Cape May Point is a borough located at the tip of the Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough, and all of Cape May County, is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area.New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 22, 2022. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 305, an increase of 14 (+4.8%) from the 2010 census count of 291, which in turn reflected an increase of 50 (+20.7%) from the 241 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023. The summer population can reach 4,500.Lawlor, Julia. "Cape May Point, N.J." , The New York Times, September 3, 2004. Accessed June 28, 2016. "Its population of 241 rises to 4,500 in summer, and it has 600 houses and two businesses, the Cape May Point General Store and the gift shop at the Cape May Bird Observatory."
The Cape May Light is located in Lower Township, but is also a point of identity for Cape May Point as it uses the lighthouse as a logo for municipal-owned vehicles. Mayors of the two municipalities previously had a conflict over in which municipality it was located.Degener, Richard. "New Lower Township police cars roll in black and white", The Press of Atlantic City, May 22, 2009. Accessed August 21, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "The department on Thursday unveiled its new emblem featuring a picture of the Cape May Lighthouse, which is located next to Cape May Point State Park, and, like the park itself, is actually in Lower Township. Mayors in Lower Township Cape May and Cape May Point have sparred in years past over claims to the lighthouse."
Cape May Point is a dry town, one of three municipalities in Cape May County where the sale of alcohol is prohibited by law.New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. New Jersey ABC list of dry towns (May 1, 2013)Giordano, Rita. "More towns catching liquor-license buzz; Moorestown considers ending its dry spell" , The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 24, 2007. Accessed February 16, 2014. Cape May Point, Ocean City and Wildwood Crest are Cape May County's only remaining dry municipalities.Procida, Lee. "Cape May County towns relaxing liquor laws as area's alcohol culture changes" , Press of Atlantic City, April 14, 2012. Accessed October 16, 2017. "Wildwood Crest and Cape May Point join Ocean City as the only remaining dry communities in Cape May County."
History Cape May Point was known as Stites Beach until 1876 when the name was changed to Seagrove.Cape May County: Cape May Point , getnj.com. Accessed September 9, 2007. It was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 19, 1878, from portions of Lower Township, following the results of a referendum held three days earlier. It was reincorporated on August 19, 1891 and then returned to Lower Township on April 8, 1896. Cape May Point re-emerged as an independent municipality on April 6, 1908, based on the results of a referendum held on April 21, 1908.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. Accessed May 1, 2026. The borough's name derives from Cape May, which was named for the 17th-century Dutch captain Cornelius Jacobsen May who explored and charted the area between 1611 and 1614, and established a claim for the province of New Netherland.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names , New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 28, 2015.Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States , p. 68. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed August 28, 2015.
The remains of the World War I-era concrete ship SS Atlantus are located off the coast of Cape May Point, near Sunset Beach."Concrete ship wreck at Cape May Point" , The Press of Atlantic City, April 24, 2010. Accessed October 15, 2017.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.31 square miles (0.81 km2), including 0.30 square miles (0.76 km2) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) of water (5.81%).
Cape May Point borders Lower Township, the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay.Areas touching Cape May Point , MapIt. Accessed March 22, 2020.Cape May County , Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 22, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries , New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Cityscape In 2004, the borough had about 600 houses. Circa 2004 prices of housing increased, and in 2004 a four bedroom house typically had a price of $1 million.
In 2021 the median price of a house is $1,090,000, which was the highest of any municipality on Cape Island. Most houses are on lots and are below in area due to the borough's zoning regulations. Julie Lasky of The New York Times wrote that "the houses appear relatively modest", and that the borough "lacks the fanciful architecture of Cape May".
In 2004 the only two businesses in Cape May Point were the Cape May Bird Observatory bird shop and the Cape May Point General Store.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 291 people, 164 households, and 100 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 619 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 94.50% (275) White, 2.75% (8) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.34% (1) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.34% (1) from other races, and 2.06% (6) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.34% (1) of the population.
Of the 164 households, 4.3% had children under the age of 18; 55.5% were married couples living together; 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 39.0% were non-families. Of all households, 34.1% were made up of individuals and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.77 and the average family size was 2.17.
4.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 1.7% from 18 to 24, 3.8% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 55.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 66.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 84.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 83.6 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $51,250 (with a margin of error of +/− $36,659) and the median family income was $71,875 (+/− $10,854). Males had a median income of $108,125 (+/− $225,840) versus $ (+/− $) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $37,269 (+/− $13,473). About 8.7% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over., United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 16, 2012.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 241 people, 133 households, and 77 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 501 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 95.02% White, 2.07% African American, 0.41% Asian, and 2.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.66% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Cape May Point borough, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 16, 2012., United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 16, 2012.
There were 133 households, out of which 6.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 3.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.81 and the average family size was 2.27.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 6.6% under the age of 18, 0.8% from 18 to 24, 10.4% from 25 to 44, 34.4% from 45 to 64, and 47.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 64 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $55,313, and the median income for a family was $69,750. Males had a median income of $63,250 versus $30,833 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $52,689. None of the families and 1.7% of the population were living below the poverty line.
Government Local government
Cape May Point operates under the Walsh Act commission form of government, first created to rebuild the city of Galveston, Texas after the devastating Hurricane of 1900.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 8. Cape May Point is one of 30 (of the 564) municipalities statewide to use this form of government, most in shore communities, down from a peak of 60 early in the 20th century.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.Proctor, Owen; and Sobko, Katie. "Town commissions have become a New Jersey rarity" , The Record, April 30, 2018, updated May 6, 2018. Accessed October 27, 2019. "Commissions rose in popularity, up to 60 statewide in the early part of the last century, from large cities and older suburbs to seaside resorts.... Today, only about 30 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are commissions, including six in North Jersey. There are North Bergen, Union City and West New York in Hudson County, Lyndhurst and Ridgefield Park in Bergen County, and Nutley in Essex County." In three-member Commissions, as in Cape May Point, the Departments of Public Affairs and Public Safety are combined, as are the Departments of Public Works and Parks and Public Property. Revenue and Finance is the third portfolio. The borough adopted this form of government in 1916."The Commission Form of Municipal Government", p. 53. Accessed June 3, 2015."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 8. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023. The governing body is comprised of three commissioners, who are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis in the November general election to serve concurrent four-year terms of office. Cape May Point shifted its municipal elections from May to November, extending the term-end dates from June 30 to December 31 for the commissioners elected in 2012.Ianieri, Brian. "State will let New Jersey municipalities abandon May elections next year — if they want to" , The Press of Atlantic City, May 9, 2010. Accessed June 28, 2016.Municipal Elections , Cape May County, New Jersey. Accessed June 28, 2016. The Commissioners exercise complete control of the operation of the borough, with each Commissioner having all aspects of Administrative, Executive, Judicial, and Legislative powers over their department. The three Commissioners choose a mayor from among themselves at a reorganization meeting following each election, with the mayor responsible for leading municipal meetings and general oversight of community affairs.
, the members of the Board of Commissioners of Cape May Point are Mayor Anita vanHeeswyk (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance), Deputy Mayor Elise Geiger (Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety) and