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West Wildwood, New Jersey
Borough
Borough of West Wildwood
Boat docked behind a house
Boat docked behind a house
Motto(s): 
Small Town Charm on the Back Bay
West Wildwood Borough highlighted in Cape May County. Inset map: Cape May County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
West Wildwood Borough highlighted in Cape May County. Inset map: Cape May County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of West Wildwood, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of West Wildwood, New Jersey
West Wildwood, New Jersey is located in Cape May County, New Jersey
West Wildwood, New Jersey
West Wildwood, New Jersey
Location in Cape May County, New Jersey
West Wildwood, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
West Wildwood, New Jersey
West Wildwood, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
West Wildwood, New Jersey is located in the United States
West Wildwood, New Jersey
West Wildwood, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Cape May
Incorporated April 21, 1920
Government
 • Type Walsh Act
 • Body Board of Commissioners
Area
 • Total 0.36 sq mi (0.94 km2)
 • Land 0.29 sq mi (0.74 km2)
 • Water 0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2)  21.67%
Area rank 551st of 565 in state
15th of 16 in county
Elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 • Total 603
 • Estimate 
(2019)
550
 • Rank 550th of 566 in state
15th of 16 in county
 • Density 2,188.4/sq mi (844.9/km2)
 • Density rank 277th of 566 in state
4th of 16 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
08260
Area code(s) 609
FIPS code 3400980210
GNIS feature ID 0885441

West Wildwood is a borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 603, reflecting an increase of 155 (+34.6%) from the 448 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 5 (-1.1%) from the 453 counted in the 1990 Census. The summer population grows to as much as 5,000.

West Wildwood was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 21, 1920, from portions of Middle Township.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.346 square miles (0.894 km2), including 0.276 square miles (0.714 km2) of land and 0.070 square miles (0.181 km2) of water (20.21%).

The borough borders North Wildwood City, Wildwood City, and Middle Township.

Located on a small island connected to Wildwood by a two-lane bridge, the borough is mostly vacation and year-round homes with a single night club, a miniature golf course and several marinas.

Demographics

West Wildwood NJ Bible Church
West Wildwood Bible Church
Historical population
Census Pop.
1930 178
1940 146 −18.0%
1950 237 62.3%
1960 207 −12.7%
1970 235 13.5%
1980 360 53.2%
1990 453 25.8%
2000 448 −1.1%
2010 603 34.6%
2019 (est.) 550 −8.8%
Population sources:
1930-2000 1930
1930-1990 2000 2010

Census 2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 603 people, 276 households, and 160 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,188.4 per square mile (844.9/km2). There were 893 housing units at an average density of 3,240.9 per square mile (1,251.3/km2)*. The racial makeup of the borough was 95.36% (575) White, 1.49% (9) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.00% (0) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.66% (4) from other races, and 2.49% (15) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.65% (16) of the population.

There were 276 households out of which 14.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.0% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the borough, the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52.8 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 99.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $38,750 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,914) and the median family income was $57,981 (+/- $16,263). Males had a median income of $36,607 (+/- $10,003) versus $36,364 (+/- $10,046) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,606 (+/- $4,119). About 6.7% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 448 people, 202 households, and 117 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,698.0 people per square mile (665.3/km2). There were 775 housing units at an average density of 1, 150.9/km2 (2,937.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.76% White, 0.22% Asian, 2.23% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.79% of the population.

There were 202 households, out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $33,393, and the median income for a family was $50,625. Males had a median income of $38,281 versus $21,190 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,839. About 3.2% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

2018-10-09 10 00 51 View north along Cape May County Route 614 (Glenwood Avenue) at Venice Avenue in West Wildwood, Cape May County, New Jersey
CR 614 entering West Wildwood

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 5.59 miles (9.00 km) of roadways, of which 4.79 miles (7.71 km) were maintained by the municipality and 0.80 miles (1.29 km) by Cape May County.

County Route 614 (Glenwood Avenue) runs through the borough to its northern tip.

Economy

Portions of the borough—together with areas in North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest—are part of a joint Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The four municipalities in The Wildwoods were selected in 2002 as one of a group of three zones added to participate in the program as part of a joint zone with. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the 6+58% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in November 2002, the borough's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in December 2023. The joint UEZ is overseen by the Enterprise Zone Development Corporation of the Wildwoods Board, which includes representatives from all four municipalities.

Education

MargaretMaceSchool
West Wildwood students are zoned to Margaret Mace School of the North Wildwood School District for grades PreK-8

Public school students from West Wildwood, a non-operating school district, attend Margaret Mace School in North Wildwood, of the North Wildwood School District, for grades PreK-8 and Wildwood High School of Wildwood City School District for ninth grade through twelfth grade as part of a sending/receiving relationship. In 2019 North Wildwood district received 20 students from West Wildwood, making up 11% of the North Wildwood district enrollment.

As of the 2017–18 school year, the Wildwood Public School district, comprised of three schools, had a total enrollment of 909 students and 96.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2017-18 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Glenwood Elementary School (PreK-5; 489 students), Wildwood Middle School (6-8; 163 students) and Wildwood High School (9-12; 234 students). For ninth through twelfth grades, students from North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest attend Wildwood High School as part of sending/receiving relationships.

Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in the Cape May Court House area, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents. Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area.

In 2020 the West Wildwood School Board commissioned a study from Stockton University exploring whether switching K-8 education to the Wildwood School District would have effects, causing a negative reaction from multiple parents who preferred that their children attend Mace School. The study stated that West Wildwood would save $177,118 per year if it used Wildwood City district for K-8.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: West Wildwood para niños

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