PlainZIP

Villas, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08251

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

10,364
633/sq mi
$83,637
Median income
$290,200
Median home value
26.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Villas pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 34%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 35%
home value, US ZIPs
633
people per sq mi
89%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08251 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08251 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Villas, Cape May County, New Jersey, home to 10,364 residents across 16.4 square miles, a density of 633 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08251 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $83,637 (31% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $42,430. Local economic indicators show a 9.1% poverty rate alongside 9.4% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $290,200 (44% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,722 monthly, and 88.9% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.2, and the average commute is 20 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 6 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 08251, plus 6 more within Cape May County, give a clearer read than the 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 08251

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Villas, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08251.

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 08251, Villas, 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

10,364

Population

16.4

Area (sq mi)

633

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 08251?

47.2

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

6.2%

Foreign-Born

White 91.0%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.2%
Hispanic or Latino 7.8%

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?

$83,637

Median Household Income

-31% vs state

$42,430

Per Capita Income

9.1%

Poverty Rate

9.4%

Unemployment Rate

19.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08251 ranks nationally

Villas, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$83,637 Top 34% higher than 66% 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 67.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.2%

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

What does housing look like?

6,517

Total Housing Units

4,813

Occupied Units

1,704

Vacant Units

2.18

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.9%
Renter 11.1%

$290,200

Median Home Value

-44% vs state

$1,722

Median Rent

1966

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

+17.4%

YoY Change (2024)

509

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+409%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08251 have increased 17.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +409% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +10.3% 260
2021 +19.4% 310
2022 +26.9% 393
2023 +10.3% 434
2024 +17.4% 509

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 115 business establishments in ZIP 08251, employing approximately 595 people with a combined annual payroll of $22,440,000.

115

Businesses

595

Employees

$22.4M

Annual Payroll

8

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 39 33.9%
Accommodation and food services 19 16.5%
Retail trade 16 13.9%
Other services (except public administration) 15 13.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 6.1%
Health care and social assistance 4 3.5%
Manufacturing 3 2.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3 2.6%

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 08251 vs 08242 →

ZIP 08251 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 08251 ranks #4 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 08251 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 08251 ranks #5 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
08242 Rio Grande, NJ 3,216 2.2 mi
08204 Cape May, NJ 18,557 3.7 mi
08212 Cape May Point, NJ 294 6.5 mi
08260 Wildwood, NJ 13,661 5.2 mi
08247 Stone Harbor, NJ 925 7.9 mi
08210 Cape May Court House, NJ 17,167 8.4 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
08270 standard
Woodbine, NJ
Pop: 8,492
08230 standard
Ocean View, NJ
Pop: 5,599

Related Areas

Cape May County Villas, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08251 in? ▼
ZIP code 08251 (Villas) 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 08251? ▼
ZIP code 08251 in Villas, NJ has a population of 10,364 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08251? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08251 is $83,637, which is 10% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08251? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08251 is $290,200, which is 4% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08251? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08251 is White at 91.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08251? ▼
ZIP code 08251 has 115 business establishments employing approximately 595 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08251? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08251 are: Construction (39), Accommodation and food services (19), Retail trade (16). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08251? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08251 increased by 17.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 409%. 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 08251? ▼
In ZIP code 08251, 67.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.2% 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 08251? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08251 is 19.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08251? ▼
In ZIP code 08251, approximately 88.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08251? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08251 is 9.1% 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.