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 High-density area
- $93,250
- Median income Above-median income area
- $318,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 33.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average New Jersey ZIP), while per-capita income is $45,552. The poverty rate is 9.5%, with unemployment at 3.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $318,300 (38% below the average New Jersey ZIP), and median rent is $1,305; owner occupancy is 77.6%.
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 -. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cape May County, so 08242 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 08242
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rio Grande, NJ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08242.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
51 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
29 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
26 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 20
Health care and social assistance
20 establishments
- Construction 13
Construction
13 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 08242?
51.4
Median Age
46.2%
Male
53.8%
Female
5.1%
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?
$93,250
Median Household Income
-24% vs state ZIP avg
$45,552
Per Capita Income
9.5%
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 08242 ranks among New Jersey ZIPs
Rio Grande, 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)
$93,250 27th percentile higher than 27% 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
2,055housing units
2,055
Total Housing Units
1,904
Occupied Units
151
Vacant Units
2.15
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$318,300
Median Home Value
-38% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 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 08242 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 08242 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 08242 ranks #2 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 08242, 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 (3,216 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 08242's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 08242 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rio Grande, NJ ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.