German13.7%(473)
Italian10.2%(351)
English9.2%(316)
Swedish4.4%(153)
Egyptian3.6%(124)
Polish3.6%(124)
Norwegian2.6%(90)
French2.3%(80)
Swiss2.2%(77)
American1.9%(66)
Scottish1.9%(66)
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1.9%(64)
Welsh1.4%(48)
Russian1.3%(46)
Hungarian0.8%(26)
Greek0.7%(25)
West Indian0.6%(22)
Lithuanian0.6%(19)
Austrian0.4%(14)
Jamaican0.3%(11)
British0.2%(6)
Israeli0.2%(6)
Ukrainian0.1%(5)
Section 05

Education

47.1%
+16.4 ptssince 2000
from 30.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
96.1%
+8.5 ptssince 2000
from 87.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
15.3%
+3.5 ptssince 2000
from 11.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

17.6 min
+19%since 2000
from 14.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
54.7%
+6.9 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
10.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

2.1%
−8.5 ptssince 2011
from 10.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
60.5%
+7.7 ptssince 2011
from 52.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
59.9%
US average: 73.3%
49.5%
+24.5 ptssince 2009
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

56.5%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 53.4% in 2009
43.5%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 46.6% in 2009
7.5%
+5.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
1.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2013
from 2.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
93.8%
US average: 91.9%
73.0%
US average: 86.2%
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

1.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2013
from 2.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
41.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
28.9%
US average: 13.7%
35.2%
US average: 17.6%
6.0%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.1%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
83.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
39.6%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.8%(54)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)5.5%(12)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era27.5%(60)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War15.6%(34)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.7%(8)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 218 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Cape May

Head to head

Compare Cape May to nearby cities

Frequently asked

How many people live in Cape May, New Jersey?

Cape May, New Jersey has about 2,768 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Cape May, New Jersey?

The typical household in Cape May, New Jersey earns about $64,330 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 $651,600, and the typical rent is about $1,119 a month.

How educated are people in Cape May, New Jersey?

About 47.1% 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 5.9% 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 1,900 residents, a change of about -41 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →