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Sea Isle City, New Jersey

Sea Isle City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The city, and all of Cape May County, is part of the South Jersey region of the state and of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's year-round population was 2,104, a decrease of 10 (−0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 2,114, which in turn reflected a decline of 721 (−25.4%) from the 2,835 counted in the 2000 census. Visitors raise the population to as much as 40,000 during the peak summer season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Sea Isle City is located on Ludlam Island, which also contains the Strathmere section of Upper Township.

Sea Isle City was originally incorporated as a borough on May 22, 1882, from portions of Dennis Township, based on the results of a referendum held six days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on March 31, 1890. In March 1907, portions of Dennis Township and Upper Township were annexed to Sea Isle City. In April 1905, portions of Sea Isle City were annexed to Upper Township. On April 30, 1907, the area was reincorporated as the City of Sea Isle City, based on the results of a referendum held on April 20, 1907. The name derives from its location on the Atlantic Ocean.

History
Sea Isle City was founded in 1882 by Charles K. Landis, who was also the founder of Vineland, New Jersey. The main street in town, Landis Avenue, is named for its founder. The oldest building in Sea Isle City is The Colonnade Inn, a Victorian building dating back to the 1800s. From 1885 until 1924, Sea Isle City was the location of Ludlam's Beach Lighthouse. The structure was moved to the corner of Landis Avenue and 35th Street (3414 Landis Avenue), and was a private residence (offered for rental) for many years. A non-profit group, The Friends of the Ludlam Beach Lighthouse, was unsuccessful in its efforts to raise enough money to save the building from demolition by moving it to a new location and restoring it. It was demolished on September 21, 2010, to make way for new town homes.

The oil tanker MV Sea Isle City was renamed for this city when it was reflagged and registered in the United States in 1987 during Operation Earnest Will. It was struck by a Silkworm missile off Kuwait on October 16, 1987, wounding 18 crew members and seriously damaging the ship.

Coastal storms
There have been many hurricanes and huge storms that have hit the small island of Sea Isle City, New Jersey. The storms of the 1890s, 1920s, and the 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane have been some of the worst natural disasters to hit the coast of New Jersey. The Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, a major Nor'easter that hit on March 6, 1962, tops all other storms that have hit the area in the recent past, with three days of continuous rain. Many people evacuated in time to save their lives, but came back to find their homes and assets destroyed. Eventually, the only way out of town was the causeway, and when that flooded, rescuers had to use helicopters to evacuate the rest of the town. It was categorized as a "100-year storm," in which almost every beachfront home or property was destroyed or damaged.

About a week later when the storm had subsided, Sea Isle City citizens moved back into their homes and began the needed revisions. As a result of the storm, a "dune line" was formed, and this caused beachfront businesses and homes to move back from the shoreline an average of one block.

Tourism
Sea Isle City has long been popular with summer visitors. In 2002, the printed message on its signature water tower was changed from "Welcome to Sea Isle City" to "Smile! You're in Sea Isle City". The word "City" was later removed from the message in 2018.

The "Sara the Turtle Festival" is one of the city's annual festivals, celebrating a fictional turtle named Sara. Aimed towards families with young children, the festival features live animal exhibits and face painting meant to educate children about the local environment. The city hosts a Polar bear plunge every February, holding the 25th annual event in 2019, featuring many participants dressed in costume.

In 1999, the city's only amusement park, Fun City, was closed and the land was sold for development of beach homes. In 2009, a new amusement park called Gillian's Funland was opened on JFK Boulevard by the bay as a public-private venture between Sea Isle City and neighboring Ocean City mayor Jay Gillian. Funland was permanently removed, however, following the 2013 summer season for financial reasons in part due to losses from Hurricane Sandy.

In 2011, Sea Isle City began a $14 million makeover to create a public corridor from the bay to the ocean. Plans included a new boathouse on the marina, installing a new playground and basketball courts on JFK Boulevard and erecting a pavilion and band shell at Excursion Park on the city's Promenade overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Sea Isle City became one of the first municipalities in New Jersey, along with Salem and Egg Harbor City, to implement LED streetlights powered solely by wind and solar energy. The lights were installed at the Promenade at JFK Boulevard by the South Jersey Economic Development District and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 2.75 square miles (7.13 km2), including 2.20 square miles (5.71 km2) of land and 0.55 square miles (1.42 km2) of water (19.93%).

Sea Isle City is a beach town with most of its housing used for vacation rentals and second homes. It has a 1.5 mi beachfront promenade starting at 29th Street and ending on 57th street and several arcades, shops, restaurants and bars in the center of town. The epicenter of the town is John F. Kennedy Blvd. (41st Street).

Sea Isle is not an "island city" as it shares its land on Ludlam Island with Strathmere, which is part of Upper Township. Neighboring Ocean City, however, is an island city as it includes the entire island.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Ludlam Beach and Townsends Inlet (located at the south end of Ludlam Island).

Sea Isle City borders Avalon Borough, Dennis Township, Middle Township and Upper Township, along with the Atlantic Ocean.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 2,114 people, 1,041 households, and 646 families in the city. The population density was 974.5 /sqmi. There were 6,900 housing units at an average density of 3180.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 98.63% (2,085) White, 0.09% (2) Black or African American, 0.24% (5) Native American, 0.19% (4) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.47% (10) from other races, and 0.38% (8) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.41% (51) of the population.

Of the 1,041 households, 9.8% had children under the age of 18; 50.0% were married couples living together; 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 37.9% were non-families. Of all households, 34.1% were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.54.

10.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 13.2% from 25 to 44, 37.6% from 45 to 64, and 32.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 97.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $54,715 (with a margin of error of +/– $9,859) and the median family income was $80,219 (+/– $21,265). Males had a median income of $66,771 (+/– $34,710) versus $44,087 (+/– $6,534) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $47,174 (+/– $10,684). About 3.1% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 2,835 people, 1,370 households, and 794 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,287.3 PD/sqmi. There were 6,622 housing units at an average density of 1, 162.2/km2 (3,006.9/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 97.88% White, 0.28% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.

