What percentage of people rent in Cape May, NJ?

Name: Renters and owners in Cape May, NJ, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

35.5% (±8.3 points) of the occupied homes in Cape May, NJ are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 510 renting households against 928 that own their home.

In Cape May, the share of households that rent went from 42.4% in 2015–2019 to 35.5% in 2020–2024 (−6.9 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 35.5% (±8.3 points)
Renting households: 510 (±127)
Median renter income: $49,545 (±$16,623)

Who rents and who owns in Cape May

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Cape May	Cape May County	New Jersey	United States
Renter-occupied share	35.5% (±8.3 points)	19.7% (±1.5 points)	36.2% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	510 (±127)	8,831 (±694)	1,268,573 (±8,082)	45,017,354
Owning households	928 (±135)	36,053 (±805)	2,239,128 (±10,678)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	1.9 (±0.3)	1.9 (±0.1)	2.4 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	1.8 (±0.2)	2.1 (±0.0)	2.8 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$49,545 (±$16,623)	$50,917 (±$6,072)	$62,674 (±$718)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$70,000 (±$27,146)	$101,937 (±$3,864)	$133,477 (±$624)	$100,009

In Cape May, the renter share is higher than in Cape May County (19.7%).

It is not measurably different from New Jersey (36.2%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (34.8%).

In Cape May County, Cape May ranks 3 of 16 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 159 of 564.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Cape May has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	42.4% (±7.4 points)	35.5% (±8.3 points)	−6.9 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,009 (±$139)	$1,013 (±$454)	+0.4%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$55,700 (±$11,387)	$62,576 (±$14,495)	+12.3%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Cape May

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Cape May
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Cape May	—	35.5% (±8.3 points)	—
West Cape May Borough	2.2 mi	14.8% (±5.5 points)	Lower
Lower Township	3.0 mi	16.0% (±2.7 points)	Lower
Cape May Point Borough	3.6 mi	2.4% (±4.9 points)	Lower
Erma	3.7 mi	20.5% (±9.2 points)	Lower
Wildwood Crest Borough	3.9 mi	18.7% (±7.6 points)	Lower
North Cape May	3.9 mi	26.4% (±9.3 points)	Not measurably different
Wildwood	5.4 mi	56.5% (±7.2 points)	Higher
Rio Grande	5.5 mi	25.7% (±10.4 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: West Cape May Borough, NJ (14.8%), Lower Township, NJ (16.0%), Cape May Point Borough, NJ (2.4%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Wildwood, NJ (56.5%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Cape May County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Wildwood	56.5% (±7.2 points)
2	Woodbine Borough	44.6% (±10.0 points)
3	Cape May	35.5% (±8.3 points)
4	Ocean City	27.3% (±5.1 points)
5	Middle Township	19.3% (±4.9 points)
6	Wildwood Crest Borough	18.7% (±7.6 points)
7	North Wildwood	16.3% (±6.6 points)
8	Lower Township	16.0% (±2.7 points)
9	West Cape May Borough	14.8% (±5.5 points)

Showing 9 of 16 places in Cape May County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

What you can do on Seayora in Cape May

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near Cape May, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Cape May beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near Cape May, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Questions about Cape May

How many renters are there in Cape May?

Cape May has an estimated 510 (±127) renting households, 35.5% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Cape May?

In Cape May, the share of households that rent went from 42.4% in 2015–2019 to 35.5% in 2020–2024 (−6.9 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Cape May?

A renting household in Cape May has 1.9 people on average, against 1.8 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Cape May?

The median renting household in Cape May, NJ has an income of $49,545 (±$16,623) a year, against $70,000 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Cape May city, Cape May County, New Jersey (county subdivision:10270, in state:34 county:009).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.