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Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Census-designated place
Old Cape May County Courthouse Building
Map of Cape May Court House CDP in Cape May County Interactive map of Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Cape May Court HouseLocation in Cape May CountyShow map of Cape May County, New JerseyCape May Court HouseLocation in New JerseyShow map of New JerseyCape May Court HouseLocation in the United StatesShow map of the United States
Coordinates: 39°04′44″N 74°49′15″W / 39.07892°N 74.820866°W / 39.07892; -74.820866
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Cape May
Township	Middle
Area
• Total	9.63 sq mi (24.94 km)
• Land	8.66 sq mi (22.42 km)
• Water	0.97 sq mi (2.52 km)  9.83%
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population
• Total	5,573
• Density	643.53/sq mi (248.47/km)
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	08210
Area code	609
FIPS code	34-10300
GNIS feature ID	02389275

Cape May Court House is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Middle Township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 5,573, reflecting a 4.4% increase from the 5,338 enumerated at the 2010 U.S. census, in turn an increase of 13.5% from the 4,704 counted in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cape May County and serves as the principal administrative hub for the township. It constitutes part of the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area, or the Delaware Valley.

Cape Regional Medical Center, known as Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital until April 2007, is the only hospital in Cape May County. The Cape May County Park and Zoo is also located in Cape May Court House.

History

Cape May Court House was laid out in 1703 by Jeremiah Hand and was first called Rumney Marsh and afterward Middleton before the adoption of its present name. The Court of Cape May County met in private homes and the First Baptist Church until 1764, when Daniel Hand set 1-acre (4,000 m) of his own property to construct a courthouse and jail. It was replaced by the current structure in 1849.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 9.899 square miles (25.64 km), including 8.926 square miles (23.12 km) of land and 0.973 square miles (2.52 km) of water (9.83%).

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 5,338 people, 2,165 households, and 1,396 families in the CDP. The population density was 598.0 people per square mile (230.9 people/km). There were 2,603 housing units at an average density of 291.6 units per square mile (112.6 units/km). The racial makeup was 85.14% (4,545) White, 9.25% (494) Black or African American, 0.11% (6) Native American, 2.36% (126) Asian, 0.04% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.92% (49) from other races, and 2.17% (116) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.03% (162) of the population.

Of the 2,165 households, 23.5% had children under the age of 18; 48.1% were married couples living together; 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.5% were non-families. Of all households, 29.4% were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.95.

19.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 20.5% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 83.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $56,773 (with a margin of error of +/- $14,695) and the median family income was $73,618 (+/- $19,854). Males had a median income of $57,109 (+/- $11,100) versus $50,231 (+/- $6,373) for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $31,865 (+/- $4,296). About 0.9% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 4,704 people, 1,732 households, and 1,221 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 202.3 people/km (524 people/sq mi). There were 2,086 housing units at an average density of 89.7 units/km (232 units/sq mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.35% White, 10.88% African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.70% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.57% of the population.

There were 1,732 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,902, and the median income for a family was $56,707. Males had a median income of $39,848 versus $28,043 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,541. About 5.3% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Middle Township Public Schools is the local school district for Middle Township: it operates Middle Township High School. All four schools and the district headquarters are in Cape May Court House CDP.

The Cape May County Technical School District operates Cape May County Technical High School which has a CMCH address, but is not within the CDP boundaries. Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in Cape May Court House.

Areas in Dennis Township with Cape May Court House postal addresses, which are not in the CDP, are in Dennis Township Public Schools for K-8.

There is a private Christian K-12 school in Middle Township, Cape Christian Academy. It is in the CMCH CDP and has a CMCH postal address. Richard Degener of the Press of Atlantic City described it as being in Burleigh.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden operates Bishop McHugh Regional School, a Catholic K–8 school, in Ocean View, Dennis Township, which has a Cape May Courthouse postal address. It is supported by four parishes in Cape May County including the Cape May Courthouse Church. The sole Catholic high school program in Cape May County is in Wildwood Catholic Academy (K–12) in North Wildwood, which also operates under the Camden Diocese.

Church Street Christian School, 18 months to preschool, is on the property of its sponsor, First United Methodist Church. It was formerly a Montessori school.

Cape May County Library has its Cape May Court House branch in the CDP.

