Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Cape May, New Jersey
A $824,000 home here costs
$6,117per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $262,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,492. The real number is $1,624 higher every month, 36% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Cape May County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Cape May from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,789 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Cape May County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Cape May against Cape May County and New Jersey
| Measure | Cape May | Cape May County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $823,800 | $395,000 |
| Median property tax | $6,056 | $5,233 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.735% | 1.325% |
| Median gross rent | $1,013 | $1,345 |
| Population | 2,789 | 95,236 |
The weather behind that power bill
Cape May sits in Cape May County, which averages a high of 85.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 28.5°F in its coldest, with 43.84" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,176 cooling and 4,332 heating degree days, which is what sets the $163 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cape May County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cape May County
Full Cape May County cost breakdown · Every county in New Jersey
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Cape May averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Cape May every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Cape May I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Cape May?
A $824,000 home in Cape May, New Jersey costs approximately $6,117 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $4,492 principal and interest, $505 property tax, $202 homeowners insurance, $231 utilities and $687 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Cape May?
Cape May has an effective property tax rate of 0.735%, based on a median home value of $823,800 and median real estate taxes of $6,056. That is lower than the Cape May County average of 1.325%.
What is the average home price in Cape May?
The median owner-occupied home value in Cape May, New Jersey is $823,800, against $395,000 across Cape May County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cape May?
Median gross rent in Cape May is $1,013 a month, against $6,117 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Cape May?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Cape May, New Jersey at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $262,000 a year. That covers the full $6,117 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Cape May, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for New Jersey.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.