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Lower Township vs Middle Township

Next-door neighbors in Cape May County. The biggest differences: street grid (3.7× in Lower Township) and growth since 2010 (+11.3 pts in Middle Township).

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Lower Township, NJA colonial town, settled 1723Cape May County · 21,956 people
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Middle Township, NJA colonial town, settled 1723Cape May County · 20,277 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Lower TownshipA colonial town, settled 1723
HistorySettled in 172314 places on the National Register Outdoors#52 most conserved land in NJ20 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 26%of NJ districts All about Lower Township →
Middle TownshipA colonial town, settled 1723
HistorySettled in 17237 places on the National Register Outdoors#16 most conserved land in NJ25 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 72%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Middle Township →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid3.7×
Lower Township has the more walkable street grid
Lower Township 40.2Middle Township 11.0
Growth since 2010+11.3 pts
Middle Township has grown faster since 2010
Middle Township +7.8%Lower Township -3.5%
Jobs per worker2.2×
Middle Township is more of a job hub
Middle Township 1.12Lower Township 0.52
Seasonal homes+15.7 pts
Lower Township has more second homes
Lower Township 27.9%Middle Township 12.2%
Property tax bill+28%
Tax bills are bigger in Middle Township
Middle Township $5,344Lower Township $4,186
Conserved land+12.1 pts
Middle Township has more conserved land
Middle Township 45.9%Lower Township 33.8%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Middle Township places higher on 11 of 22 NJ lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every New Jersey ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
B+Lower TownshipSafer than 68% of U.S. towns CMiddle TownshipSafer than 31% of U.S. towns
Schools
CLower TownshipBetter than 26% of districts in the state C+Middle TownshipBetter than 35% of districts in the state
Health
BLower TownshipHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns B+Middle TownshipHealthier than 72% of U.S. towns
9Lower Township
11Middle Township

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fastest growingGrowth · 469 towns #416#86 Highest graduation rateSchools · 385 towns #348#214 SafestSafety · 324 towns #167#269 Most walkableOutdoors · 469 towns #315#404 Most trailsOutdoors · 354 towns #235#302 Fewest smokersHealth · 469 towns #343#290 Most new homesHousing · 468 towns #171#120 Most activeHealth · 469 towns #291#243

Left end = #1 in New Jersey. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Lower Township’s rankings →

Where they are

Lower Township and Middle Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Lower TownshipMiddle TownshipLower TownshipMiddle Township
Lower Township ↔ Middle Township8.5 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
1,539 Lower Township residents work in Middle Township (17.1% of its workers)
773 Middle Township residents work in Lower Township (9.4% of its workers)
Work & commute in Lower Township →
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Lower Township$2,260/mo
Typical home $365K (Census) · tax rate 1.15% · or rent about $1,386/mo · Housing →
Middle Township$2,240/mo
Typical home $342K (Census) · tax rate 1.56% · or rent about $1,500/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Lower TownshipMiddle Township
Snow a year15″15″
January low29°F29°F
July high86°F86°F
Growing season (days)222d222d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)63rd64th
Outdoors & history
Lower TownshipMiddle Township
Trails20 mi25 mi
Conserved land33.8%45.9%
Settled17231723
National Register places147
Archive photos2412
Famous people born here—2
Community
Lower TownshipMiddle Township
Library hours a week57 hrs70 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Lower TownshipMiddle Township
People
Population 21,956Highest 20,277Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.5%Lowest NJ: +5.7% +7.8%Highest NJ: +5.7%
Median age 51±3.1Highest 27% above NJ 46.4±2.5Lowest 16% above NJ
Lower Township and Middle Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.8%±2Lowest NJ: 21.8% 19.7%±2.7Highest NJ: 21.8%
Middle Township and Lower Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 28.5%±2.3Highest NJ: 17.2% 24%±2.3Lowest NJ: 17.2%
Lower Township and Middle Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.8%Lowest NJ: 43.6% 32.7%Highest NJ: 43.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±0.8Lowest NJ: 6.4% 6%±2.2Highest NJ: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $84,962±$5kHighest 18% below NJ $83,508±$8kLowest 19% below NJ
Lower Township and Middle Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $364,900±$16kHighest 20% below NJ $342,200±$20kLowest 25% below NJ
Lower Township and Middle Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,386±$171Lowest 19% below NJ $1,500±$266Highest 13% below NJ
Middle Township and Lower Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,186Lowest 56% below NJ $5,344Highest 44% below NJ
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.6%±13.7Lowest NJ: 51.6% 61.2%±16.3Highest NJ: 51.6%
Middle Township and Lower Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.7%Lowest NJ: 9.7% 12%Highest NJ: 9.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 84%Highest NJ: 63.8% 80.7%Lowest NJ: 63.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 5 yrs newer than NJ 1986Highest 16 yrs newer than NJ
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 37% below NJ 20 minHighest 34% below NJ
Work from home 9.7%±2.1 NJ: 16.8% 9.7%±2.7 NJ: 16.8%
Work in townworking residents 22.9%Lowest 29.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 8.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.52Lowest 1.12Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Middle Township (17%)Lower Township (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 17% work in Middle Township9% work in Lower Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 33.8%Lowest 45.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 19.5 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 10Highest 8Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 40.2Highest 11.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #294 of 458 in NJ#312 of 458 in NJ
School district Lower Cape May Regional School District · Lower Township Elementary School DistrictOFFICE OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES · Cape May County Technical High School District
High school in town Lower Cape May Regional High SchoolMiddle Township High School
Students per teacherat that high school 12.1 12.1
New Jersey average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Lower Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lower Township’s Town Square.

Middle Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Middle Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Lower Township

C
+ Compare
Cape May2,767 people · $864K homes
V
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Villas9,735 people · $302K homes
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North Cape May3,731 people · $393K homes
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Wildwood Crest3,077 people · $591K homes

Towns like Lower Township

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Barnegat Township25,165 people · $399K homes
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Little Egg Harbor Township21,285 people · $352K homes
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Lacey Township29,508 people · $409K homes
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West Milford Township24,705 people · $400K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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