Editing West Cape May, New Jersey

{{short description|Borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, US}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = West Cape May, New Jersey
|official_name            = 
|settlement_type          = [[Borough (New Jersey)|Borough]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Copper Fish W Cape May NJ.jpg
|imagesize                = 250x200px
|image_caption            = [[Whilldin-Miller House]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = West Cape May Logo.png
|seal_type                = logo

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Cape_May_County_New_Jersey_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_West_Cape_May_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Location of West Cape May in [[Cape May County, New Jersey|Cape May County]] highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Cape May County in [[New Jersey]] highlighted in orange (right).
|image_map1               = Census_Bureau_map_of_West_Cape_May,_New_Jersey.png
|mapsize1                 = 250x200px
|map_caption1             = Census Bureau map of West Cape May, New Jersey
|pushpin_map              = USA New Jersey Cape May County#USA New Jersey#USA
|pushpin_label            = West Cape May
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in [[Cape May County, New Jersey|Cape May County]]##Location in [[New Jersey]]##Location in the United States
|pushpin_relief           = yes

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{nowrap|{{flag|United States}}}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|New Jersey}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New Jersey|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = {{flagicon image|}} [[Cape May County, New Jersey|Cape May]]
|government_footnotes     = <ref name=DataBook/>
|government_type          = [[Walsh Act]]
|governing_body           = Board of Commissioners
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Carol Sabo (term ends December 31, 2025)<ref name=Council/>
|leader_title1            = [[Municipal clerk]]
|leader_name1             = Theresa Enteado<ref>[https://www.westcapemay.us/departments/clerk-registrar.html Clerk / Registrar], Borough of West Cape May. Accessed August 29, 2024.</ref>
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = April 17, 1884
|named_for                = [[Cape May]] / [[Cornelius Jacobsen May]]

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='34'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 11, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 3.07
|area_land_km2            = 3.04
|area_water_km2           = 0.03
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.19
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.17
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
|area_water_percent       = 1.09
|area_rank                = 489th of 565 in state<br>14th of 16 in county<ref name=CensusArea>[https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_cousubs_34.txt 2019 Census Gazetteer Files: New Jersey Places], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed July 1, 2020.</ref>

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name=LWD2020/>
|population_total         = 1010
|population_rank          = 530th of 565 in state<br>13th of 16 in county<ref name=LWD2020Density>[https://www.nj.gov/labor/labormarketinformation/assets/PDFs/dmograph/est/mcd/density.xlsx Population Density by County and Municipality: New Jersey, 2020 and 2021], [[New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development]]. Accessed March 1, 2023.</ref>
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi = 860.8
|population_density_rank  = 400th of 565 in state<br>9th of 16 in county<ref name=LWD2020Density/>
|population_est           = 1003
|pop_est_as_of            = 2023
|pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name=PopEst/>

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = −05:00
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time|Eastern (EDT)]]
|utc_offset_DST           = −04:00
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref>{{Gnis|885435|Borough of West Cape May}}, [[Geographic Names Information System]]. Accessed March 14, 2013.</ref>
|elevation_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 10
|coordinates_footnotes    = <ref name=CensusArea/><ref name="GR1">[https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed September 4, 2014.</ref>
|coordinates              = {{coord|38.942226|-74.939033|region:US-NJ_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 08204<ref>[http://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupResultsAction!input.action?resultMode=0&city=west%20cape%20may&state=NJ Look Up a ZIP Code for West Cape May, NJ], [[United States Postal Service]]. Accessed December 7, 2011.</ref>
|area_code                = [[Area code 609|609]]<ref>[http://www.area-codes.com/search.asp?frmNPA=&frmNXX=&frmState=NJ&frmCounty=Cape+May&frmCity=West+Cape+May Area Code Lookup - NPA NXX for West Cape May, NJ], Area-Codes.com. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 3400978530<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name="GR2">[https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed September 4, 2014.</ref><ref>[https://mcdc.missouri.edu/applications/geocodes/?state=34 Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey], Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed April 1, 2022.</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0885435<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name="GR3">[http://geonames.usgs.gov US Board on Geographic Names], [[United States Geological Survey]]. Accessed September 4, 2014.</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.westcapemay.us/}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''West Cape May''' is a [[Walsh Act]] [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] in [[Cape May County, New Jersey|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, New Jersey|Ocean City]] [[metropolitan statistical area]], which is part of the [[Philadelphia]]-[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]-[[Camden, New Jersey|Camden]], [[Pennsylvania|PA]]-NJ-[[Delaware|DE]]-[[Maryland|MD]] [[combined statistical area]], also known as the [[Delaware Valley|Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area]].<ref>[https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/metro-micro/reference-maps/2020/state-maps/34_NewJersey_2020.pdf New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed December 22, 2022.</ref> As of the [[2020 United States census]], the borough's population was 1,010,<ref name=LWD2020/> a decrease of 14 (−1.4%) from the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]] count of 1,024,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected a decline of 71 (−6.5%) from the 1,095 counted in the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]].<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/labor/labormarketinformation/assets/PDFs/census/2010/2010data/table7cm.xls Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010], [[New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development]], February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>

