When was Cape May County founded?

Cape May County was founded in 1685, and named after Cornelius Jacobsen May.

What is the county seat of Cape May County?

The county seat of Cape May County is Middle Township.

Is there an online parcel map for Cape May County?

Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 144,091 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Cape May County's boundary or name changed?

Cape May County was created in 1685. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Cumberland County, Gloucester County and Salem County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Cape May County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 34009

Cape May CountyNew Jersey

Cape May County is located in New Jersey and has Middle Township as its county seat. The county was established in 1685 and named after Cornelius Jacobsen May.

Founded1685
County seatMiddle Township
Named forCornelius Jacobsen May
Land area252 sq mi + 369 sq mi water
Population95,263 2020 Census
Parcels mapped144,091 checked 15 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Cape May County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Founded in 1685

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

In 1685, West New Jersey created Cape May as a court at the southern end of the Indefinite Counties Area from Burlington. In 1692, Cape May Court was converted to a county with clearly defined boundaries. When East and West New Jersey were united into the royal province of New Jersey in 1702, Cape May became a county in the new province. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Cape May exchanged territory with Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties through various boundary adjustments.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1685
Cape May County created In 1685 West New Jersey created the county-like court of Cape May from Burlington at the southern end of the Indefinite Counties Area; limits of Cape May also were not defined completely and clearly. 31 December 1685 · Snyder, 12
1692
Gained territory Cape May gained from Indefinite Counties Area in West New Jersey after Cape May Court was converted to a county and the boundaries were defined completely and clearly. 12 November 1692 · Leaming and Spicer, 508, 513, 514; Snyder, 29
1694
Lost territory Cape May lost to Gloucester.
to Gloucester
17 May 1694 · Snyder, 29-30
1702
Became part of New Jersey Proprietors of East and West New Jersey surrendered to Queen Anne their rights to govern their colonies, and the two colonies were united into the single royal province of New Jersey. Cape May became a county in the royal province of New Jersey; boundaries were unchanged. 17 April 1702 · Pomfret, Colonial New Jersey, 87; Snyder, 13; Swindler, 6:439-445, Van Zandt, 79
1710
Lost territory 21 January 1709/1710. Cape May lost to Gloucester and Salem.
to Gloucester to Salem
21 January 1710 · Paterson, 2-4; Snyder, 30-32

Show all 12 changes (7 more)

1685
Cape May County created In 1685 West New Jersey created the county-like court of Cape May from Burlington at the southern end of the Indefinite Counties Area; limits of Cape May also were not defined completely and clearly. 31 December 1685 · Snyder, 12
1692
Gained territory Cape May gained from Indefinite Counties Area in West New Jersey after Cape May Court was converted to a county and the boundaries were defined completely and clearly. 12 November 1692 · Leaming and Spicer, 508, 513, 514; Snyder, 29
1694
Lost territory Cape May lost to Gloucester.
to Gloucester
17 May 1694 · Snyder, 29-30
1702
Became part of New Jersey Proprietors of East and West New Jersey surrendered to Queen Anne their rights to govern their colonies, and the two colonies were united into the single royal province of New Jersey. Cape May became a county in the royal province of New Jersey; boundaries were unchanged. 17 April 1702 · Pomfret, Colonial New Jersey, 87; Snyder, 13; Swindler, 6:439-445, Van Zandt, 79
1710
Lost territory 21 January 1709/1710. Cape May lost to Gloucester and Salem.
to Gloucester to Salem
21 January 1710 · Paterson, 2-4; Snyder, 30-32
1822
Boundary clarified Boundary between Cape May and Cumberland redefined (no change).
with Cumberlandno change
28 November 1822 · N.J. Acts 1822, p. 35; Snyder, 34-36
1844
Gained territory Cape May gained from Cumberland.
from Cumberland
13 March 1844 · N.J. Acts 1844, p. 246; Snyder, 38
1845
Lost territory Cape May lost to Cumberland.
to Cumberland
26 February 1845 · N.J. Acts 1845, p. 58; Snyder, 38
1846
Boundary clarified Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem boundaries in Delaware Bay redefined.
with Cumberland with Salemno change
10 April 1846 · N.J. Rev. Stat. 1877, p. 203; Snyder, 38-40
1878
Gained territory Cape May gained from Cumberland.
from Cumberland
26 March 1878 · N.J. Acts 1878, p. 562; Snyder, 43
1891
Gained territory Cape May gained from Cumberland.
from Cumberland
2 April 1891 · N.J. Acts 1891, p. 541; Snyder, 44
1906
Boundary clarified Coastal limits of Cape May, Atlantic, Monmouth, and Ocean redefined.
with Atlantic with Monmouth with Oceanno change
17 May 1906 · N.J. Acts 1906, p. 542; Snyder, 45

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Cape May

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 144,091 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 103,883 in all from NJOGIS.
edited 23 September 2026 · checked 14 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Cape May by the Census

Population

95,263 2020 Census count

Housing units

99,606 2020 Census count

Land area

252 square miles

Water area

369 square miles · 59% of the county, including large bodies of water

People per sq mi

379 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Cape May County's official site

We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.

County government

County government
The official website of Cape May County.
co.cape-may.nj.us

See your own lot on these maps

Open Cape May County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Cape May County

When was Cape May County founded?: Cape May County was founded in 1685, and named after Cornelius Jacobsen May.
What is the county seat of Cape May County?: The county seat of Cape May County is Middle Township.
Is there an online parcel map for Cape May County?: Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 144,091 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Cape May County's boundary or name changed?: Cape May County was created in 1685. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Cumberland County, Gloucester County and Salem County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Cape May County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby