Ocean City, New Jersey Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Ocean City is a small city located in New Jersey, within Cape May County. The total population is 11,261. It ranks as the 128th most populous out of 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ocean City is 56.1 years. This is 40% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. 15.4% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ocean City is $101,782. This is 2% lower than the state median of $103,556. It is also 26% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.8%. This is 1% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. The unemployment rate is 3.2%. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $840,500. Housing costs are 85% higher than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 72.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ocean City is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 9.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (84.4% vs 50.9%). The Black or African American population (3.4%) is well below the state average of 12.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (9.1%) is well below the state average of 22.5%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 10.1%.

Education

56.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 30% higher than the state rate of 43.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.5%. Notably, 26.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ocean City, New Jersey is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New Jersey state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.