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, New Jersey|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.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. [https://nj.gov/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''], Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 116. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref> The borough's name derives from [[Cape May]], which was named for 1620 [[Netherlands|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]].<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. [http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/356/nj_place_names_origin.pdf#page=9 ''The Origin of New Jersey Place Names''], New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 28, 2015.</ref><ref>[[Henry Gannett|Gannett, Henry]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA68 ''The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States''], p. 68. [[United States Government Printing Office]], 1905. Accessed August 28, 2015.</ref>

During [[Hurricane Sandy]] in October 2012, West Cape May was hit by {{convert|9.53|in}} of rain, the most of any place in the state.<ref>[http://climate.rutgers.edu/njwxnet/sandy/ Sandy NJ Weather Dashboard], [[Rutgers University]]. Accessed October 31, 2012.</ref>

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.<ref>Degener, Richard. [http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/lower_capemay/liquor-store-set-to-end-west-cape-may-s-/article_c9b6eddc-6ef4-11e1-b402-0019bb2963f4.html "Liquor store set to end West Cape May's 128-year run as a dry town in May"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', March 15, 2012. Accessed November 23, 2015. "This May, West Cape May's status as a dry borough will end after 128 years, when the first liquor store will open on Sunset Boulevard."</ref> 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.<ref>Staff. [http://www.shorenewstoday.com/cape_may/news/west-cape-may-looks-at-approving-first-liquor-license/article_32473c4e-1c6a-536b-83e1-4154016a3a34.html "West Cape May looks at approving first liquor license"], ''Cape May Gazette'', February 8, 2012. Accessed November 23, 2015. "In December, commissioners accepted a $615,000 bid from Sunset Liquors. It was the only bid received for a license to permit sales from a package store.... In 2008, borough residents voted through a question that permits a single retail license and a single consumption license."</ref> The borough had been dry for 128 years, where alcohol cannot be sold, affirmed by the results of a referendum held in 1940,<ref>New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. New Jersey ABC list of dry towns (May 1, 2013)</ref><ref>Giordano, Rita. [https://web.archive.org/web/20140224024649/http://articles.philly.com/2007-06-24/news/25234867_1_liquor-licenses-quota-licenses-liquor-stores "More towns catching liquor-license buzz; Moorestown considers ending its dry spell"], ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', June 24, 2007. Accessed February 16, 2014.</ref> joining [[Cape May Point, New Jersey|Cape May Point]], [[Ocean City, New Jersey|Ocean City]] and [[Wildwood Crest, New Jersey|Wildwood Crest]] among municipalities in Cape May restricting the sale of alcohol.<ref>Schaad, Jacob Jr. [http://www.shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/index.php/cape-may/history/45882-bizarre-history-of-cape-may-g-wet-or-dry.html "Bizarre History of Cape May - Wet or dry?"], ''The Cape May Gazette'', October 30, 2013. Accessed February 16, 2014. "Wildwood Crest, Ocean City, West Cape May and Cape May Point have opted to stay dry while the 12 other communities in the county still permit their people to lift a few."</ref>

==History==
[[Image:WestCapeMayMunicipalComplex.JPG|thumb|left|West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company]]
The borough's history goes back to the time of the [[Lenape]] [[Native Americans in the United States|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.<ref>[http://www.capemay.com/capemayarchives/2000/LimaBeanFestival.html America's Best (and only) Lima Bean Festival], accessed March 7, 2007</ref>

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, New Jersey|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.<ref name=Story/>

