Practical Living: A Small, Affluent Borough That Swells Every Summer
Avalon is a borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, on the northern half of Seven Mile Island -- a barrier island it shares with Stone Harbor to the south. The 2020 census counted 1,243 year-round residents, down 6.8% from 1,334 in 2010, across a total area of 5.06 square miles (4.27 square miles of land, 0.79 square miles of water). That modest year-round base sits alongside a summer population that can swell to as many as 45,000, and a documented reputation for wealth -- Forbes named Avalon the 65th most expensive ZIP code in the United States in 2007, and the 2010 census recorded a median household income of $88,527. This is this site's sixth New Jersey market, following Cape May, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, North Wildwood, and Stone Harbor, so several of New Jersey's tax and regulatory customs genuinely differ from what Delaware buyers may be used to. Here is what this research pass could confirm about year-round life here, and where the real gaps are.
A Small, Shrinking Year-Round Population
Avalon's 2020 census population of 1,243 was down 91 residents, or 6.8%, from 1,334 in 2010 -- a meaningful decline for a borough already this small. That population lives across 5.06 total square miles, with 4.27 square miles of land and 0.79 square miles of water, making Avalon a compact year-round community even before accounting for how dramatically its population shifts by season.
This research pass did not confirm a current (2026) permanent population figure beyond that 2020 census count, nor current median home prices, active listing counts, or specific current rental rates for Avalon. None of those figures are invented here -- treat the 2020 census numbers as the most recent independently confirmed baseline, and confirm anything more current directly with the Borough of Avalon and Cape May County.
A Summer Population More Than 35 Times the Year-Round Count
Avalon's summer population can reach as many as 45,000 -- more than thirty-five times its 1,243 year-round residents. That seasonal swell shapes daily life directly: traffic, parking, staffing at whatever services do operate, and the rhythm of the entire year all shift dramatically as a quiet off-season gives way to a far busier late spring through early fall.
Anyone weighing year-round life here should think through both halves of that split: a small, quiet off-season community, and a very large seasonal one that reshapes the town for several months each year. This research pass did not confirm a current-year peak-season population figure beyond the commonly cited "as many as 45,000" range, and no more precise current figure is invented here.
A Genuinely Affluent Housing Market
Avalon's affluent identity is independently documented rather than just a marketing claim. Forbes named Avalon the 65th most expensive ZIP code in the United States in 2007, and the 2010 census recorded a median household income of $88,527, a median family income of $135,781, and a per capita income of $99,655. Avalon has also been described as one of the most affluent communities along the Jersey Shore, with some of the most expensive real estate on the East Coast, and Washingtonian magazine has named it the "chicest beach" in the Mid-Atlantic.
Those figures are dated, not current, and this research pass did not confirm today's median home price, current listing inventory, or current rental rates. Do not treat the 2007 Forbes ranking or the 2010 census income figures as reflecting today's market -- confirm current pricing directly with a licensed real estate professional working in Avalon and Cape May County.
Everyday Services in a Small Borough
A borough of 1,243 year-round residents cannot support the same density of everyday services as a larger town, even one with Avalon's affluence. Grocery shopping, pharmacy needs, schooling, and medical care for year-round residents typically mean looking beyond the borough's own 5.06 square miles to the wider Cape May County mainland, much as neighboring small barrier-island communities do.
This research pass did not confirm specific current grocery store, pharmacy, or school names serving Avalon, current school district attendance-zone assignments, or the name of any hospital serving borough residents. None of that is invented here. Confirm current schools, medical facilities, and everyday services directly with the Borough of Avalon and Cape May County.
A Modest Footprint on a Shared Barrier Island
At 5.06 total square miles -- 4.27 square miles of land and 0.79 square miles of water -- Avalon occupies the northern half of Seven Mile Island, which it shares with Stone Harbor to the south. That barrier-island setting, combined with a real elevation of just 7 feet above sea level, shapes parking, proximity between neighboring properties, and how far routine errands actually run, in ways worth weighing directly against a buyer's own expectations of year-round life.
Avalon also maintains rock jetties and ongoing beach-replenishment efforts along its coastline, and its native landscape was originally a juniper forest that has largely disappeared with development, making hills and native juniper rare in the town today. This research pass did not confirm a current jetty count or the name, cost, or completion date of any specific current replenishment project -- none of that is invented here.
This Site's Sixth New Jersey Market: Different Tax and Regulatory Customs
Avalon is this site's sixth New Jersey market, following Cape May, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, North Wildwood, and Stone Harbor. That matters practically: New Jersey's state sales tax and its municipal and county property tax structure are genuinely different from Delaware's no-sales-tax system used across this site's earlier Delaware markets. Buyers coming from a Delaware frame of reference should not assume Delaware's tax framing carries over here, and the same caution applies to anyone comparing Avalon against Cape May, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, North Wildwood, or Stone Harbor, since local rates and procedures can differ between New Jersey municipalities as well.
This research pass did not confirm current Cape May County or Borough of Avalon property tax rates, New Jersey's current state sales tax rate, or specific assessment figures. Confirm all of it directly with the relevant borough, county, and state offices before treating any of it as settled.
What This Research Pass Did Not Confirm
Current (2026) permanent population beyond the 2020 census figure of 1,243, current median home price, active listing counts, and specific current rental rates were not confirmed this research pass, and none of those figures are invented here. Current Cape May County and Borough of Avalon property tax rates, New Jersey's current state sales tax rate, and specific assessment figures were likewise not confirmed -- direct those questions to Cape May County government, the Borough of Avalon's own finance office, and the State of New Jersey.
Specific current flood zone designations for individual Avalon parcels were not confirmed -- check FEMA's Flood Map Service Center directly for any specific address. This research pass also did not confirm specific grocery store, pharmacy, school, or hospital names serving Avalon, current school district attendance-zone assignments, current municipal staffing and service levels, or any current (2025-2026) storm damage, erosion event, or beach-replenishment project specific to Avalon. None of that is invented here -- confirm all of it directly with the Borough of Avalon, Cape May County, and the State of New Jersey before treating any of it as settled.
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Get a Free Agent Referral →Independent research. No ads. No sponsored listings. Avalon's Cape May County, New Jersey location on the northern half of Seven Mile Island, shared with Stone Harbor to the south; its 2020 census population of 1,243 (down 6.8% from 1,334 in the 2010 census) across 5.06 square miles (4.27 square miles land, 0.79 square miles water) at an elevation of 7 feet; its summer population reaching as many as 45,000; and its independently documented affluent identity -- including Forbes's 2007 ranking as the 65th most expensive ZIP code in the United States, and 2010 census figures of $88,527 median household income, $135,781 median family income, and $99,655 per capita income -- are confirmed facts, cross-checked against this site's own research notes for Avalon. New Jersey's sales-tax and property-tax structure differing from Delaware's no-sales-tax system is likewise confirmed. Current population beyond the 2020 census, current home prices and rental rates, current property tax and sales tax rates, current flood zone designations, specific grocery/pharmacy/school/hospital names, current school district assignments, current municipal staffing or service levels, and any current storm damage or replenishment project details were not confirmed this research pass and are not invented here. Confirm current details directly with the Borough of Avalon, Cape May County government, the State of New Jersey, and FEMA's Flood Map Service Center. Nothing on this page is legal, tax, or financial advice.