Palermo, New Jersey Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Palermo is a small community located in New Jersey, within Cape May County. The total population is 2,696. It ranks as the 406th most populous out of 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey.

Age Demographics

The median age in Palermo is 47.4 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. 17.4% 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 Palermo is $101,005. This is 2% lower than the state median of $103,556. It is also 25% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.0%. This is 79% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 0.8%. This is 88% lower than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $395,400. Housing costs are 13% lower than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 97.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 53% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Palermo has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (96.0% vs 50.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 22.5%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 10.1%.

Education

46.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 8% 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 98.6%. Notably, 16.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Palermo, 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.