PlainZIP

Rio Grande, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08242

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

3,216
246/sq mi
$93,250
Median income
$318,300
Median home value
33.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Rio Grande pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 24%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 31%
home value, US ZIPs
246
people per sq mi
78%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08242 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08242 covers 13.1 square miles in Rio Grande, Cape May County, New Jersey (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,216 residents on file, a density of 246 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08242 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $93,250 (24% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $45,552. Poverty here runs at 9.5%, with unemployment measured at 3.1%. On housing, the median home value is $318,300 (38% below the state average) with median rent at $1,305 per month, and 77.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 51.4, and the average commute is -. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cape May County, so you can benchmark 08242 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 08242

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rio Grande, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08242.

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 08242, Rio Grande, 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

3,216

Population

13.1

Area (sq mi)

246

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 08242?

51.4

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

5.1%

Foreign-Born

White 63.8%
African American 7.3%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 12.6%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%

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?

$93,250

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$45,552

Per Capita Income

9.5%

Poverty Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 08242 ranks nationally

Rio Grande, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$93,250 Top 24% higher than 76% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $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 69.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.6%

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

What does housing look like?

2,055

Total Housing Units

1,904

Occupied Units

151

Vacant Units

2.15

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 77.6%
Renter 22.4%

$318,300

Median Home Value

-38% vs state

$1,305

Median Rent

1994

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

+12.1%

YoY Change (2023)

273

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+173%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08242 have increased 12.1% over the past year (2023). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +173% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +3.6% 164
2020 +17.2% 193
2021 +11.8% 215
2022 +13.2% 244
2023 +12.1% 273

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 2023. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 201 business establishments in ZIP 08242, employing approximately 2,615 people with a combined annual payroll of $92,576,000.

201

Businesses

2,615

Employees

$92.6M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 51 25.4%
Accommodation and food services 29 14.4%
Other services (except public administration) 26 12.9%
Health care and social assistance 20 9.9%
Construction 13 6.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 5.0%
Information 9 4.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 9 4.5%
Wholesale trade 7 3.5%
Finance and insurance 7 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 3.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 3.0%
Manufacturing 4 2.0%
Transportation and warehousing 3 1.5%

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 08242 vs 08251 →

ZIP 08242 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 08242 ranks #5 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 08242 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 08242 ranks #2 of 7 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
08251 Villas, NJ 10,364 2.2 mi
08260 Wildwood, NJ 13,661 3.1 mi
08204 Cape May, NJ 18,557 3.5 mi
08247 Stone Harbor, NJ 925 6.1 mi
08212 Cape May Point, NJ 294 6.7 mi
08210 Cape May Court House, NJ 17,167 7.7 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
08226 standard
Ocean City, NJ
Pop: 11,701
08251 standard
Villas, NJ
Pop: 10,364
08270 standard
Woodbine, NJ
Pop: 8,492

Related Areas

Cape May County Rio Grande, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08242 in? ▼
ZIP code 08242 (Rio Grande) 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 08242? ▼
ZIP code 08242 in Rio Grande, NJ has a population of 3,216 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08242? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08242 is $93,250, which is 22% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08242? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08242 is $318,300, which is 14% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08242? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08242 is White at 63.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 21.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08242? ▼
ZIP code 08242 has 201 business establishments employing approximately 2,615 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08242? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08242 are: Retail trade (51), Accommodation and food services (29), Other services (except public administration) (26). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08242? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08242 increased by 12.1% in 2023. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 173%. 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 08242? ▼
In ZIP code 08242, 69.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08242? ▼
In ZIP code 08242, approximately 77.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08242? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08242 is 9.5% 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.