The Borough has reported ties to the [[Underground Railroad]].<ref>Degener, Richard. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AC&p_theme=ac&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=100CC1B0B5BA0827&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Photo Exhibit Brings West Cape May's Past to Light"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', December 28, 2003. Accessed October 17, 2012. "It has Mayflower descendants, a link to the Underground Railroad, buildings that go back to the 17th century and a factory where women once beat gold into sheets with hammers.Who says West Cape May has to live in the shadow of Cape May's rich historical past?"</ref>

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.<ref>Montet, Margaret. [http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/index.ssf/2011/07/post_1.html "Trolleying West of Cape May City"], [[NJ.com]], July 15, 2011. Accessed October 17, 2012. "So back to Goldbeaten Alley: from 1881 to 1931 workers at the Hastings Goldbeating Company cut gold bars into thin slices and then beat them paper-thin."</ref>

===Historic sites===
The historic core of the Borough was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] along with sections of the [[Cape May, New Jersey|City of Cape May]] in 1976.<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/Cape%20May.pdf Cape May County: New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places], [[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]] Historic Preservation Office, December 30, 2019. Accessed March 13, 2020.</ref>

[[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.<ref>Tischler, Susan. [http://www.capemay.com/blog/2004/10/which-house-is-the-oldest-house-on-cape-island/ "Which house is the oldest house on Cape Island?"], CapeMay.com, October 1, 2004. Accessed October 25, 2015. "Let's move on to our other property in question – The Whilldin-Miller House, AKA Daniels on Broadway Restaurant, at 416 South Broadway.The property is actually located in West Cape May and was built by Joseph Whilldin somewhere around 1711-1718 with an expanded addition built by Jonas Miller in 1860."</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough had a total area of 1.19 square miles (3.07&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), including 1.17 square miles (3.04&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.03&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of water (1.09%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

The borough borders the Cape May County municipalities of [[Cape May, New Jersey|Cape May City]] and [[Lower Township, New Jersey|Lower Township]].<ref>[https://global.mapit.mysociety.org/area/1010470/touches.html Areas touching West Cape May], MapIt. Accessed March 13, 2020.</ref><ref>[http://chnj.njpn.org/cape-may/ Cape May County], Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 13, 2020.</ref><ref>[https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/gis/maps/polnoroads.pdf New Jersey Municipal Boundaries], [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]]. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 757
|1900= 696
|1910= 844
|1920= 967
|1930= 1048
|1940= 934
|1950= 897
|1960= 1030
|1970= 1005
|1980= 1091
|1990= 1026
|2000= 1095
|2010= 1024
|2020= 1010
| estimate=1003
| estyear=2023
| estref=<ref name=PopEst>[https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/mcds/totals/SUB-MCD-EST2023-POP-34.xlsx Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Minor Civil Divisions in New Jersey: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023], [[United States Census Bureau]], released May 2024. Accessed May 16, 2024.</ref>
|footnote=Population sources:<small><br>1890–2000<ref>Barnett, Bob. [http://westjersey.org/popcap_04.htm Population Data for Cape May County Municipalities, 1810 - 2000], WestJersey.org, January 6, 2011. Accessed October 17, 2012.</ref> 1890–1920<ref>[https://dspace.njstatelib.org/xmlui/handle/10929/25218?show=full ''Compendium of censuses 1726-1905: together with the tabulated returns of 1905''], [[New Jersey Department of State]], 1906. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref> 1890<ref>Porter, Robert Percival. [https://books.google.com/books?id=8gUkQkJdLpsC&pg=PA97 ''Preliminary Results as Contained in the Eleventh Census Bulletins: Volume III - 51 to 75''], p. 97. [[United States Census Bureau]], 1890. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref><br>1890–1910<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=T9HrAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA336 ''Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910: Population by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions, 1910, 1900, 1890''], [[United States Census Bureau]], p. 336. Accessed October 17, 2012.</ref> 1910–1930<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=kifRAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA715 ''Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930 - Population Volume I''], [[United States Census Bureau]], p. 715. Accessed October 17, 2012.</ref><br>1940–2000<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/labor/labormarketinformation/assets/PDFs/census/2kpub/njsdcp3.pdf#page=27 Table 6: New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1940 - 2000], Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network, August 2001. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref> 2000<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/><br>2010<ref name=Census2010>[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0600000US3400978530 DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for West Cape May borough, Cape May County, New Jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200212102049/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0600000US3400978530 |date=February 12, 2020 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed October 17, 2012.</ref><ref name=LWD2010>[http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/lpa/census/2010/dp/dp1_cap/westcapemay1.pdf Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for West Cape May borough] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506172934/http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/lpa/census/2010/dp/dp1_cap/westcapemay1.pdf |date=May 6, 2012 }}, [[New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development]]. Accessed October 17, 2012.</ref> 2020<ref name=LWD2020>[https://www.nj.gov/labor/labormarketinformation/assets/PDFs/census/2020/2020%20pl94%20Tables/2020_Mun/MCD%200_All.pdf Total Population: Census 2010 - Census 2020 New Jersey Municipalities], [[New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development]]. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref></small>
}}