As of the 2000 Census, 30.5% of Sea Isle City residents were of Irish ancestry, the 34th-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and sixth-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 1,370 households, out of which 15.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.0% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.7% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 27.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,708, and the median income for a family was $62,847. Males had a median income of $42,713 versus $31,375 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,754. About 6.4% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
Since July 1, 2007, Sea Isle City has been governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council form of government. The city is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member City Council. The mayor and council members serve four-year terms of office and are chosen at-large on a non-partisan basis as part of the May municipal elections. Either three council seats or two council seats and the mayoral seat are up for election in odd-numbered years. Prior to 2007, Sea Isle City had been governed under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government, by a three-member commission, starting in 1913.

, the Mayor of Sea Isle City is Leonard C. Desiderio, whose term of office ends on June 30, 2023. Members of the City Council are Council President Mary L. Tighe (2025), Frank P. Edwardi Jr. (2027), J. B. Feeley (2025), Jack C. Gibson (2025) and William J. Kehner Sr. (2027).

Federal, state and county representation
Sea Isle City is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,060 registered voters in Sea Isle City, of which 340 (16.5%) were registered as Democrats, 1,090 (52.9%) were registered as Republicans and 629 (30.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 60.4% of the vote (916 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 38.7% (587 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (13 votes), among the 1,532 ballots cast by the city's 2,082 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 58.6% of the vote (977 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 40.1% (669 votes), with 1,668 ballots cast among the city's 2,041 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.7%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.7% of the vote (1,041 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received 37.0% (625 votes), with 1,687 ballots cast among the city's 2,177 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.5.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 81.2% of the vote (936 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 17.9% (206 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (11 votes), among the 1,172 ballots cast by the city's 2,033 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 57.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 59.6% of the vote (753 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 32.4% (409 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.6% (58 votes), with 1,264 ballots cast among the city's 2,094 registered voters, yielding a 60.4% turnout.

Education
Resident public school students had been served by a school operated by the Sea Isle City School District until the end of the 2012 school year. Merger discussions with the Ocean City School District in 2008 ended after the Ocean City district indicated that it did not want to accept Sea Isle City's tenured teachers, which it would be required to do under state law. Sea Isle City had been spending as much as $35,000 per student and hoped to see savings through the merger, even after adding in transportation costs. The Sea Isle City district graduated its last eighth-grade class in June 2009 and with the 2010–2011 school year, students from Sea Isle City started attending the Ocean City schools starting in fifth grade. As of June 30, 2012, Sea Isle City School District no longer operates any schools, in the face of an order by the commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education that was based on declining enrollment and budgetary issues. In March 2023, the Sea Isle City Public School was demolished to clear ground for a planned $20 million community center due to be completed in 2025.

All Sea Isle City students in public school for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade are served by the Ocean City School District. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 2,056 students and 220.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.3:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Ocean City Primary School with 299 students in grades PreK-3, Ocean City Intermediate School with 468 students in grades 4-8 and Ocean City High School with 1,274 students in grades 9–12. Students from Corbin City, Longport and Upper Township attend Ocean City High School for ninth through twelfth grades as part of sending/receiving relationships with their respective school districts.

Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in the Cape May Court House area, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents. Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden operates Bishop McHugh Regional School, a Catholic K–8 school, in the Ocean View area, Dennis Township, which has a Cape May Courthouse postal address. It is the parish school of Sea Isle City Catholic Church and three other churches.

Cape May County Library operates Sea Isle City Branch Library.

Roads and highways
The city had a total of 33.06 mi of roadways, of which 27.53 mi were maintained by the municipality and 5.53 mi by Cape May County.

Exit 17 on the southbound Garden State Parkway in Dennis Township provides access to Sea Isle City via Sea Isle Boulevard (County Route 625), which becomes JFK Boulevard. Landis Boulevard (County Route 619) follows the ocean and forms part of Ocean Drive, traversing 5 mi across the city, from the Strathmere section of Upper Township in the north to Avalon in the south.

Turtle awareness is an important aspect in Sea Isle City. There are numerous signs in the city to watch for turtle crossings in order to prevent further endangerment of the species. One of the more common species of turtles located on the island is the diamondback terrapin. Due to coastal development, natural turtle nesting areas have deteriorated, leading the turtles to create their nesting areas on highway embankments and increased risk of being struck by a motor vehicle. From 1989 to 1995, a total of 4,020 turtles were killed in Cape May Peninsula.

Public transportation
NJ Transit offers the 315 inter-city bus route that runs through the town three times a day and shuttles people to and from Philadelphia, and the 319 route to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. However, due to weight restrictions on the Townsend Inlet Bridge, New Jersey Transit 315/319 bus service only stops on Central Avenue and JFK Boulevard. Service was previously suspended due to summer traffic until a deal has been reached.

Sea Isle City used to have a trackless trolley service that operated along Landis Avenue. Since 2013, Atlantic City Jitney has served Sea Isle City with a route running along Landis Avenue from June through September.

Rail service was provided to the island by both the Atlantic City Railroad, a subsidiary of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway, and the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad, owned by the rival Pennsylvania Railroad. The Atlantic City Railroad's line was a continuation of its line to Ocean City, running across Corson's Inlet and through Strathmere. The West Jersey and Seashore Railroad tracks branched from the Cape May Line at Sea Isle Junction, and entered the city at 41st Street, from where it continued south to Stone Harbor. The train was in use from the early 1900s until the mid-1930s after the merger of the two railroads when the tracks were removed and the streets were paved due to increased use of cars.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sea Isle City has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with hot, moderately humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above 32.0 F, at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above 50.0 F, at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above 71.6 F and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Sea Isle City, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values at or above 95.0 F. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below 0.0 F. The plant hardiness zone at Sea Isle City Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 5.5 F. The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is 12 to 18 in, and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Sea Isle City would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Cordgrass (73) with a dominant vegetation form of Coastal Prairie (20).

