Cape May County, NJ elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Cape May County: 24 seats on 20 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Cape May County Board of County Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerLeonard C. Desiderio source
County CommissionerAndrew Bulakowski source
County CommissionerBobby Barr source
County CommissionerWill Morey sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerPatrick Rosenello sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkRita M. Rothberg source
SheriffRobert A. Nolan source
SurrogateE. Marie Hayes source

Cities and towns

How many local governments Cape May County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 46 local governments in Cape May County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships (12 municipal, 4 township)1616
School districts (school boards)140
Special districts (elected boards)150

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (2 in Cape May County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Cape May County

94,941people
51.8median ageU.S.: 38.9
$91,128 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
39%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$434,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
4.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.9%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5%U.S.: 8.4%
55%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
33.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 8.3% · White 83.9% · Black 3.4% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 3.7% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Cape May County

5.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 7.0%. New Jersey: 4.1%.
2,278people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
42,168people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
44,446in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Cape May County 0.0%3.8%7.7%11.5%15.3% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)5.1%2,27842,16844,446
August 20265.5%2,52843,37045,898
July 20265.6%2,55443,30645,860
June 20265.8%2,66143,32945,990
May 20266.5%2,90341,71744,620
April 20268.1%3,54140,44343,984
March 202610.6%4,71139,66944,380
February 202612.1%5,34838,94744,295
January 202611.6%5,08938,90043,989
December 20259.8%4,32539,95744,282
November 20259.2%4,09940,23644,335
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20257.0%3,11241,45244,564
August 20256.6%3,10443,96447,068
July 20256.8%3,23944,48347,722
June 20256.9%3,25943,73346,992
May 20257.9%3,53341,11744,650
April 202510.0%4,37839,43243,810
March 202512.1%5,25038,07143,321
February 202513.3%5,76937,69743,466
January 202512.8%5,51837,45042,968
December 202410.1%4,43239,24943,681
November 20249.2%3,96339,13043,093
October 20246.2%2,68440,49443,178
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)9.2%4,14440,69044,834
20248.3%3,69740,79344,490
20238.0%3,63441,61345,247
20227.2%3,22341,70344,926
202110.0%4,44340,13944,582
202014.6%6,31337,04143,354
20197.2%3,34242,78946,131
20188.5%3,85841,69845,556
20179.4%4,28741,28445,571
201610.0%4,68942,07146,760

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. New Jersey's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.2% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Cape May County

164.2 per 100,0002020. New Jersey: 195.4.
1,978.8 per 100,0002020. New Jersey: 1,158.2.
0murders2020, 154 violent crimes in all.

2020 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2020154164.21,8561,978.8
2019161171.31,9092,030.7
2018184195.31,9182,036.2
2017192198.22,6962,783.6
2016217225.52,8282,938.5
By police agency (13)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Lower Township Police Department20253012521,631
Middle Township Police Department20254731319,855
Ocean City Police Department20241323211,247
Wildwood Police Department2025262015,088
North Wildwood Police Department20253803,540
Wildwood Crest Police Department202510293,021
Cape May Police Department20254742,735
Sea Isle City Police Department20257622,127
Avalon Police Department20250921,211
West Cape May Police Department2023171,012
Stone Harbor Police Department2024054791
West Wildwood Police Department202512535
Cape May Point Police Department202006273

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in New Jersey · the U.S.

Police staffing

4.80 per 1,000 residents2022, 13 agencies serving 74,945 people.
360sworn officers2022, full-time, as of October 31.
59civilian staff2022, full-time.

2022 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (13), 2022
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Ocean City Police Department69911,258
Middle Township Police Department54620,845
Lower Township Police Department49622,238
Wildwood Police Department39105,105
North Wildwood Police Department2893,602
Wildwood Crest Police Department2933,079
Sea Isle City Police Department2292,135
Cape May Police Department2422,845
Avalon Police Department2231,209
Stone Harbor Police Department172792
West Wildwood Police Department70541
Cape May Point Police Department00301
West Cape May Police Department00995
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20223604.805913
20213595.087213
20203554.997413
20193474.857313
20183414.707813

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Cape May County County Clerk?
Rita M. Rothberg is the County Clerk of Cape May County, New Jersey.
Who is the Cape May County Sheriff?
Robert A. Nolan is the Sheriff of Cape May County, New Jersey.
Who is the Cape May County Surrogate?
E. Marie Hayes is the Surrogate of Cape May County, New Jersey.
Who are the Cape May County commissioners?
Leonard C. Desiderio (County Commissioner); Andrew Bulakowski (County Commissioner); Bobby Barr (County Commissioner); Will Morey (County Commissioner); Patrick Rosenello (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Cape May County?
About 94,941 people, with a median age of 51.8; the median household income is $91,128 and 8.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Cape May County?
5.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 2,278 people unemployed in a labor force of 44,446, against 7.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Cape May County?
46 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 12 municipal, 4 township, 14 school district and 15 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in Cape May County?
16: Avalon, Cape May, Cape May Point, Dennis, Lower, Middle, North Wildwood, Ocean, Sea Isle, Stone Harbor, Upper, West Cape May, West Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Woodbine. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the NJ Department of Community Affairs' Mayors Directory, the Division of Elections' list of county clerks, and each county's own website; where a county site blocks automated reading, from the county clerk's certified election results (officials appointed since an election may differ); each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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