Cape May, NJ · standard
ZIP Code 08204
Cape May County, New Jersey - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,557
- 358/sq mi High-density area
- $82,466
- Median income Near-median income area
- $461,400
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 40.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Cape May pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 35%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 15%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 358
- people per sq mi
- 78%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08204 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 08204 (Cape May, NJ) rose +4.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 391.6 in 2023 to 408.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 08204 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey, home to 18,557 residents across 51.8 square miles, a density of 358 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 08204 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $82,466 (32% below the average New Jersey ZIP), while per-capita income is $53,929. The poverty rate is 7.7%, with unemployment at 4.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $461,400 (11% below the average New Jersey ZIP) and median rent is $1,176; 78.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 40.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 54.1, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cape May County, so 08204 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 08204
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cape May, NJ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08204.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
156 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
110 establishments
- Construction
Construction
71 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 61
Other services (except public administration)
61 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 43
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
43 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 08204, Cape May, NJ · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
18,557
Population
51.8
Area (sq mi)
358
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 08204?
54.1
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
Female
4.7%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$82,466
Median Household Income
-32% vs state ZIP avg
$53,929
Per Capita Income
7.7%
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Unemployment Rate
18.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 08204 ranks among New Jersey ZIPs
Cape May, NJ household income vs. every New Jersey ZIP code
Median household income among 565 reporting New Jersey ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$82,466 18th percentile higher than 18% of 565 New Jersey ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more New Jersey ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
13,123housing units
13,123
Total Housing Units
8,450
Occupied Units
4,673
Vacant Units
1.92
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$461,400
Median Home Value
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$1,176
Median Rent
1976
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+4.3%
YoY Change (2024)
408
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+308%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 08204 have increased 4.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +308% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.8% | 242 |
| 2021 | +16.9% | 283 |
| 2022 | +20.3% | 340 |
| 2023 | +15.2% | 392 |
| 2024 | +4.3% | 408 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 618 business establishments in ZIP 08204, employing approximately 5,340 people with a combined annual payroll of $263,728,000.
618
Businesses
5,340
Employees
$263.7M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 156 | 25.2% |
| Retail trade | 110 | 17.8% |
| Construction | 71 | 11.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 61 | 9.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 43 | 7.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 33 | 5.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 32 | 5.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 28 | 4.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 25 | 4.0% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 2.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 2.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 1.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 0.8% |
| Educational services | 4 | 0.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 08204 vs 08251 →
ZIP 08204 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 08204
Cape May (08204)
18,557 residents
- 08210
Cape May Court House (08210)
17,167 residents
- 08260
Wildwood (08260)
13,661 residents
- 08251
Villas (08251)
10,364 residents
- 08242 3,216
Rio Grande (08242)
3,216 residents
- 08247 925
Stone Harbor (08247)
925 residents
- 08212 294
Cape May Point (08212)
294 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08204 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 08204 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 08247
Stone Harbor (08247)
$167,917 median income
- 08242
Rio Grande (08242)
$93,250 median income
- 08210
Cape May Court House (08210)
$90,013 median income
- 08212
Cape May Point (08212)
$86,125 median income
- 08251
Villas (08251)
$83,637 median income
- 08204
Cape May (08204)
$82,466 median income
- 08260
Wildwood (08260)
$79,699 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 08204 ranks #6 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 08204, both outside NJ so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (18,557 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Cape May County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 08204 in?
ZIP code 08204 (Cape May) is located in Cape May County, New Jersey. Cape May County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cape-may-nj.
What is the population of ZIP code 08204?
ZIP code 08204 in Cape May, NJ has a population of 18,557 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08204?
The median household income in ZIP 08204 is $82,466, which is 8% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08204?
The median home value in ZIP 08204 is $461,400, which is 66% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08204?
The largest racial group in ZIP 08204 is White at 89.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08204?
ZIP code 08204 has 618 business establishments employing approximately 5,340 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08204?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08204 are: Accommodation and food services (156), Retail trade (110), Construction (71). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08204?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08204 increased by 4.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 308%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 08204?
In ZIP code 08204, 69.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 40.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 08204?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08204 is 18.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08204?
In ZIP code 08204, approximately 78.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08204?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08204 is 7.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 08204's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 08204 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Cape May, NJ ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.