The Wildwoods are a group of five communities (four distinct municipalities and one census-designated place) in Cape May County, New Jersey. These are situated on the Island of Five Mile Beach, a barrier island facing the Atlantic Ocean. These Jersey Shore communities have relatively small year-round populations that swell significantly during the summer with vacationers. [1]
While the communities have no shared governance (other than Cape May County), with each community reporting to a different local government, the term is often used to refer collectively to the area. All of the communities are part of the greater Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area.
From north to south, the five communities are:
The Wildwoods is home to over 200 motels, built during the Doo-Wop era of the 1950s and 1960s, [7] in an area recognized by the state of New Jersey known as the Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District. [8] The term doo-wop was coined by Cape May's Mid-Atlantic Center For The Arts in the early 1990s to describe the unique, space-age architectural style, which is also referred to as the Googie or populuxe style. [9]
For other groups of similarly named municipalities in New Jersey, see:
Presidential Lakes Estates is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Pemberton Township, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 2,365.
Cape May Court House is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Middle Township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 5,573, reflecting a 4.4% increase from the 5,338 enumerated at the 2010 U.S. census, in turn an increase of 13.5% from the 4,704 counted in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cape May County and serves as the principal administrative hub for the township. It constitutes part of the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area, or the Delaware Valley.
Diamond Beach 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 CDP, 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 United States 2020 Census, the CDP's population was 203, an increase of 67 from the 2010 census count of 136.
Lower Township is a 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 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 township's population was 22,057, a decrease of 809 (−3.5%) from the 2010 census count of 22,866, which in turn reflected a decrease of 79 (−0.3%) from the 22,945 counted in the 2000 census.
Middle Township is a 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 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 township's population was 20,380, an increase of 1,469 (+7.8%) from the 2010 census count of 18,911, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,506 (+15.3%) from the 16,405 counted in the 2000 census. The township's Cape May Court House section is the county seat of Cape May County.
North Cape May 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. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 3,226. The Cape May–Lewes Ferry departs from the area. North Cape May is mostly a residential community, with no hotels but many vacation homes. Many people retire to the community.
North Wildwood is a city located on the Jersey Shore 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 city's population was 3,621, a decrease of 420 (−10.4%) from the 2010 census count of 4,041, which in turn reflected a decline of 894 (−18.1%) from the 4,935 counted in the 2000 census. North Wildwood is home to the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse.
Rio Grande is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Middle Township and Lower Township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of 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.
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.
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.
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.
Wildwood 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 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 5,157, a decrease of 168 (−3.2%) from the 2010 census count of 5,325, which in turn reflected a decline of 111 (−2.0%) from the 5,436 counted in the 2000 census. A popular Jersey Shore resort destination, the population can swell to 250,000 during the summer. Wildwood was the first city in New Jersey to have a female mayor, Doris W. Bradway, who was ousted in a 1938 recall election.
Wildwood Crest 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 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 3,101, a decrease of 169 (−5.2%) from the 2010 census count of 3,270, which in turn reflected a decline of 710 (−17.8%) from the 3,980 counted in the 2000 census.
Olivet is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Pittsgrove Township, in Salem County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 1,408.
New Gretna is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Bass River Township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08224.
Great Meadows is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Independence Township in Warren County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, that was created as part of the 2010 United States Census. As of the 2010 census, the CDP's population was 303.
The Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District, or Doo Wop Motel District, is an area in The Wildwoods, New Jersey, that was home to over 300 motels built during the Doo-Wop era of the 1950s and 1960s. Officially recognized as a historic district by the State of New Jersey, it lies primarily in the municipality of Wildwood Crest, along a two-mile stretch between Atlantic and Ocean avenues, and includes areas in Wildwood and North Wildwood. The term doo-wop was coined by Cape May's Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts in the early 1990s to describe the unique, space-age architectural style, which is also referred to as the Googie or populuxe style.
Florence is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Florence Township, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, that was established as part of the 2010 United States Census. As of the 2000 United States Census, the CDP was combined as Florence-Roebling, which had a total population of 8,200. As of the 2010 Census, the Florence-Roebling CDP was split into its components, Roebling and Florence. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the Florence CDP was 4,426.
Panther Valley is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Allamuchy Township, in Warren County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 3,327.