The Town FilesUpper, New Jersey
Township in Cape May County · population 12,539 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $411,500
- Household income
- $111,991
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 44.6
Upper is a township of 12,539 people in Cape May County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $411,500, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of New Jersey towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of New Jersey towns, quieter than 90% of New Jersey towns.
How Upper 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 Upper is worth $411,500, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $111,991, which is more affordable than 53% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,843 a month. 95.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Upper | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $411,500 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,843 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $111,991 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 95.1% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 18.5% | — |
Who lives in Upper
| People | Upper | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.7% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.5% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 94.6% |
Weather in Upper
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 20.0 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
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 27, 1971 about 3.9 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 7 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 1, 2020.
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 Upper itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Upper
1 public school with 442 students, about 10.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Township Middle School | 6-8 | 442 | 10.3 |
Towns near Upper
- Palermo, NJ2.8 mi · 3,183 people · home $395,400
- Dennis, NJ6.1 mi · 6,285 people · home $360,400
- Ocean City, NJ6.8 mi · 11,229 people · home $840,500
- Somers Point, NJ7.6 mi · 10,469 people · home $309,200
- English Creek, NJ9.3 mi · 3,364 people · home $248,600
- Linwood, NJ10.2 mi · 6,971 people · home $394,700
- Egg Harbor, NJ10.4 mi · 47,842 people · home $312,700
- Bargaintown, NJ10.5 mi · 5,360 people · home $351,700
Upper questions
Is Upper, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Upper scores better for retirees than 82% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 90%. 25.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.6).
How much does a house cost in Upper?
The median owner-occupied home in Upper is valued at $411,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,991, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,843 a month.
What is the weather like in Upper?
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 20.0 inches of snow.
Does Upper get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 27, 1971. 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)