West Cape May, New Jersey
West Cape May is a borough of 1,011 people in Cape May County, New Jersey, founded in April 17, 1884.
Why visit West Cape May
Townapedia lists 22 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 71 places to eat, 70 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cape May Lighthouse, Poverty Beach, Battery 223 and Cape May Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in West Cape May
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About West Cape May
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 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 had reflected a decline of 71 (−6.5%) from the 1,095 counted at the 2000 census.
From the Wikipedia article West Cape May, New Jersey (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Cape May Lighthouse
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Lighthouse in New Jersey, United States
Museums and landmarks22
Battery 223
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
A harbor defense battery, completed in 223, to protect the Delaware Bay along with batteries at Lewes in Delaware.
Cape May Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic district in New Jersey, United States
Cold Spring Grange Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Building in New Jersey, United States
Fire Control Tower No. 23
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Military facility in Cape May County, New Jersey
George Hildreth House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic house in Lower Township, New Jersey
Jonathan Pyne House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in New Jersey, United States
Owen Coachman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in Cape May County, New Jersey
Rio Grande Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Railway station in Lower Township, the United States of America
Whilldin-Miller House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in New Jersey, United States
Octagonal Poultry House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
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Historic Cold Spring Village
Museum · 2.8 mi
Open-air living history museum in Cold Spring, New Jersey
10 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
Restaurants and cafes71
59 more on the map.
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.
From the History section of West Cape May, New Jersey on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay70
Churches and places of worship13
Cold Spring Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Saint Peter's-By-The-Sea Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Shopping21
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare1
Map of West Cape May
230 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 28°F | 3.2 in | 4.5 in |
| Feb | 45°F | 29°F | 3.0 in | 5.7 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 35°F | 4.1 in | 2.5 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 44°F | 3.3 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 71°F | 54°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 63°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 68°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 67°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 62°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 51°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 41°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 33°F | 4.0 in | 2.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cape May 2 Nw (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cape May County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2021-09-05: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-02: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-04-28: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2020-12-11: Tropical Storm Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cape May County Airport (WWD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Lewes 16 mi southwest, about 25 min by car
- Rehoboth Beach 17 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Milton 23 mi southwest, about 38 min by car
- Long Neck 25 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Milford 26 mi west, about 42 min by car
- Lincoln 26 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Ocean City 29 mi northeast, about 47 min by car
- Georgetown 30 mi southwest, about 48 min by car
- Somers Point 31 mi northeast, about 51 min by car
- Millville 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- WestCapeMayMunicipalComplex, WhisperToMe, Public domain
- West Cape May ES, WhisperToMe, CC0
- West Cape May ES A, WhisperToMe, CC0
- West Cape May Elementary School B, WhisperToMe, CC0
- 2018-10-09 09 16 29 View north along Cape May County Route 607 (Bayshore Road) just north of Cape May County Route 606 (Sunset Boulevard) in West Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2018-10-09 09 12 38 View south along Cape May County Route 607 (Bayshore Road) just north of Sixth Avenue in West Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cape May CR 607 nb from CR 606, West Cape May, NJ, Nov. 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Atlantic Avenue sb, West Cape May, NJ, Nov. 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Third Avenue eb, West Cape May, NJ, Nov. 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- West Cape May water and sewer trailer, WhisperToMe, CC0
- West Cape May, NJ Municipal Hall, Nov. 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cape May CR 626 sb, West Cape May, NJ, Nov. 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cape May Lighthouse in Cape May, New Jersey, USA, Didier Moïse, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cold Spring Presby from SE, Smallbones, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rio Grande Station Cape May NJ, Smallbones, Public domain
- 416 Broadway West Cape May, NJ, Smallbones, Public domain
- Pyne House 1694, Smallbones, Public domain
- Stockton Place Guerny CMHD, Smallbones, CC0
- St Petes by the sea, Smallbones, Public domain
- Owen Coachman House, Smallbones, Public domain
- Hildreth House Cape May, NJ, Smallbones, Public domain
- Fire Control Tower 23, Smallbones, Public domain
- Old Grange Cold Spring, Smallbones, Public domain
- Battery 223 Cape May Point, Smallbones, Public domain
- ChurchAdventCapeMayNJ, WhisperToMe, Public domain
- Octagonal Chicken Coop, Smallbones, Public domain
- Poverty Beach, Editorofthewiki, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Harriet Tubman Museum, Cape May, NJ - 2024, Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Datana perspicua 225463442, Michael Pirrello, CC BY 4.0
- Cyclophora myrtaria - iNaturalist 417672814, Michael Pirrello, CC BY 4.0
- Neotibicen latifasciatus 225466630, Michael Pirrello, CC BY 4.0
- Dumetella carolinensis -Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge, Cape May, New Jersey, USA-8, Dendroica cerulea from Highland Park, NJ, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Nature Conservancy South Cape May Meadows Preserve A, WhisperToMe, CC0
- South Cape May Meadows, NJ - information kiosk, Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Killdeer (20453), Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Black Skimmers (5005683256), Mike's Birds, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Black Skimmer (5005683576), Mike's Birds, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Black Skimmer (5005684260), Mike's Birds, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Black Skimmers (5005683850), Mike's Birds, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Black Skimmers (5005684588), Mike's Birds, CC BY-SA 2.0
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