PlainZIP

Sea Isle City, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08243

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

2,114
370/sq mi
$108,359
Median income
$1,087,300
Median home value
48.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 14%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 2%
home value, US ZIPs
370
people per sq mi
93%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08243 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08243 covers 5.7 square miles in Sea Isle City, Cape May County, New Jersey (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,114 residents on file, a density of 370 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08243 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $108,359 (11% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $88,974. Poverty here runs at 5.4%, with unemployment measured at 7.1%. The typical home here is valued at $1,087,300 (111% above the state average); renters pay a median of - monthly, and 92.7% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 48.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 66.1, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 9 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cape May County, so you can benchmark 08243 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 08243

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sea Isle City, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08243.

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 08243, Sea Isle 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

2,114

Population

5.7

Area (sq mi)

370

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 08243?

66.1

Median Age

49.2%

Male

50.8%

Female

2.0%

Foreign-Born

White 96.5%
African American 0.1%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.8%

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?

$108,359

Median Household Income

-11% vs state

$88,974

Per Capita Income

5.4%

Poverty Rate

7.1%

Unemployment Rate

29.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08243 ranks nationally

Sea Isle City, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$108,359 Top 14% higher than 86% 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 70.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 48.7%

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

What does housing look like?

6,719

Total Housing Units

1,117

Occupied Units

5,602

Vacant Units

1.78

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 92.7%
Renter 7.3%

$1,087,300

Median Home Value

+111% vs state

1992

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

+22.8%

YoY Change (2021)

280

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+180%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08243 have increased 22.8% over the past year (2021). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +180% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2017 +9.2% 220
2018 -5.4% 208
2019 +13.8% 237
2020 -3.6% 228
2021 +22.8% 280

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 2021. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 158 business establishments in ZIP 08243, employing approximately 660 people with a combined annual payroll of $44,879,000.

158

Businesses

660

Employees

$44.9M

Annual Payroll

9

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 54 34.2%
Retail trade 27 17.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 20 12.7%
Construction 16 10.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 5.7%
Other services (except public administration) 9 5.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 6 3.8%
Finance and insurance 4 2.5%
Manufacturing 3 1.9%

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 08243 vs 08230 →

ZIP 08243 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 08243 ranks #6 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 08243 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 08243 ranks #5 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
08230 Ocean View, NJ 5,599 4.3 mi
08248 Strathmere, NJ 158 3.6 mi
08202 Avalon, NJ 1,444 4.2 mi
08246 South Seaville, NJ 92 4.1 mi
08223 Marmora, NJ 4,125 8.5 mi
08210 Cape May Court House, NJ 17,167 7.1 mi
08247 Stone Harbor, NJ 925 8.3 mi
08226 Ocean City, NJ 11,701 9.6 mi
08270 Woodbine, NJ 8,492 9.8 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 Sea Isle City, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08243 in? ▼
ZIP code 08243 (Sea Isle 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 08243? ▼
ZIP code 08243 in Sea Isle City, NJ has a population of 2,114 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08243? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08243 is $108,359, which is 42% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08243? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08243 is $1,087,300, which is 291% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08243? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08243 is White at 96.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08243? ▼
ZIP code 08243 has 158 business establishments employing approximately 660 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08243? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08243 are: Accommodation and food services (54), Retail trade (27), Real estate and rental and leasing (20). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08243? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08243 increased by 22.8% in 2021. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 180%. 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 08243? ▼
In ZIP code 08243, 70.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 48.7% 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 08243? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08243 is 29.5 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 08243? ▼
In ZIP code 08243, approximately 92.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 7.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08243? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08243 is 5.4% 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.