Parks and recreation

The Cape May County Park & Zoo in Cape May Court House provides free year-round admission to a collection of over 550 animals representing 250 species in 85 acres of exhibits. The zoo is located in the center of Cape May County's Central Park, and together the zoo and the park cover about 220 acres. The zoo began operation in 1978. Its principal exhibit areas are a 57-acre African Savanna, a free-flight aviary, and a reptile collection.

The Clarence and Georgiana Davies Sports Complex includes basketball courts, soccer fields, and baseball fields. The Middle Township Recreation Department maintains indoor basketball courts, baseball fields, football fields, and soccer fields.

Wineries

• Jessie Creek Winery
• Natali Vineyards

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Cape May Court House include:

• Kevin Bramble (born 1972), disabled ski racer, freeskier and monoski designer/builder.
• Daniel Cohen (1936–2018), children's writer
• Joe Fala (born 1997), soccer player who has played as a defender for New York Red Bulls II in the USL Championship.
• Jonathan F. Leaming (1822–1907) politician and physician.
• Matthew Maher (born 1984), retired soccer defender, who was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for first degree aggravated manslaughter and drunken driving.
• Matt Szczur (born 1989), Major League Baseball player for the San Diego Padres.
• Julius H. Taylor (1914–2011), professor emeritus at Morgan State University who was chairperson of the department of physics.