===2010 census===

The [[2010 United States census]] counted 1,024 people, 493 households, and 294 families in the borough. The [[population density]] was {{convert|878.8|/sqmi}}. There were 1,043 housing units at an average density of {{convert|895.1|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup was 85.84% (879) [[White (U.S. census)|White]], 8.69% (89) [[Black (U.S. census)|Black or African American]], 0.78% (8) [[Native American (U.S. census)|Native American]], 0.20% (2) [[Asian (U.S. census)|Asian]], 0.00% (0) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. census)|Pacific Islander]], 3.13% (32) from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census#Race|other races]], and 1.37% (14) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. census)|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 4.98% (51) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

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.<ref name=Census2010/>

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.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 [[American Community Survey]] showed that (in 2010 [[inflation adjustment|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.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0600000US3400978530 DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for West Cape May borough, Cape May County, New Jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200212083835/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0600000US3400978530 |date=February 12, 2020 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed October 17, 2012.</ref>

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census]]<ref name="GR2" /> there were 1,095 people, 507 households, and 302 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|923.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,004 housing units at an average density of {{convert|846.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the borough was 84.11% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 14.52% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.37% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.55% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.46% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.83% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>[http://censtats.census.gov/data/NJ/1603478530.pdf Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for West Cape May borough, New Jersey]{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed October 17, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/00_SF1/DP1/0600000US3400978530 DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for West Cape May borough, Cape May County, New Jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200212095218/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/00_SF1/DP1/0600000US3400978530 |date=February 12, 2020 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed October 17, 2012.</ref>

There were 507 households, out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were [[Marriage|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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

===African-Americans===
African-Americans have been in West Cape May since the early 1800s. There is a West Cape May African-American Historical Society.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/community/culture/article_c95efcb4-c256-11e8-815f-634cdf1f814c.html|title=West Cape May African American Historical Society Plans Recognition Ceremony|newspaper=[[Cape May County Herald]]|date=2018-09-27}} - Press release.</ref> 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%.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lasky|first=Julie|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/realestate/cape-may-nj-new-yorkers-living.html|title=Cape May, N.J.: Salt Air and Cultural Riches|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=2021-06-16|accessdate=2021-06-16}}</ref>

==Government==

===Local government===
The Borough of West Cape May has operated under the [[Walsh Act]] form of government since 1948.<ref>[http://www.njstatelib.org/slic_files/imported/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/MFMG/MFMGCH4.PDF "The Commission Form of Municipal Government"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605155532/http://www.njstatelib.org/slic_files/imported/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/MFMG/MFMGCH4.PDF |date=June 5, 2015 }}, p. 53. Accessed June 3, 2015.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=8 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 8. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The borough is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide to use the [[City commission government|commission form of government]],<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> down from a peak of 60 early in the 20th century and with most remaining municipalities using the form being shore communities.<ref>Proctor, Owen; and Sobko, Katie. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/essex/nutley/2018/04/30/town-commissions-have-become-nj-rarity-new-jersey/554873002/ "Town commissions have become a New Jersey rarity"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', April 30, 2018, updated May 6, 2018. Accessed October 27, 2019. "Commissions rose in popularity, up to 60 statewide in the early part of the last century, from large cities and older suburbs to seaside resorts.... Today, only about 30 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are commissions, including six in North Jersey. There are North Bergen, Union City and West New York in Hudson County, Lyndhurst and Ridgefield Park in Bergen County, and Nutley in Essex County."</ref> The Board of Commissioners is comprised of three members, who are elected [[at-large]] in [[Non-partisan democracy|non-partisan]] elections held as part of the November general election and serve four-year, concurrent terms of office.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 8.</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.westcapemay.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=G2AlUwXa9hA%3D&tabid=2206 Ordinance No. 476-12], Borough of West Cape May. Accessed October 31, 2014.</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, 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; elected to serve an unexpired term) and 
Giacomo "Jack" Antonicello (Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety; elected to serve an unexpired term), who are all serving concurrent terms of office that end December 31, 2025.<ref name=Council>[https://www.westcapemay.us/departments/administration.html Administration], Borough of West Cape May. Accessed August 29, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://westcapemay.us/document-center/clerk-forms-documents/1102-2023-designation-of-departments-for-commissioners-pdf/file.html Resolution 06-24: Designation of Departments for Borough Commissioners], Borough of West Cape May, January 3, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.westcapemay.us/government/document-center/finance-audits-budget/budget/1450-2024-adopted-budget/file.html#page=21 2024 Municipal User Friendly Budget], Borough of West Cape May. Accessed August 29, 2024.</ref><ref name=CapeMayOfficials>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-All-Elected-Officials-INTERNET-July.pdf 2024 County & Municipal Elected Officials Cape May County, NJ -- July 2024], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], July 9, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024.</ref><ref name=CapeMay2023>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1.-Summary-Results-Report-2023-General-da.pdf Summary Results Report 2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], November 20, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=CapeMay2021>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021-General-Successful-Candidates.pdf Cape May County 2021 General Election Successful Candidates], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], November 16, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

