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 High-density area
- $101,782
- Median income Above-median income area
- $840,500
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 56.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average New Jersey ZIP), while per-capita income is $71,999. The poverty rate is 9.8%, with unemployment at 3.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $840,500 (63% above the average New Jersey ZIP), while 72.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,683.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cape May County, so 08226 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 08226
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ocean City, NJ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08226.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
134 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
109 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
58 establishments
- Construction
Construction
55 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
54 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 08226?
56.1
Median Age
46.0%
Male
54.0%
Female
7.5%
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?
$101,782
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$71,999
Per Capita Income
9.8%
Poverty Rate
3.2%
Unemployment Rate
27.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 08226 ranks among New Jersey ZIPs
Ocean City, 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)
$101,782 38th percentile higher than 38% 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
21,191housing units
21,191
Total Housing Units
5,689
Occupied Units
15,502
Vacant Units
1.97
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$840,500
Median Home Value
+63% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 08234
Egg Harbor Township (08234)
42,532 residents
- 08226 11,701
Ocean City (08226)
11,701 residents
- 08244 10,849
Somers Point (08244)
10,849 residents
- 08406 10,650
Ventnor City (08406)
10,650 residents
- 08225 8,659
Northfield (08225)
8,659 residents
- 08221 7,092
Linwood (08221)
7,092 residents
- 08402 6,354
Margate City (08402)
6,354 residents
- 08230 5,599
Ocean View (08230)
5,599 residents
- 08223 4,125
Marmora (08223)
4,125 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08226 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 08226 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 08221
Linwood (08221)
$156,354 median income
- 08402
Margate City (08402)
$121,800 median income
- 08230
Ocean View (08230)
$115,152 median income
- 08225
Northfield (08225)
$111,599 median income
- 08403
Longport (08403)
$110,625 median income
- 08248
Strathmere (08248)
$108,953 median income
- 08223
Marmora (08223)
$107,131 median income
- 08226
Ocean City (08226)
$101,782 median income
- 08234
Egg Harbor Township (08234)
$98,217 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 08226, 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 (11,701 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 08226's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 08226 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ocean City, 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.