PlainZIP

Ocean City, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08226

Cape May County, New Jersey - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

11,701
676/sq mi
$101,782
Median income
$840,500
Median home value
56.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ocean City pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 18%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 4%
home value, US ZIPs
676
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08226 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08226 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ocean City, Cape May County, New Jersey, home to 11,701 residents across 17.3 square miles, a density of 676 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08226 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $101,782 (17% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $71,999. The poverty rate stands at 9.8% and the unemployment rate at 3.2%. Median home value sits at $840,500 (63% above the state average), median rent at $1,683 a month, and owner-occupancy at 72.7%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 56.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.1, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cape May County, so you can benchmark 08226 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 08226

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ocean City, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08226.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 08226, Ocean City, 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

11,701

Population

17.3

Area (sq mi)

676

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 08226?

56.1

Median Age

46.0%

Male

54.0%

Female

7.5%

Foreign-Born

White 84.8%
African American 3.4%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.1%

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?

$101,782

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$71,999

Per Capita Income

9.8%

Poverty Rate

3.2%

Unemployment Rate

27.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08226 ranks nationally

Ocean City, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$101,782 Top 18% higher than 82% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 76.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 56.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

21,191

Total Housing Units

5,689

Occupied Units

15,502

Vacant Units

1.97

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.7%
Renter 27.3%

$840,500

Median Home Value

+63% vs state

$1,683

Median Rent

1984

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

+0.9%

YoY Change (2024)

421

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+321%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08226 have increased 0.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +321% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +10.0% 268
2021 +20.1% 322
2022 +22.8% 396
2023 +5.4% 417
2024 +0.9% 421

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 571 business establishments in ZIP 08226, employing approximately 3,283 people with a combined annual payroll of $175,667,000.

571

Businesses

3,283

Employees

$175.7M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 134 23.5%
Retail trade 109 19.1%
Other services (except public administration) 58 10.2%
Construction 55 9.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 54 9.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 51 8.9%
Finance and insurance 21 3.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 20 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 20 3.5%
Health care and social assistance 19 3.3%
Educational services 8 1.4%
Manufacturing 7 1.2%
Wholesale trade 5 0.9%
Transportation and warehousing 5 0.9%
Information 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 08226 vs 08223 →

ZIP 08226 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08226 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 08226 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 08226 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
08223 Marmora, NJ 4,125 3.0 mi
08244 Somers Point, NJ 10,849 3.5 mi
08221 Linwood, NJ 7,092 5.4 mi
08403 Longport, NJ 997 5.0 mi
08248 Strathmere, NJ 158 6.0 mi
08234 Egg Harbor Township, NJ 42,532 8.2 mi
08225 Northfield, NJ 8,659 7.3 mi
08402 Margate City, NJ 6,354 6.6 mi
08230 Ocean View, NJ 5,599 7.3 mi
08406 Ventnor City, NJ 10,650 8.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cape May County

08204 standard
Cape May, NJ
Pop: 18,557
08210 standard
Cape May Court House, NJ
Pop: 17,167
08260 standard
Wildwood, NJ
Pop: 13,661
08251 standard
Villas, NJ
Pop: 10,364
08270 standard
Woodbine, NJ
Pop: 8,492
08230 standard
Ocean View, NJ
Pop: 5,599

Related Areas

Cape May County Ocean City, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08226 in? ▼
ZIP code 08226 (Ocean City) 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 08226? ▼
ZIP code 08226 in Ocean City, NJ has a population of 11,701 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08226? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08226 is $101,782, which is 33% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08226? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08226 is $840,500, which is 202% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08226? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08226 is White at 84.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08226? ▼
ZIP code 08226 has 571 business establishments employing approximately 3,283 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08226? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08226 are: Accommodation and food services (134), Retail trade (109), Other services (except public administration) (58). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08226? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08226 increased by 0.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 321%. 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 08226? ▼
In ZIP code 08226, 76.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 56.7% 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 08226? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08226 is 27.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08226? ▼
In ZIP code 08226, approximately 72.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08226? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08226 is 9.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.