In October 2022, Alan Crawford was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Peter C. Burke the previous month.<ref>Fichter, Jack. [https://www.starandwave.com/CM_A01_10-5-22.pdf "Crawford joins West Cape May commission"], ''Cape May Star and Wave'', October 5, 2022. Accessed March 26, 2023. "Borough Commission appointed Alan Crawford to fill the unexpired term of commissioner Peter Burke, who resigned last month. At a Sept. 28 meeting, Mayor Carol Sabo thanked Crawford for accepting the position. Crawford will serve until January 2024 and may run for the seat in the general election in November 2023."</ref> In January 2023, George Dick was appointed to fill the vacant seat as commissioner that had been held by Daniel M. Kurkowski until he resigned from office the previous month.<ref>[https://www.westcapemay.us/document-center/agendas-minutes/board-of-commissioners-meetings/2023-meeting-documents/1079-1-12-2023-packet/file.html Board of Commissioners Special Meeting Agenda for January 12, 2023], Borough of West Cape May. Accessed March 26, 2023. "WHEREAS, Borough Commissioner Daniel M. Kurkowski resigned his seat on the West Cape May Borough Commission on December 20, 2023, resulting in a vacancy as of that date... and WHEREAS, the next general election at which a successor commissioner may be elected to fill the unexpired portion of Mr. Kurkowski's term will occur on November 7, 2023, so that the temporary appointment will extend until January 1, 2024; and WHEREAS, having considered the matter, the remaining members of the Borough Commission have determined that George Dick is qualified to serve as a Borough Commissioner and should serve as the temporary appointee to Mr. Kurkowski's vacated seat NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Borough Commissioners of the Borough of West Cape May as follows: 1. The averments of the preamble are incorporated into this Resolution. 2. George Dick is hereby appointed to temporarily fill this vacancy on the West Cape May Borough Commission, pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Vacancy Law. 3. The term of this temporary appointment shall extend until December 31, 2023, or to the Borough's 2024 reorganization. 4. A successor to fill Mr. Kurkowski's unexpired term shall be elected at the West Cape May general election, to be held on November 7, 2023."</ref> Dick served on an interim basis until November 2023 general election, when he and Giacomo "Jack" Antonicello were elected to serve the remainder of the terms of office expiring in December 2025.<ref name=CapeMay2023/>

Carol Sabo was appointed in early 2013 to fill the vacant seat of Ramsay Geyer, who had resigned to move out of the borough.<ref>Degener, Richard. [http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/sabo-picked-to-fill-unexpired-term-on-west-cape-may/article_249940ae-6cf3-11e2-ae3c-001a4bcf887a.html "Sabo picked to fill unexpired term on West Cape May Borough Commission"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', February 1, 2013. Accessed April 29, 2013. "Broadway resident Carol Sabo has been picked to fill the unexpired Borough Commission seat left open when Ramsey Geyer moved to Florida."</ref> Kaithern, Burke and Sabo were all re-elected in November 2013.<ref>Staff. [http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/politicselections/96230-vote+nov.+5+general+election+polling+locations+open+6am8pm "Update: 2013 General Election Results"], ''[[Cape May County Herald]]'', November 4, 2013. Accessed November 11, 2013. "Commissioner West Cape May: Pamela M. Kaithern won West Cape May votes with 21 percent, Peter C. Burke and Carole E. Sabo tied for second with 20 percent of the votes."</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
West Cape May is located in the 2nd Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf Plan Components Report], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>[https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf ''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''], New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#1 Districts by Number for 2011-2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 02}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 01}}