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Sea Isle City include:
 * Richard M. Atwater (1844–1922), chemist and glassmaker, who served as mayor of Sea Isle City from 1913 to 1917
 * Angelo Cataldi (born 1951) is a sports radio personality for 94.1 WIP in Philadelphia
 * Jeff Carter (born 1985), professional hockey player for the Pittsburgh Penguins
 * Steve Corino (born 1973), professional wrestler who works for Ring of Honor
 * Alexis Dziena (born 1984), actress
 * Joe Flacco (born 1985), quarterback for the Denver Broncos
 * Charles Lewis Fussell (1840–1909), landscape artist
 * Chris Gheysens (born c. 1972), president and chief executive officer of Wawa Inc.
 * John C. Gibson (born 1934), former member of the New Jersey General Assembly
 * Ann J. Land (c. 1933–2010), member of the Philadelphia City Council from 1980 to 1992
 * Charles K. Landis (1833–1900), property developer in South Jersey, who was the founder and developer of Vineland and Sea Isle City
 * Josh Mathews (born 1980), play-by-play commentator with WWE and later, Impact Wrestling
 * John Stevens (born 1966), former defenseman who has coached in the NHL at various levels
 * Jason Kelce center for the Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl champion, fan favorite and philanthropist.

title: Sea Isle City, New Jersey


text:
Stone Harbor, New Jersey

Stone Harbor is a borough in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough, and all of Cape May County, is part of the South Jersey region of the state and of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. It occupies the southern portion of Seven Mile Island together with its northern neighbor Avalon. It is a resort community that attracts visitors looking to enjoy its beaches, sailing facilities and commercial center. The community attracts a large number of vacationers from the Mid-Atlantic region and Quebec.

As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 796, a decrease of 70 (−8.1%) from the 2010 census count of 866,  which in turn had reflected a decline of 262 (−23.2%) from the 1,128 counted in the 2000 census. The borough has a summer population in excess of 20,000, who are generally wealthier than full-time residents.

The New York Times described Stone Harbor as a place of "gleaming McMansions and elegant shops", with an average single-family home selling for $2.5 million in 2008. In 2017, Stone Harbor was the third-most expensive ZIP Code in New Jersey based on median home sale price, and had the second-priciest residential real estate transaction in the state that year at $10 million. In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Stone Harbor (ZIP Code 08247) at the 191st spot on its list of the most expensive ZIP Codes in the United States.

History
Development began in the late 19th century as a beach resort along the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad line. The community was marketed to wealthy residents of Philadelphia seeking a resort destination for a second home.

Stone Harbor was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 3, 1914, from portions of Middle Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 28, 1914. The borough gained a portion of Avalon on December 27, 1941. The borough is said to be named for an English sea captain named Stone who sought shelter from a storm in the area.

In 2015, a contract was awarded to dredge adjacent bodies of water. In early 2016, during the dewatering stage of the operation, a total of three geotubes discharged a small quantity of sediment containing several contaminants. Dredging was halted pending development of a plan to prevent future such spills.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.19 square miles (5.68 km2), including 1.42 square miles (3.68 km2) of land and 0.77 square miles (2.01 km2) of water (35.34%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Seven Mile Beach.

Stone Harbor borders Avalon Borough, Middle Township, North Wildwood City and the Atlantic Ocean.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 866 people, 441 households, and 256 families in the borough. The population density was 619.6 /sqmi. There were 3,247 housing units at an average density of 2323.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 97.11% (841) White, 1.62% (14) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.12% (1) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.69% (6) from other races, and 0.46% (4) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.35% (29) of the population.

Of the 441 households, 10.2% had children under the age of 18; 49.2% were married couples living together; 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 42.0% were non-families. Of all households, 37.4% were made up of individuals and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.54.

10.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 11.8% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 41.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 60.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 89.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 84.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $69,286 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,969) and the median family income was $92,083 (+/− $19,643). Males had a median income of $55,417 (+/− $23,166) versus $70,208 (+/− $15,479) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $60,057 (+/− $10,700). About 2.8% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 1,128 people, 596 households, and 330 families residing in the borough. The population density was 796.1 PD/sqmi. There were 3,428 housing units at an average density of 2,419.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 98.76% White, 0.80% African American, 0.18% from other races, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.

There were 596 households, out of which 11.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.89 and the average family size was 2.50.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 12.3% under the age of 18, 3.0% from 18 to 24, 14.4% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 38.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $51,471, and the median income for a family was $67,250. Males had a median income of $52,500 versus $35,000 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,427. About 1.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
Stone Harbor is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Stone Harbor is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of Stone Harbor Borough is Republican Judith M. Davies-Dunhour, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. Members of the Stone Harbor Borough Council are Council President Francis J. "Frank" Dallahan (R, 2024), Robin Lynn Casper (R, 2023), Victor Foschini (I, 2025), Jennifer B. Gensemer (R, 2025), Reese E. Moore (R, 2023) and Bernadette "Bunny" Parzych (R, 2024).

In June 2019, Frank Dallahan was selected from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that was vacated by Robert Levins when he resigned from office due to health issues; Dallahan served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

In November 2018, the council selected Reese Moore from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that was vacated the previous month following the resignation of Council President Karen Lane; Moore served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when she was elected to serve the remainder of the term.

In 2018, the borough had an average property tax bill of $8,615, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.

Federal, state and county representation
Stone Harbor is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 778 registered voters in Stone Harbor, of which 62 (8.0%) were registered as Democrats, 588 (75.6%) were registered as Republicans and 128 (16.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In 2016, Republican Donald Trump received 59.3% of the vote (296 votes) vs. Hillary Clinton's 37.5% (187 votes) with other candidates taking 3.2% (16 votes). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.8% of the vote (411 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.1% (216 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (7 votes), among the 640 ballots cast by the borough's 782 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 81.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 62.7% of the vote (416 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 36.1% (240 votes), with 664 ballots cast among the borough's 801 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 69.6% of the vote (519 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 29.1% (217 votes), with 746 ballots cast among the borough's 920 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 82.7% of the vote (324 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 15.8% (62 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (6 votes), among the 405 ballots cast by the borough's 742 registered voters (13 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.9% of the vote (349 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.5% (172 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.4% (25 votes), with 564 ballots cast among the borough's 808 registered voters, yielding a 69.8% turnout.

Education
The Stone Harbor School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 99 students and 11.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.0:1. In the 2016–17 school year, Stone Harbor had the 4th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state, with 75 students.

