The Town FilesPalermo, New Jersey
Community in Cape May County · population 3,183 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $395,400
- Household income
- $101,005
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 47.4
Palermo is a community of 3,183 people in Cape May County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $395,400, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of New Jersey towns, better for a vacation home than 98% of New Jersey towns, better for retirees than 91% of New Jersey towns.
How Palermo ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Palermo is worth $395,400, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $101,005, which is more affordable than 46% of New Jersey towns. 97.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palermo | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $395,400 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | — | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $101,005 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 97.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Palermo
| People | Palermo | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.1% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.9% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.0% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.3% | 94.6% |
Weather in Palermo
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 23.0°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.4 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palermo since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 21, 1987 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 9, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 16, 2025.
Severe weather in Cape May County since 1996
Cape May County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| April 28, 2021 | Snowstorm | DR-4597: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Cape May County
Cape May County had 42,713 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,574 a year. Unemployment was 7.6% in 2023; in Palermo itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Towns near Palermo
- Upper, NJ2.8 mi · 12,539 people · home $411,500
- Ocean City, NJ5.2 mi · 11,229 people · home $840,500
- Somers Point, NJ7.2 mi · 10,469 people · home $309,200
- Dennis, NJ7.3 mi · 6,285 people · home $360,400
- Linwood, NJ9.8 mi · 6,971 people · home $394,700
- English Creek, NJ10.2 mi · 3,364 people · home $248,600
- Bargaintown, NJ10.6 mi · 5,360 people · home $351,700
- Egg Harbor, NJ10.9 mi · 47,842 people · home $312,700
Palermo questions
Is Palermo, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palermo scores better for retirees than 91% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 84%. 34.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.4).
How much does a house cost in Palermo?
The median owner-occupied home in Palermo is valued at $395,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,005, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Palermo?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 23.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 19.4 inches of snow.
Does Palermo get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palermo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 21, 1987. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)