{{NJ Cape May County Freeholders}}

===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 [[Democratic Party (New Jersey)|Democrats]], 284 (36.6%) were registered as [[Republican Party (New Jersey)|Republicans]] and 241 (31.1%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 2 voters registered as either [[Libertarian Party (New Jersey)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (New Jersey)|Greens]].<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-capemay-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Cape May], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 16, 2012.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|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 [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 77.1%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-cape-may.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Cape May County |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-capemay.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Cape May County|date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|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%.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-cape-may.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cape May County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 16, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|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.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_capemay_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Cape May County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 16, 2012.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential elections results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2024 United States presidential election in New Jersey|2024]]<ref name="2024Elections">{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2024/2024-official-general-results-president-capemay.pdf|title=Presidential November 5, 2024 General Election Results Cape May County|access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|40.0% ''283''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''58.3%''' ''413''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2020|2020]]<ref name="2020Elections">{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-capemay.pdf|title=Presidential November 3, 2020 General Election Results Cape May County|access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.9% ''276''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.1%''' ''445''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016]]<ref name="2016Elections">{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2016/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-cape-may.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results – November 8, 2016 – Cape May County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.0% ''234''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.6%''' ''354''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012]]<ref name="2012Election">{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-cape-may.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Cape May County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.2% ''235''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.0%''' ''385''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008]]<ref name="state.nj.us">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-cape-may.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cape May County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2025.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|35.0% ''215''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''62.9%''' ''387''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004]]'''<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_capemay_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Cape May County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 13, 2025.</ref>
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.5% ''240''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''60.5%''' ''377''
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|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%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-cape-may.pdf |title=Governor - Cape May County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-capemay.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Cape May County|date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|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.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-cape-may.pdf 2009 Governor: Cape May County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017225450/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-cape-may.pdf |date=October 17, 2012 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 16, 2012.</ref>

==Education==
[[Image:WestCapeMayES.JPG|thumb|left|[[West Cape May Elementary School]]]]

The [[West Cape May School District]] serves students in [[pre-kindergarten]] through [[sixth grade]] at West Cape May Elementary School.<ref>[https://rc.doe.state.nj.us/selectreport/2022-2023/09/5610 School Performance Reports for the West Cape May School District], [[New Jersey Department of Education]]. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://homeroom6.doe.state.nj.us/directory/school/districtid/5610 New Jersey School Directory for Cape May County], [[New Jersey Department of Education]]. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.nj.gov/education/finance/fp/cafr/search/19/5610.pdf#page=40 ''Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the West Camp May School District''], [[New Jersey Department of Education]], for year ending June 30, 2019. Accessed August 14, 2020. "The Borough of West Cape May School District ('School District') is a Type II district located in the County of Cape May, State of New Jersey. As a Type II district, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board of Education is comprised of five members elected to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that one or two member’s terms expire each year. The purpose of the School District is to provide educational services for resident students in grades K through 6."</ref> As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 85 students and 9.7 classroom teachers (on an [[full-time equivalent|FTE]] basis), for a [[student–teacher ratio]] of 8.8:1.<ref name=NCES>[https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?Search=2&details=1&ID2=3417400&DistrictID=3417400 District information for West Cape May School District], [[National Center for Education Statistics]]. Accessed December 15, 2024.</ref> In the 2016–17 school year, the district had 98 students, making it the eighth-smallest district in the state.<ref>Procida, Lee. [http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/sea-isle-long-beach-island-are-examples-of-how-closing/article_3c241df4-e340-11e0-a55d-001cc4c002e0.html "Sea Isle, Long Beach Island are examples of how closing small, high-cost schools can be difficult, unpopular"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', September 20, 2011. Accessed March 12, 2015. "The 10 smallest school districts in the state each have fewer than 100 students. Seven of them, all in South Jersey, are grappling with shrinking enrollment, aging buildings and rising property taxes.... West Cape May disregarded a recommendation to send students to Cape May, and instead started welcoming students from outside its borders through the state Public School Choice program. The first 16 choice students increased the prekindergarten-through-sixth-grade school's enrollment to 58 students this year."</ref><ref>Guion, Payton. [https://www.nj.com/education/2017/09/njs_smallest_school_districts.html "These 43 N.J. school districts have fewer than 200 students"], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], September 2017. Accessed January 30, 2020. "Based on data from the state Department of Education from the last school year and the Census Bureau, NJ Advance Media made a list of the smallest of the small school districts in the state, excluding charter schools and specialty institutions.... 8. West Cape May Borough - Enrollment: 98; Grades: Pre-K-6"</ref>