Starting with the 2011–12 school year, in an agreement with the Avalon School District, public school students in grades K–4 from both communities attend school in Stone Harbor while all students in grades 5–8 attend school in Avalon.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Middle Township High School in Cape May Court House, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Middle Township Public Schools, together with students from Avalon, Dennis Township and Woodbine. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 767 students and 64.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.9:1.

Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents. Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area.

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 the parish school of Avalon/Stone Harbor Catholic Church and three other churches.

Cape May County Library operates the Stone Harbor Library.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 24.11 mi of roadways, of which 21.38 mi were maintained by the municipality and 2.73 mi by Cape May County.

No Interstate, U.S., state or major county highways pass through Stone Harbor. The most significant roads are minor county routes such as County Route 619, which follows Ocean Drive, and County Route 657, which provides access to the mainland and connects to the Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 9.

Public transportation
NJ Transit offers the 315 inter-city bus route that runs through the town three times a day and shuttles people to and from Philadelphia, and the 319 route to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Points of interest
The Stone Harbor Water Tower pumping station, built in 1924, is the oldest municipal structure still in use in Stone Harbor. The tower, 133 ft high, can be seen from almost anywhere on the island. It holds 500000 gal of water and is supplied by four individual fresh water wells 890 ft deep that tap the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer. In 2005, artist Peter Max developed a plan to cover the water tower with a mural made up of digital version of his paintings and artworks that covered 30 by that would be glued to the tower from June through September, with facsimiles of the art sold through Ocean Galleries as a fundraiser to benefit The Wetlands Institute and other charities.

Stone Harbor attractions include The Wetlands Institute, the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary and the Stone Harbor Museum. The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, maintain the Villa Maria by the Sea convent, which opened in June 1937. The beach fronting the Villa is called Nun's Beach and is a well known surfing spot.

Stone Harbor's oceanfront was ranked the tenth-best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Stone Harbor has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with hot, moderately humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above 32.0 F, at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above 50.0 F, at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above 71.6 F and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Stone Harbor, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values at or above 95.0 F. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below 0.0 F. The plant hardiness zone at Stone Harbor Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 6.0 F. The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is 12 to 18 in, and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Stone Harbor would have a dominant vegetation type of northern cordgrass (73) with a dominant vegetation form of coastal prairie (20).

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Stone Harbor include:

 * Joseph Hergesheimer (1880–1954), writer of the early 20th century known for his naturalistic novels of decadent life among the very wealthy
 * Owen Murphy (1893–1965), songwriter, film maker, and writer for radio, film, and theatre
 * Clarence Charles Newcomer (1923–2005), United States federal judge
 * Taylor Swift (born 1989), summered until age 14, describing Stone Harbor as a "pretty magical place to grow up"
 * Donald Voorhees (1903–1989), composer and conductor who received an Emmy Award nomination for "Individual Achievements in Music" for his work on the television series, The Bell Telephone Hour

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Stone Harbor, New Jersey


text:
Strathmere, New Jersey

Strathmere is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Upper Township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 137, a decrease of 21 (−13.3%) from the 158 counted at the 2010 U.S. census, which reflected a decrease of 17 (−9.7%) from the 175 enumerated at the 2000 census.

With its beaches in the Strathmere section, Upper Township is one of five municipalities in the state that offer free public access to oceanfront beaches monitored by lifeguards, joining Atlantic City, North Wildwood, Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest.

History
The earliest known people on Ludlam Island (where Strathmere is located) were the Lenape Native Americans, who came to the island in the summertime to hunt fish and crustaceans. Along the northern 1.5 mi portion of the island was a community named Corson's Inlet, after the waterway separating the island and Ocean City to the north. A part of Upper Township and Dennis Township became a part of neighboring Sea Isle City in 1905, also on Ludlam Island. That same year, Sea Isle City sold Corson's Inlet to Upper Township for $31,500 (equivalent to $ in ) to pay off municipal debt. In 1912, the community of Corson's Inlet was renamed Strathmere.

The Whale Beach section of Strathmere got its name from the whales that would periodically beach themselves there.

In 2007, Citizens for Strathmere and Whale Beach petitioned to leave Upper Township and join neighboring Sea Isle City, citing an unfair tax burden, inadequate municipal services, and a lengthy wait time for the police. The local planning board held 18 meetings over the next two years, and the township recommended against de-annexation in 2009, noting that taxes would increase school taxes by 20% for the remainder of Upper Township. The group in favor of de-annexation filed a suit with the New Jersey Superior Court, which ruled against the petition in 2010. An appeal to the New Jersey Supreme Court was denied in January 2013.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 0.760 mi2, including 0.598 mi2 of land and 0.162 mi2 of water (21.29%).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 158 people, 82 households, and 49 families in the CDP. The population density was 264.2 /mi2. There were 447 housing units at an average density of 747.5 /mi2. The racial makeup was 98.73% (156) White, 0.00% (0) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.00% (0) Asian, 0.63% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.00% (0) from other races, and 0.63% (1) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% (1) of the population.

Of the 82 households, 9.8% had children under the age of 18; 52.4% were married couples living together; 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 40.2% were non-families. Of all households, 36.6% were made up of individuals and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.93 and the average family size was 2.49.

8.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 10.1% from 25 to 44, 42.4% from 45 to 64, and 34.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 102.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 108.7 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 175 people, 93 households, and 54 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 104.0 /km2. There were 464 housing units at an average density of 275.6 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.71% White, 1.14% Asian, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.71% of the population.

Of the 93 households; 7.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.88 and the average family size was 2.44.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 8.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 17.1% from 25 to 44, 36.6% from 45 to 64, and 34.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $78,709, and the median income for a family was $77,783. Males had a median income of $40,972 versus $43,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $52,045. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Strathmere has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with hot, moderately humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above 32.0 F, at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above 50.0 F, at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above 71.6 F and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Strathmere, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values at or above 95.0 F. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below 0.0 F. The plant hardiness zone at Strathmere Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 5.0 F. The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is between 12 and 18 in and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Strathmere would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Cordgrass (73) with a dominant vegetation form of Coastal Prairie (20).

