HomeNew JerseyCape May County
Cape May County, New Jersey: commercial real estate data.
Cape May County, New Jersey has a population of 94,941 across 251 square miles, down 1.5 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $7.80 bn in 2024, 3,816 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 190 7(a) approvals worth $138.3 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Cape May County
How many people live in Cape May County
- Population94,941
- Households44,884
- Average household size2.12
- Median household income$91,128
- Median age51.8
- Median gross rent$1,360 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$434,600
- Home value to household income4.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher39.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over72,841
- Population under 1816,274
- Share under 1817.1 percent
- Population 65 and over28,008
- Share 65 and over29.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6450,659
- Civilian labor force45,591
- Unemployment rate5.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.0 percent
- Rank by population among New Jersey counties20th of 21
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents650th
Cape May County is the 20th largest of 21 New Jersey counties by population. A median home costs 4.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 29.5 percent against 17.1 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Cape May County
Is Cape May County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.46 percent
- Census 2020 base population95,269
- Births, 2024753
- Deaths, 20241,365
- Natural change, 2024-612
- Net domestic migration, 2024-272
- Net international migration, 2024123
- Total net migration, 2024-149
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,388
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2350th
The county has lost 1.46 percent of its population since the 2020 census base.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Cape May County
Where people moving to Cape May County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,761
- People arriving, from those returns4,660
- Adjusted gross income arriving$390.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$141,294
- Largest single originCape May County Non-migrants (39,261 households)
- Largest single destination (39,261 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape May County Non-migrants | 39,261 | 72,616 | $3.94 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 834 | 1,407 | $99.8 m |
| Other flows - South | 398 | 680 | $41.3 m |
| Atlantic County | 305 | 525 | $24.6 m |
| Philadelphia County | 258 | 388 | $32.6 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 242 | 399 | $28.4 m |
| Gloucester County | 188 | 362 | $26.8 m |
| Burlington County | 170 | 297 | $38.3 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Cape May County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Cape May County
What the Cape May County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$7.80 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.42 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.2 percent
- GDP change over five years37.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among New Jersey counties18th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents538th
- GDP per resident$82,169
Output grew 5.2 percent in the latest year and 37.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Cape May County
Who employs people in Cape May County
- Covered employment, annual average42,713
- Establishments reporting4,020
- Average annual pay$48,574
- Average weekly wage$934
- Sector 72, employment11,080
- Sector 72, average annual pay$34,230
- Sector 44-45, employment6,710
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$38,677
- Sector 62, employment4,459
- Sector 62, average annual pay$57,934
- Sector 23, employment2,508
- Sector 23, average annual pay$62,952
- Sector 71, employment2,001
- Sector 81, employment1,538
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 72 | 11,080 | 844 | $34,230 |
| Sector 44-45 | 6,710 | 546 | $38,677 |
| Sector 62 | 4,459 | 430 | $57,934 |
| Sector 23 | 2,508 | 446 | $62,952 |
| Sector 71 | 2,001 | 146 | $36,272 |
| Sector 81 | 1,538 | 314 | $35,764 |
| Sector 56 | 1,242 | 219 | $44,863 |
| Sector 54 | 1,002 | 216 | $69,189 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 11,080 jobs, 25.9 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Cape May County
What businesses operate in Cape May County
- Establishments, all industries3,816
- Employment at those establishments28,065
- Annual payroll$1.54 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents40.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cape May County
What is being built in Cape May County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024895
- Declared construction value permitted$357.5 m
- Single family units authorised660
- Multifamily units authorised235
- Multifamily share of units26.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$399,475
- Units authorised per 1,000 households19.9
Multifamily is 26.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Cape May County
How much SBA lending happens in Cape May County
- 7(a) approvals recorded190
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$138.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$727,684
- Median 7(a) approval$340,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,121,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,204
- Jobs per approval11.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active45
- Distinct industries receiving approvals89
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms63
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter120
- Franchise loans12
- Franchise share of approvals6.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (22)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (55)
- 504 approvals recorded33
- 504 gross approval dollars$30.8 m
- Average 504 approval$933,455
- Median 504 approval$626,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval8.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.5
- Most active CDCEmpire State Certified Development Corporation (21)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals85.2 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$169.1 m
The average approval of $727,684 sits well above the median of $340,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. 33.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cape May County
Do SBA loans in Cape May County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded41
- Paid in full38
- Charged off3
- Charge off rate on resolved loans7.3 percent
- Status: Paid in full38
- Status: Cancelled30
- Status: Charged off3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure109
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed10
Of the 41 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.3 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cape May County
Which parts of Cape May County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending21
- WILDWOOD, approvals44
- Ocean City, approvals29
- CAPE MAY, approvals23
- Cape May Court House, approvals22
- Marmora, approvals17
- OCEAN VIEW, approvals12
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| WILDWOOD | 44 | $46,620,200 |
| Ocean City | 29 | $13,504,400 |
| CAPE MAY | 23 | $23,801,200 |
| Cape May Court House | 22 | $9,878,000 |
| Marmora | 17 | $15,413,600 |
| OCEAN VIEW | 12 | $7,340,000 |
| Sea Isle City | 7 | $2,714,700 |
| STONE HARBOR | 6 | $1,316,000 |
WILDWOOD accounts for 44 approvals against 29 in Ocean City. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cape May County
How big is Cape May County
- Land area251 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New Jersey counties14th of 21
- Width, east to west23.1 mi
- Height, north to south27.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary2
- Residents per square mile of land378
- Establishments per square mile15.20
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Cape May County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Cape May County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population94,941
- Households44,884
- Average household size2.12
- Median household income$91,128
- Median age51.8
Common questions
Cape May County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Cape May County, New Jersey?
94,941, in 44,884 households, ranking 20th of 21 New Jersey counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Cape May County growing?
The population has fallen 1.46 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 753 births against 1,365 deaths, with net migration of -149. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Cape May County?
$91,128. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $434,600, which is 4.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,360 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Cape May County?
3,816 establishments, employing 28,065 people with an annual payroll of $1.54 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Cape May County?
Average annual pay is $48,574, or $934 a week, across 42,713 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Cape May County?
190 7(a) approvals totalling $138.3 m since FY2020, across 45 lenders, with a median approval of $340,000, plus 33 504 approvals worth $30.8 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Cape May County get paid back?
Of the 41 loans that have reached a final outcome, 38 were paid in full and 3 charged off, a charge off rate of 7.3 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Cape May County?
895 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $357.5 m. Multifamily was 26.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Cape May County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Cape May County come from?
The largest single origin is Cape May County Non-migrants, with 39,261 households. Arriving households report an average income of $141,294 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Cape May County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Cape May County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.