For [[seventh grade|seventh]] through [[twelfth grade]]s, public school students attend the schools of the [[Lower Cape May Regional School District]], which serves students from [[Cape May, New Jersey|Cape May]], [[Lower Township, New Jersey|Lower Township]] and West Cape May, along with students from [[Cape May Point, New Jersey|Cape May Point]] who attend as part of a [[sending/receiving relationship]].<ref>[https://www.straussesmay.com/seportal/Public/DistrictPolicy.aspx?policyid=0110&id=a1180cab567947029fbbe63e8248e1e8 Lower Cape May Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification], Lower Cape May Regional School District, adopted December 18, 2008. Accessed February 10, 2025. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades seven through twelve. Composition: The Lower Cape May Regional School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Cape May, Lower Township, and West Cape May."</ref><ref name=Study>Johnson, Virgil; and Kirtland, James L. [https://www.lcmrschooldistrict.com/brettimages/feasibstudytoreconfigure.pdf "A Feasibility Study to Reconfigure the Lower Cape May Regional School District"], Statistical Forecasting LLC, June 2013. Accessed August 29, 2024. "Cape May City is one of three constituent communities served by the Lower Cape May Regional School District ('Lower Cape May Regional'), a limited purpose school district providing education for the middle and high school students from Cape May City, Lower Township, and West Cape May.... Students from Cape May Point attend on a sending-receiving basis."</ref> Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the [[National Center for Education Statistics]]<ref>[https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3409090 School Data for the Lower Cape May Regional High School District], [[National Center for Education Statistics]]. Accessed December 15, 2024.</ref>) are
Richard M. Teitelman Middle School<ref>[https://lcmrschooldistrict.com/rmtgeneralinformation General Information], Richard M. Teitelman Middle School. Accessed February 10, 2025.</ref> with 404 students in grades 7-8 and
[[Lower Cape May Regional High School]] (LCMRHS)<ref>[https://lcmrschooldistrict.com/lcmrgeneralinformation General Information], Lower Cape May Regional High School. Accessed February 10, 2025.</ref> with 723 students in grades 9-12.<ref>[https://rc.doe.state.nj.us/selectreport/2022-2023/09/2820 School Performance Reports for the Lower Cape May Regional School District], [[New Jersey Department of Education]]. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://homeroom6.doe.state.nj.us/directory/school/districtid/2820 New Jersey School Directory for the Lower Cape May Regional School District], [[New Jersey Department of Education]]. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> 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.<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/education/finance/fp/cafr/search/19/2820.pdf#page=44 ''Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Lower Cape May Regional School District''], [[New Jersey Department of Education]], for year ending June 30, 2019. Accessed August 14, 2020. "The Lower Cape May Regional School District (District) is a Type II school district located in Cape May County, New Jersey and covers an area of approximately 34 square miles. As a Type II school district, it functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three member’s terms expire each year. The purpose of the School District is to provide educational services for all of Lower Cape May Regional’s students in grades 7 through 12. "</ref><ref>[https://lcmrschooldistrict.com/boardofeducation Board of Education], Lower Cape May Regional School District. Accessed March 13, 2020.</ref> Seats on the board are allocated based on population, with West Cape May assigned one seat.<ref>Crowley, Terence J. [https://lcmrschooldistrict.com/brettimages/responsetocmcbytcrowley.pdf#page=17 ''A Response to the Cape May Study to Reconfigure the Lower Cape May Regional School District''], Lower Cape May Regional School District, January 6, 2014. Accessed March 13, 2020. "The Lower Cape May Regional District (Regional) is classified as a Limited Purpose District.... It is a Type II district and apportions the Board of Education seats based upon the most recent United States Census. It has nine seats on the Board and that are apportioned as follows: Cape May City 1; West Cape May 1; Lower Township 7."</ref>