Education
As with other parts of Upper Township, the area is zoned to Upper Township School District (for grades K-8) and Ocean City School District (for high school). The latter operates Ocean City High School.

Countywide schools include Cape May County Technical High School and Cape May County Special Services School District.

title: Strathmere, New Jersey


text:
Upper Township, New Jersey

Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township, and all of Cape May County, is part of the South Jersey region of the state and of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 12,539, an increase of 166 (+1.3%) from the 2010 census count of 12,373,  which in turn reflected an increase of 258 (+2.1%) from the 12,115 counted in the 2000 census.

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Upper Township as its 2nd best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.

Upper Township is home to the only yellow fire trucks in Cape May County, a tradition started in 1985 when the Seaville Fire Rescue Company was purchasing a new vehicle and thought that federal regulations would require the color. Since being formed in 1964 and purchasing its first fire truck a year later, the Seaville company has served the area, responding to over 200 calls a year from its fire station is located on Route 50 across from Dino's Seaville Diner.

History
Upper Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township have been taken to form Dennis Township (March 1, 1827) and Ocean City borough (March 3, 1884), and territorial changes were made involving Sea Isle City in March and April 1905. The township's name came from its location when Cape May was split into three townships in 1723 at the same time that Lower Township and Middle Township were created.

During 2008, Upper Township was considering consolidation with neighboring Corbin City. Corbin City already shares extensively with Upper Township for municipal service, but the question of consolidating municipalities across county borders presented an obstacle to a full merger.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 68.68 square miles (177.89 km2), including 62.03 square miles (160.65 km2) of land and 6.66 square miles (17.24 km2) of water (9.69%).

Strathmere (2010 population of 158) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Upper Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beesley's Point, Blackmans Island, Cedar Springs, Corsons Inlet, Formosa, Greenfield, Marmora, Marshallville, Middletown, Miramar, Palermo, Petersburg, Seaville, Steelmantown, Tuckahoe, West Ocean City and Whale Beach. The township contains many different communities and enclaves that create a diverse area reaching from Great Egg Harbor to the Atlantic Ocean. Seaville is the largest community and Strathmere is the township's island containing a beach community.

The township borders the municipalities of Dennis Township, Ocean City, Sea Isle City and Woodbine in Cape May County; Corbin City, Egg Harbor Township, Estell Manor and Somers Point in Atlantic County; and Maurice River Township in Cumberland County.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 12,373 people, 4,566 households, and 3,461 families in the township. The population density was 199.1 /sqmi. There were 6,341 housing units at an average density of 102.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 96.61% (11,954) White, 0.58% (72) Black or African American, 0.13% (16) Native American, 0.74% (92) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.72% (89) from other races, and 1.20% (149) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% (292) of the population.

Of the 4,566 households, 32.6% had children under the age of 18; 62.2% were married couples living together; 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.2% were non-families. Of all households, 20.1% were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.14.

23.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 20.2% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $81,250 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,629) and the median family income was $97,372 (+/− $6,832). Males had a median income of $63,597 (+/− $2,442) versus $46,250 (+/− $4,552) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,702 (+/− $2,243). About 2.5% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 12,115 people, 4,266 households, and 3,365 families residing in the township. The population density was 191.8 PD/sqmi. There were 5,472 housing units at an average density of 86.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 97.59% White, 0.69% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.

There were 4,266 households, out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $60,942, and the median income for a family was $68,824. Males had a median income of $46,528 versus $31,325 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,498. About 2.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation
With its beaches in the Strathmere section, Upper Township is one of five municipalities in the state that offer free public access to oceanfront beaches monitored by lifeguards, joining Atlantic City, North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.

Local government
Upper Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.

, members of the Upper Township Committee are Mayor John C. "Jay" Newman (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Kimberly R. Hayes (R, term on committee ends 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Curtis T. Corson Jr. (R, 2023), Victor W. Nappen II (R, 2025) and Mark E. Pancoast (R, 2025).

After Hobie Young resigned from office from a seat expiring in December 2022, Kim Hayes was appointed to fill the vacancy. In the November 2021 general election, Hayes ran for a full three-year term, while Mark Pancoast ran for the balance of Young's term of office, with both winning their election bids.

Federal, state and county representation
Upper Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 9,154 registered voters in Upper Township, of which 1,403 (15.3%) were registered as Democrats, 4,454 (48.7%) were registered as Republicans and 3,287 (35.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 58.2% of the vote (4,027 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.5% (2,807 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (89 votes), among the 6,998 ballots cast by the township's 9,487 registered voters (75 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 57.2% of the vote (4,165 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 40.9% (2,980 votes), with 7,286 ballots cast among the township's 9,053 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.1% of the vote (4,391 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 37.6% (2,701 votes), with 7,192 ballots cast among the township's 8,988 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 80.0.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.2% of the vote (3,396 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 28.2% (1,364 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (77 votes), among the 4,974 ballots cast by the township's 9,433 registered voters (137 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 52.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 57.8% of the vote (2,865 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 33.4% (1,655 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.3% (312 votes), with 4,954 ballots cast among the township's 9,341 registered voters, yielding a 53.0% turnout.

Education
The Upper Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,404 students and 122.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Upper Township Primary School with 497 students in grades PreK-2, Upper Township Elementary School with 408 students in grades 3-5 and Upper Township Middle School with 485 students in grades 6-8. Students from Corbin City, a non-operating school district, attend the Upper Township schools as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades from Upper Township attend Ocean City High School in Ocean City as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Ocean City School District, along with students from Corbin City, Longport and Sea Isle City. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,231 students and 126.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.7:1. about 60% of students in Ocean City High School were from Upper Township.

Countywide schools include Cape May County Technical High School (for technical school students) and Cape May County Special Services School District (for special needs students) in Cape May Court House.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden operates Bishop McHugh Regional School, a Catholic K-8 school, in Dennis Township, which has a Cape May Courthouse postal address. The Press of Atlantic City describes it as being in Ocean View, though it lies outside of the Ocean View CDP. It is the parish school of Marmora/Woodbine Catholic Church and three other churches.

Cape May County Library operates the Upper Township Branch in Petersburg.