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Cape May Court House Census Designated Place, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed October 18, 2012.
3. ^ QuickFacts Cape May Court House CDP, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 18, 2023.
4. Look Up a ZIP Code for Cape May Court House, NJ, United States Postal Service. Accessed May 1, 2012.
5. ^ Gazetteer of New Jersey Places, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 21, 2016.
6. ^ U.S. Census website, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
7. Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed June 9, 2023.
8. US Board on Geographic Names, United States Geological Survey. Accessed September 4, 2014.
9. State of New Jersey Census Designated Places - BVP20 - Data as of January 1, 2020, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 1, 2022.
10. ^ New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed November 29, 2012.
11. GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County – County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Middlesex County, New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 29, 2012.
12. New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 22, 2022.
13. ^ DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Cape May Court House CDP, New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 1, 2012.
14. New Jersey County Map, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed July 10, 2017.
15. Ianieri, Brian. "Bye bye, Burdette: Hospital has new name / Switch to Cape Regional Medical Center reflects new services, officials say", The Press of Atlantic City, April 3, 2007. Accessed October 17, 2012. "Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital's name became history Monday morning, as Cape May County's only hospital changed its name abruptly to Cape Regional Medical Center."
16. Home Page, Cape May County Zoo. Accessed November 15, 2016.
17. Cape May County, getnj.com. Accessed September 6, 2007.
18. US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
19. Staff. 1980 Census of Population: Number of Inhabitants United States Summary, p. 1-141. United States Census Bureau, June 1983. Accessed January 12, 2012.
20. ^ DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Cape May Court House CDP, New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 1, 2012.
21. DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Cape May Court House CDP, New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 1, 2012.
22. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Cape May County, NJ" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
23. ^ "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Cape May Court House CDP, NJ" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 23, 2020. - Pages: 1 and 2.
    Also in the 2000 U.S. Census: "CENSUS 2000 BLOCK MAP: CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE CDP" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 23, 2020. - See pages: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
    Also identical in the 1990 U.S. Census: "1990 COUNTY BLOCK MAP (RECREATED): CAPE MAY County" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 23, 2020. - Cape May Court House CDP is on pages 22, 23, and 26.
24. All four district schools have CMCH addresses with the Zip code 08210: District HQ and Elementary #1 respectively: 216 South Main Street and 215 Eldredge Road, Elementary #2: "101 W. Pacific Ave." - Middle school: 300 E. Pacific Avenue, High school: 300 East Atlantic Avenue - Compare the school addresses to the CDP address.
25. "Home". Cape May County Technical School District. Retrieved September 23, 2020. 188 Crest Haven Road, Cape May Court House NJ 08210 - Compare to the CDP map.
26. "Home". Cape Christian Academy. Retrieved July 15, 2021. 10 Oyster Road Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 - See map of CDP from the 2010 U.S. Census - page 1 and page 2. In contrast it is across from but not in the Burleigh CDP: Seen here.
27. Degener, Richard (September 23, 1993). "Propertied Class / Cape Christian Academy Buys Land For Central Campus". The Press of Atlantic City. pp. C1–C2. - Available from Newsbank, ID# news/0EAEAA6D18083359. Clipping of first and of second pages at Newspapers.com.
28. Leach, Ben. "Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School in Ocean View opens doors to kindergartners, pre-K students", The Press of Atlantic City, September 10, 2010. Accessed February 22, 2023. "Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School in the Ocean View section of Dennis Township".
29. Zoning Map, Dennis Township. Accessed February 22, 2023.- Compare to the address: "2221 Rt. 9 North, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210"
30. Welcome, Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School. Accessed February 22, 2023. "The school is part of the Diocese of Camden, and is supported by the four regional parishes of Avalon/Stone Harbor, Cape May Court House, Marmora/Woodbine and Sea Isle City."
31. Schools, South Jersey Catholic Schools. Accessed February 21, 2023.
32. Campbell, Al (September 10, 2010). "Church Street Christian School Rededicated". Cape May County Herald. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
33. "Cape May Court House". Cape May County Library. Retrieved September 14, 2020. 30 Mechanic Street, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
34. Parks, Cape May County Park & Zoo. Accessed November 15, 2016.
35. "Recreation".
36. Berg, Aimee. "Disabled Skier Designs His Way to Be a Daredevil", The New York Times, December 13, 2006. Accessed November 27, 2007. "These days, Bramble builds the 32-pound aluminum and steel contraptions in a converted woodshop behind the two-story home that he built for his parents in Cape May Court House, N.J., before the accident. He and his fiancée, Leslie, live in an apartment above the shop, which he reaches via an open-air elevator that he also engineered."
37. "Lockerbie victim's mom happy to see 'monster' Gadhafi gone". Times Herald-Record. October 21, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2021. Theo's parents, Susan and Dan Cohen, moved from Port Jervis to Cape May Courthouse, N.J.,
38. Spencer, Zac. "Former Middle soccer standout Joe Fala on Red Bulls 2 preseason roster", The Press of Atlantic City, February 20, 2020. Accessed March 8, 2020. "When Joe Fala went into college, he was a three-sport athlete at Middle Township High School.... The 22-year-old Cape May Court House resident has spent the past four years making a name for himself at NCAA Division III Ramapo College in Mahwah, Bergen County, where he's now a senior."
39. "Recent Deaths". Boston Medical and Surgical Journal. 156 (18). Massachusetts Medical Society: 588. 1907. doi:10.1056/NEJM190705021561820.
40. Staff. "Maher Gets Over Five Years for Drunk Driving Death", Cape May County Herald, January 7, 2010. Accessed October 3, 2017. "A former Middle Township High School and Philadelphia Kixx soccer star was sentenced to 5 ½ years in state prison today (Thursday, Jan. 7) for a drunk driving crash that killed a Philadelphia man on March 7. Before being eligible for parole, Matthew Maher, 25, of Court House, must serve 85 percent of the sentence for aggravated manslaughter handed down by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Donio."
41. Pesice, Duane. "Szcz the Day: A Profile Of Cubs Outfielder Matt Szczur", Bleedcubbieblue.com, April 12, 2016. Accessed July 21, 2017. "Matthew Francis Szczur was born on July 20, 1989 in Cape May Court House, an unincorporated community in central New Jersey."
42. "Middle Township H. S. Graduates 33 Thursday", Courier-Post, June 7, 1932. Accessed August 23, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The other graduates are: Cape May Court House - Nancy Costande, John F. Foster. Virginia Louise lverson, James Arthur Roorbach, Lillian Irene Saul, Helen Anna Stites, Julius Henry Taylor, George Carl Thompson and Mary Alice Wright."

External links

• The Cape May County Gazette Archived October 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Local community newspaper
• The Gazette of Middle Township

v t e Municipalities and communities of Cape May County, New Jersey, United States
County seat: Cape May Court House
Cities	Cape May North Wildwood Ocean City Sea Isle City Wildwood
Boroughs	Avalon Cape May Point Stone Harbor West Cape May West Wildwood Wildwood Crest Woodbine
Townships	Dennis Township Lower Township Middle Township Upper Township
CDPs	Beesleys Point Belleplain Burleigh Cape May Court House Dennisville Diamond Beach Erma Goshen Marmora Marshallville North Cape May Ocean View Palermo Rio Grande Seaville South Dennis South Seaville Strathmere Tuckahoe Villas Whitesboro
Other communities	Clermont Cold Spring Dias Creek Green Creek Mayville Miami Beach Petersburg Schellenger Landing Swainton
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• Census-designated places in Cape May County, New Jersey
• Census-designated places in New Jersey
• County seats in New Jersey
• Middle Township, New Jersey