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&nbsp;million from the dissolution.<ref name=Study/>

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.<ref>[https://www.capemaytech.com/faq.html Frequently Asked Questions], [[Cape May County Technical High School]]. Accessed October 27, 2019. "All residents of Cape May County are eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School.... The Cape May County Technical High School is a public school so there is no cost to residents of Cape May County."</ref><ref>[https://www.capemaytech.com/hs-admissions.html Technical High School Admissions], [[Cape May County Technical High School]]. Accessed October 27, 2019. "All students who are residents of Cape May County may apply to the Technical High School."</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stump|first=Brice|title=Who was Charles Chipman?|newspaper=[[The Daily Times (Salisbury, Maryland)|The Daily Times]]|place=[[Salisbury, Maryland]]|date=1998-01-13|pages=11, 12}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78169379/a-biographical-article-with-details-on-a/ Clipping of first page] and [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79336245/for-west-cape-may-and-salisbury-md-scho/ of second page at] [[Newspapers.com]]</ref> Ordinarily black students attended a different industrial high school. The district maintained separate white and black elementary schools.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dr. Charles H. Chipman Is Outstanding Man|newspaper=[[The Daily Times (Salisbury, Maryland)|The Daily Times]]|location=[[Salisbury, Maryland]]|date=1981-02-23|page=6}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78170440/article-discussing-charles-chipman-had/ Clipping at] [[Newspapers.com]]</ref>

==Transportation==
[[File: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.jpg|thumb|right|[[County Route 607 (Cape May County, New Jersey)|County Route 607]] in West Cape May]]

===Roads and highways===

{{As of|2010|5}}, the borough had a total of {{convert|11.87|mi}} of roadways, of which {{convert|8.82|mi}} were maintained by the municipality and {{convert|3.05|mi}} by Cape May County.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/mileage_CapeMay.pdf Cape May County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction], [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]], May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>

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 (Cape May County, New Jersey)|County Route 607]].

===Public transportation===
[[NJ Transit]] offers bus service between [[Cape May, New Jersey|Cape May]] and [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]] on the [[552 (New Jersey bus)|552]] route.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100128140216/http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=BusRoutesCapemayCountyTo Cape May County Bus / Rail Connections], [[NJ Transit]], backed up by the [[Internet Archive]] as of January 28, 2010. Accessed October 31, 2014.</ref><ref>[http://www2.driveless.com/pdfs/SJTransitGuide.pdf#page=9 South Jersey Transit Guide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517124309/http://www.driveless.com/pdfs/sjtransitguide.pdf#page=9 |date=May 17, 2017 }}, Cross County Connection, as of January 2007. Accessed March 13, 2020.</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
[[File:WilbrahamParkWestCapeMay.jpg|thumb|Wilbraham Park]]
Wilbraham Park is in West Cape May. Every October the [[lima bean]] festival is held in that park.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://capemaycountynj.gov/418/West-Cape-May|title=West Cape May|publisher=Cape May County Government | accessdate=2021-04-26}}</ref> There is also a strawberry festival in West Cape May, sponsored by the West Cape May Business Association.<ref>{{cite web|last=Degener|first=Richard|url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/strawberry-festival-hits-spot-in-west-cape-may/article_d96e5638-0cb3-11e5-be17-4756c1baff61.html|title=Strawberry festival hits spot in West Cape May|newspaper=[[Press of Atlantic City]]|date=2015-06-06|accessdate=2021-05-22}}</ref>

==Wineries==
* [[Willow Creek Winery]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{portal|New Jersey}}
* [https://www.westcapemay.us/ West Cape May Borough website]
* [http://www.wcmforall.com/ West Cape May Commissioners for All the People website]
* [http://www.westcapemaytoday.com/ West Cape May Business Association website]
* [http://thecapemaygazette.com ''The Cape May Gazette''] – Weekly newspaper covering West Cape May

{{Cape May County, New Jersey}}
{{Jersey Shore region}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:West Cape May, New Jersey| ]]
[[Category:1884 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Boroughs in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Cape May County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1884]]
[[Category:Walsh Act]]