Police Department
Upper Township does not maintain its own municipal police department. The township is served by the New Jersey State Police who respond from their barracks in neighboring Woodbine.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 140.23 mi of roadways, of which 74.84 mi were maintained by the municipality, 36.95 mi by Cape May County and 19.37 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 9.07 mi by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The Garden State Parkway and US 9 pass through the town and has two exits that provide access to Route 50 and U.S. Route 9, and they both corss over the Great Egg Harbor Bridge, since the Beesley's Point Bridge is closed. The Parkway connects Dennis Township on the south to Egg Harbor Township in the north. at Interchange 20 for Seaville / Tuckahoe and Interchange 25 for Ocean City / Marmora via County Route 623.

Other major roads that pass through include Route 49, CR 548 and CR 557.

Public transportation
NJ Transit offers the 313 and 315 (and the 316 offering seasonal service) inter-city bus routes that runs through the town three times a day and shuttle people between Cape May and Philadelphia, the 319 route between Cape May and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, and the 552 route between Cape May and Atlantic City.

Points of interest

 * Tuckahoe station
 * Marshallville Historic District
 * Thomas Beesley Sr. House
 * John Wesley Gandy House

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Upper Township include:
 * George Gandy (1851–1946), business executive and developer, best known for constructing the original Gandy Bridge, the first bridge to span the Tampa Bay in Florida.
 * Garet Garrett (1878–1954), journalist and author, noted for his opposition to the New Deal and U.S. involvement in World War II.
 * Carlton Godfrey (1865–1929), politician and businessman who served in the New Jersey General Assembly for five years and was Speaker of the House in 1915.
 * Ford Palmer (born 1990), professional middle-distance runner who specializes in the 1500 meters and the mile.
 * Bob Pellegrini (1934–2008), linebacker who played in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins.
 * Dummy Stephenson (1869–1924), outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1892.
 * Adam Williamson (born 1984), professional soccer midfielder who has played for the Ocean City Barons in the USL Premier Development League.

title: Upper Township, New Jersey


text:
Villas, New Jersey

Villas, also known as the Villas, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Lower Township, in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The locality is also home to the community of Miami Beach. At the 2010 census, the CDP's population was 9,483.

Villas is served by ZIP code 08251, which extends northward of Miami Beach to encompass the Del Haven community of Middle Township.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 3.909 mi2, including 3.883 mi2 of land and 0.026 mi2 of water (0.66%).

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 9,483 people, 3,896 households, and 2,567 families in the CDP. The population density was 2442.0 /mi2. There were 5,849 housing units at an average density of 1506.2 /mi2. The racial makeup was 93.49% (8,866) White, 1.95% (185) Black or African American, 0.17% (16) Native American, 0.33% (31) Asian, 0.06% (6) Pacific Islander, 1.76% (167) from other races, and 2.24% (212) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.18% (586) of the population.

Of the 3,896 households, 25.0% had children under the age of 18; 44.6% were married couples living together; 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.1% were non-families. Of all households, 28.5% were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.95.

22.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 89.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 86.8 males.

2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 9,064 people, 3,733 households, and 2,456 families in the CDP. The population density was 881.5 /km2. There were 5,694 housing units at an average density of 553.8 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.35% White, 1.19% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.41% of the population.

Of the 3,733 households 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 29.5% of households were one person and 15.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98.

The age distribution was 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

The median household income was $33,563 and the median family income was $38,950. Males had a median income of $32,996 versus $21,723 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,696. About 8.3% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Villas is served by Lower Township School District for primary grades and Lower Cape May Regional School District for secondary grades.

One of the Lower Township elementary school facilities, David C. Douglass Memorial Elementary School (pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten), is in Villas CDP. The other three elementary schools are in Cold Spring: Carl T. Mitnick (grades 1–2), Maud Abrams (grades 3–4), and Sandman Consolidated (grades 5–6). The LCMR schools (Richard Teitelman Middle and Lower Cape May Regional High School) are in the Erma area.

Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents. Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area.

Wildwood Catholic Academy (PreK-12) in North Wildwood, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, is the closest Catholic school. Villas CDP had its own Catholic K-8 school, St. Raymond's School, until 2007, when it merged into Our Lady Star of the Sea School in Cape May. In 2010 that school merged into Cape Trinity Regional School (PreK – 8) in North Wildwood. That school in turn merged into Wildwood Catholic Academy in 2020.

Cape May County Library operates the Lower Township Library in Villas.

Religion
St. John Neumann Catholic Parish, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden has its primary worship site in Villas, at the former standalone church, St. Raymond Church. In 2008 the diocese announced that it would merge into St. John of God of North Cape May, and the merger occurred in 2010.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Villas include:
 * Michael Linnington (born 1958), CEO of Wounded Warrior Project
 * Steven Rappaport, performer with The Ran-Dells, which was a one-hit wonder with the song "Martian Hop".

title: Villas, New Jersey


text:
West Cape May, New Jersey

West Cape May is a Walsh Act borough in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough, and all of Cape May County, is part of the South Jersey region of the state and of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,010, a decrease of 14 (−1.4%) from the 2010 census count of 1,024, which in turn reflected a decline of 71 (−6.5%) from the 1,095 counted in the 2000 census.

West Cape May was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1884, from portions of Lower Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on April 11, 1890, and again on May 4, 1897. The borough's name derives from Cape May, which was named for 1620 Dutch captain named Cornelius Jacobsen May who explored and charted the area between 1611 and 1614, and established a claim for the province of New Netherland.

During Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, West Cape May was hit by 9.53 in of rain, the most of any place in the state.

West Cape May had been a dry town until May 2012, when a new store opened after the Board of Commissioners approved the sale of a liquor license for more than $600,000. In 2008, voters approved a referendum that allowed the issuance of a single license for retail liquor sales and another for sale of alcoholic beverages at a restaurant. The borough had been dry for 128 years, where alcohol cannot be sold, affirmed by the results of a referendum held in 1940, joining Cape May Point, Ocean City and Wildwood Crest among municipalities in Cape May restricting the sale of alcohol.

