The typical owner-occupied home in Cape May County is worth about $434,600, 4% below the New Jersey median of $454,400 and 31% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $5,306 a year in property taxes, about 1.22% of their home's value, lower than the New Jersey rate of 2.11%. The median household earns $91,128 a year, so the median home costs 4.8 times the median income (4.4 times for New Jersey). 80% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 59% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Cape May County at a glance
| Cape May County | New Jersey | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $434,600 | $454,400 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $5,306 | $9,590 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.22% | 2.11% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $91,128 | $103,556 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 80% | 64% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 59% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,232 | $2,829 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 23.7% | 22.9% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,360 | $1,720 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 32.9% | 30.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1981 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 54.9% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 94,941 | 9,343,809 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Cape May County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Cape May County home of $434,600 with 20% down costs about $2,962 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,686, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $126,934 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 39% of the median Cape May County household income of $91,128; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $312,000.
The median rent here is $1,360 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,602 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $86,920 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $347,680 |
| Principal and interest | $2,339 |
| Property taxes (1.22% a year) | $442 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $181 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,962 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $15,211 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $426,728 |
| Principal and interest | $2,871 |
| Property taxes (1.22% a year) | $442 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $181 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $192 |
| Total per month | $3,686 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Cape May County
What is the median home value in Cape May County?
About $434,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Cape May County?
Homeowners pay a median $5,306 a year, which is about 1.22% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Cape May County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,962 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $126,934 a year.
More about Cape May County
- Mortgage Refinance in Cape May County
- Debt Relief in Cape May County
- Home Equity Loans in Cape May County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data