Cape May County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.3 | 94,610 people · 13th most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

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Cape May County, NJ falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.3 — 1761st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within New Jersey, it ranks 13th of 21 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cape May County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 83.2 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 83.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 22
Economic Vitality 77.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 48
Structural Poverty 51.9
Unemployment Rate 99
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Legal Distress 41.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42
Consumer Credit Distress 24.1
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 24

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cape May County
Cape May County, NJ 47.3 Normal —
Cumberland County, NJ 78.8 Serious +31.6
Kent County, DE 71.4 Serious +24.1
Atlantic County, NJ 66.9 Serious +19.6
Sussex County, DE 48.0 Normal +0.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cape May County
Floyd County, IN 47.3 Normal 0.0
Porter County, IN 47.3 Normal +0.0
Comal County, TX 47.4 Normal +0.1
Clermont County, OH 47.2 Normal -0.1
San Benito County, CA 47.2 Normal -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Cape May County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Cape May County

Find an Attorney

New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-792-8315

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Cape May County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of New Jersey 1-888-576-5529
Community Health Law Project
New Jersey State Bar Foundation — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-792-8315
Central Jersey Legal Services, Inc. (732) 249-7600
Essex-Newark Legal Services Project, Inc. (973) 624-4500
Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, Inc. (908) 231-0840
Northeast New Jersey Legal Services Corporation (201) 792-6363
South Jersey Legal Services, Inc. (800) 496-4570

Self-Help Resources

NJ Courts Foreclosure Self-Help Center Official NJ Courts self-help guidance on foreclosure proceedings

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in New Jersey →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Cape May County, New Jersey?

    Cape May County has a County Distress Index score of 47.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,761st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cape May County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cape May County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 83.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cape May County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cape May County (47.3) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Cumberland County, NJ (78.8); Kent County, DE (71.4); Atlantic County, NJ (66.9).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Cape May County's score of 47.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Cape May County's CDI score?

    Cape May County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Cape May County?

    Cape May County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 94,610 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.