History
The borough's history goes back to the time of the Lenape Native Americans. Several buildings in the borough date to the Colonial period. The area has a rich agricultural history which continues to be celebrated each year with a summer farmers' market, and strawberry, tomato and lima bean festivals. It has been known as the "Lima Bean Capital of the World." The Lima Bean Festival is an annual event held in West Cape May, New Jersey, the "Lima Bean Capital of the World", and is the world's only such celebration. It is held annually on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend in Wilbraham Park.

West Cape May, once known as Eldredge, is one of the four jurisdictions that comprise Cape Island in Cape May County. West Cape May was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1884, from portions of Lower Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on April 11, 1890, and again on May 4, 1897.

The Borough has reported ties to the Underground Railroad.

From 1881 to 1931, the Hastings Goldbeating Company was located in the Borough employing women to pound one-inch strips of gold into gossamer-thin sheets used for decorative arts. Women continued to do the "booking" of gold leaf sheets until 1961. A plaque indicating the location of the factory can be found on Goldbeaten Alley. It was this business, along with real estate speculation and subdivision of the land, that led to the Borough's incorporation in 1884.

Historic sites
The historic core of the Borough was placed on the National Register of Historic Places along with sections of the City of Cape May in 1976.

Whilldin-Miller House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 12, 2003. The original timber frame two-story house remaining in the rear was built by Joseph Whilldin about 1715, while the front portion of the house was built in 1860, making it one of the oldest remaining houses on Cape Island.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.19 square miles (3.07 km2), including 1.17 square miles (3.04 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) of water (1.09%).

The borough borders the Cape May County municipalities of Cape May City and Lower Township.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 1,024 people, 493 households, and 294 families in the borough. The population density was 878.8 /sqmi. There were 1,043 housing units at an average density of 895.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 85.84% (879) White, 8.69% (89) Black or African American, 0.78% (8) Native American, 0.20% (2) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 3.13% (32) from other races, and 1.37% (14) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.98% (51) of the population.

Of the 493 households, 14.0% had children under the age of 18; 46.0% were married couples living together; 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 40.4% were non-families. Of all households, 36.3% were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.66.

12.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 13.5% from 25 to 44, 39.2% from 45 to 64, and 28.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $48,281 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,924) and the median family income was $51,394 (+/− $3,176). Males had a median income of $42,361 (+/− $10,529) versus $43,860 (+/− $3,583) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,328 (+/− $4,010). About 8.4% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 1,095 people, 507 households, and 302 families residing in the borough. The population density was 923.5 PD/sqmi. There were 1,004 housing units at an average density of 846.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 84.11% White, 14.52% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.55% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.

There were 507 households, out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 19.6% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $37,500, and the median income for a family was $47,031. Males had a median income of $36,375 versus $29,583 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $25,663. About 4.7% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

African-Americans
African-Americans have been in West Cape May since the early 1800s. There is a West Cape May African-American Historical Society. Julie Lasky of The New York Times wrote that "until recently" the African-American community was "vibrant" but that by 2020 the percentage declined to 5%.

Local government
The Borough of West Cape May has operated under the Walsh Act form of government since 1948. The borough is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide to use the commission form of government, down from a peak of 60 early in the 20th century and with most remaining municipalities using the form being shore communities. The Board of Commissioners is comprised of three members, who are elected at-large in non-partisan elections held as part of the November general election and serve four-year, concurrent terms of office. Once the Commissioners take office, they divide up responsibility for the municipal departments, with each Commissioner serving as a Department Director and holds all the executive, administrative, judicial and legislative powers, with no single chief executive. An ordinance adopted by the Board of Commissioners in December 2012 shifted the borough's municipal elections from May to November.

, the borough's commissioners are Mayor Carol E. Sabo (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance), Deputy Mayor George Dick (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property) and Giacomo Antonicello(Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety), who was the highest vote winner in 2023 electionwho are all serving concurrent terms of office that end December 31, 2025.

In January 2023, George Dick was appointed to fill the vacant seat as commissioner

Carol Sabo was appointed in early 2013 to fill the vacant seat of Ramsay Geyer, who had resigned to move out of the borough. Kaithern, Burke and Sabo were all re-elected in November 2013.

Federal, state and county representation
West Cape May is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 776 registered voters in West Cape May, of which 249 (32.1%) were registered as Democrats, 284 (36.6%) were registered as Republicans and 241 (31.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.0% of the vote (385 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 37.2% (235 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (11 votes), among the 640 ballots cast by the borough's 830 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 77.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 62.9% of the vote (387 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received 35.0% (215 votes), with 615 ballots cast among the borough's 752 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 60.5% of the vote (377 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 38.5% (240 votes), with 623 ballots cast among the borough's 818 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.2.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 59.8% of the vote (329 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 37.6% (207 votes), and other candidates with 2.5% (14 votes), among the 582 ballots cast by the borough's 816 registered voters (32 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 52.2% of the vote (245 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 39.0% (183 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.0% (28 votes), with 469 ballots cast among the borough's 778 registered voters, yielding a 60.3% turnout.

Education

The West Cape May School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at West Cape May Elementary School. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 88 students and 10.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.6:1. In the 2016–17 school year, the district had 98 students, making it the eighth-smallest district in the state.

For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which serves students from Cape May, Lower Township and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Richard M. Teitelman Middle School with 439 students in grades 7 and 8, and Lower Cape May Regional High School with 764 students in grades 9-12. The high school district's board of education is comprised of nine members, who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year. Seats on the board are allocated based on population, with West Cape May assigned one seat.

In 2013, the Lower Cape May Regional School District received a feasibility study that looked at alternatives to reconfigure the district, which had been established in 1956. The study considered Cape May City withdrawing from the regional district or the dissolution of the district, converting Lower Township's existing Pre-K–6 district to serve Pre-K–12, as the regional district's school facilities are located in the township. Cape May City and West Cape May could see annual savings approaching a combined $6 million from the dissolution.

Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents. Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area.

History
Previously a West Cape May High School existed. In an era of de jure educational segregation in the United States normally only white students were permitted to attend though the state made exceptions. Ordinarily black students attended a different industrial high school. The district maintained separate white and black elementary schools.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 11.87 mi of roadways, of which 8.82 mi were maintained by the municipality and 3.05 mi by Cape May County.

