The Town FilesRio Grande, New Jersey
Community in Cape May County · population 3,610 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $317,400
- Household income
- $76,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 51.2
Rio Grande is a community of 3,610 people in Cape May County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $317,400, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 93% of New Jersey towns, more seaside character than 87% of New Jersey towns, quieter than 77% of New Jersey towns.
How Rio Grande 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 Rio Grande is worth $317,400, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $76,250, which is more affordable than 36% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,305 a month. 74.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rio Grande | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $317,400 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,305 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $76,250 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.3% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.3% | — |
Who lives in Rio Grande
| People | Rio Grande | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.4% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 10.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 15.0 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 94.6% |
Weather in Rio Grande
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 28.5°F. About 43.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.8 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 72 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rio Grande since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 27, 1971 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 10, 2008.
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 Rio Grande itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Towns near Rio Grande
- Lower, NJ3.0 mi · 22,057 people · home $364,900
- Villas, NJ3.1 mi · 9,134 people · home $301,600
- Wildwood, NJ3.9 mi · 5,157 people · home $391,300
- Wildwood Crest, NJ3.9 mi · 3,101 people · home $590,900
- North Wildwood, NJ4.4 mi · 3,621 people · home $459,900
- North Cape May, NJ4.7 mi · 4,007 people · home $393,300
- Cape May Court House, NJ5.1 mi · 5,573 people · home $381,200
- Cape May, NJ5.5 mi · 2,768 people · home $863,900
Rio Grande questions
Is Rio Grande, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rio Grande scores better for retirees than 34% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 77%. 24.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.2).
How much does a house cost in Rio Grande?
The median owner-occupied home in Rio Grande is valued at $317,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,250, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,305 a month.
What is the weather like in Rio Grande?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 28.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.8 inches of precipitation a year and 14.8 inches of snow.
Does Rio Grande get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rio Grande 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)