No Interstate, U.S., state or major county highways serve West Cape May. The most significant roads in the borough are minor county routes, such as County Route 607.

Public transportation
NJ Transit offers bus service between Cape May and Atlantic City on the 552 route.

Parks and recreation
Wilbraham Park is in West Cape May. Every October the lima bean festival is held in that park. There is also a strawberry festival in West Cape May, sponsored by the West Cape May Business Association.

Wineries

 * Willow Creek Winery

title: West Cape May, New Jersey


text:
West Wildwood, New Jersey

West Wildwood is a borough in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The city, and all of Cape May County, is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 540, a decrease of 63 (−10.4%) from the 2010 census count of 603, which in turn reflected an increase of 155 (+34.6%) from the 448 counted in the 2000 census. The summer population grows to as much as 5,000.

West Wildwood was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 21, 1920, from portions of Middle Township.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.36 square miles (0.94 km2), including 0.29 square miles (0.74 km2) of land and 0.08 square miles (0.20 km2) of water (21.67%).

The borough borders the Cape May County municipalities of Middle Township, North Wildwood City and Wildwood City.

Located on a small island connected to Wildwood by a two-lane bridge, the borough consists primarily vacation and year-round homes with a single night club, a miniature golf course and several marinas. Created using landfill to cover existing marshes in the 1920s, the borough is surrounding by bulkheads to protect it from flooding, though heavy winds and high tides can overtop the flood protection mechanisms.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 603 people, 276 households, and 160 families in the borough. The population density was 2188.4 /sqmi. There were 893 housing units at an average density of 3240.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 95.36% (575) White, 1.49% (9) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.00% (0) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.66% (4) from other races, and 2.49% (15) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.65% (16) of the population.

Of the 276 households, 14.5% had children under the age of 18; 42.8% were married couples living together; 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 42.0% were non-families. Of all households, 35.9% were made up of individuals and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.78.

17.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 99.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $38,750 (with a margin of error of +/− $10,914) and the median family income was $57,981 (+/− $16,263). Males had a median income of $36,607 (+/− $10,003) versus $36,364 (+/− $10,046) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,606 (+/− $4,119). About 6.7% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 448 people, 202 households, and 117 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,698.0 PD/sqmi. There were 775 housing units at an average density of 1, 150.9/km2 (2,937.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.76% White, 0.22% Asian, 2.23% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.79% of the population.

There were 202 households, out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $33,393, and the median income for a family was $50,625. Males had a median income of $38,281 versus $21,190 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,839. About 3.2% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Portions of the borough—together with areas in North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest—are part of a joint Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The four municipalities in The Wildwoods were selected in 2002 as one of a group of three zones added to participate in the program as part of a joint zone with. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the $6 5/8$% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in November 2002, the borough's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in December 2023. The joint UEZ is overseen by the Enterprise Zone Development Corporation of the Wildwoods Board, which includes representatives from all four municipalities.

Local government
West Wildwood has been governed under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government since 1964. The borough is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use the commission form of government. The governing body is comprised of three commissioners, who are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to serve concurrent four-year terms of office as part of the November general election. At a reorganization meeting conducted after each election, the commission selects one of its members to serve as mayor and designates for each commissioner an assigned department to oversee.

, members of the West Wildwood Borough Board of Commissioners are Mayor Matthew J. Ksiazek (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property), John J. Banning (Commissioner of Public Safety and Public Affairs), Joseph D. Segrest (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance), all serving concurrent terms of office ending December 31, 2024.

In June 2019, Cornelius J. Maxwell (who had been serving as Commissioner of Revenue and Finance) resigned from office, citing personal reasons. The meeting where Maxwell resigned was the first following the disclosure of ethics fines of nearly $25,000—the largest in state history by the board—that had been assessed by the Local Finance Board against Mayor Fox relating to his actions on behalf of Police Chief Jacqueline Ferentz. In November 2019, Amy Korbellis was elected to fill the vacant seat.

In the same May 2012 election in which the three incumbent commissioners were elected, the voters approved a ballot question shifting elections from May to November, extending the terms of the three elected commissioners by an additional six months, with the next municipal election taking place in November 2016.

Federal, state and county representation
West Wildwood is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 463 registered voters in West Wildwood, of which 124 (26.8%) were registered as Democrats, 184 (39.7%) were registered as Republicans and 154 (33.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 51.6% of the vote (165 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 48.1% (154 votes), and other candidates with 0.3% (1 vote), among the 323 ballots cast by the borough's 459 registered voters (3 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 52.4% of the vote (177 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 45.0% (152 votes), with 338 ballots cast among the borough's 462 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 51.4% of the vote (171 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received 47.1% (157 votes), with 333 ballots cast among the borough's 422 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 78.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.4% of the vote (175 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.3% (54 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (3 votes), among the 236 ballots cast by the borough's 435 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.2% of the vote (148 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 41.7% (128 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.9% (15 votes), with 307 ballots cast among the borough's 493 registered voters, yielding a 62.3% turnout.

Education
Public school students from West Wildwood, a non-operating school district, attend Margaret Mace School in North Wildwood, of the North Wildwood School District, for grades PreK–8 and Wildwood High School of Wildwood City School District for ninth grade through twelfth grade as part of a sending/receiving relationship. In 2019, North Wildwood district received 20 students from West Wildwood, making up 11% of the North Wildwood district enrollment.

As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 207 students and 33.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 6.3:1. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 263 students and 31.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.5:1.

Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in the Cape May Court House area, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents. Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area.

In 2020, the West Wildwood School Board commissioned a study from Stockton University exploring whether switching K–8 education to the Wildwood School District would have effects, causing a negative reaction from multiple parents who preferred that their children attend Mace School. The study stated that West Wildwood would save more than $175,000 per year if it used Wildwood City district for K–8.

Transportation
, the borough had a total of 5.59 mi of roadways, of which 4.79 mi were maintained by the municipality and 0.80 mi by Cape May County.

County Route 614 (Glenwood Avenue) runs through the borough to its northern tip.

title: West Wildwood, New Jersey