Location of Stone Harbor in Cape May County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Cape May County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 796,[21][11] a decrease of 70 (−8.1%) from the 2010 census count of 866,[22][23] which in turn had reflected a decline of 262 (−23.2%) from the 1,128 counted in the 2000 census.[24] The borough has a summer population in excess of 20,000,[25] who are generally wealthier than full-time residents.[26]
The New York Times described Stone Harbor as a place of "gleaming McMansions and elegant shops",[27] with an average single-family home selling for $2.5 million in 2008.[28] In 2017, Stone Harbor was the third-most expensive ZIP Code in New Jersey based on median home sale price, and had the second-priciest residential real estate transaction in the state that year at $10 million.[29] In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Stone Harbor (ZIP Code 08247) at the 191st spot on its list of the most expensive ZIP Codes in the United States.[30]
History
Development began in the late 19th century as a beach resort along the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad line. The community was marketed to wealthy residents of Philadelphia seeking a resort destination for a second home.[28]
Stone Harbor was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 3, 1914, from portions of Middle Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 28, 1914. The borough gained a portion of Avalon on December 27, 1941.[31] The borough is said to be named for an English sea captain named Stone who sought shelter from a storm in the area.[32][33]
In 2015, a contract was awarded to dredge adjacent bodies of water. In early 2016, during the dewatering stage of the operation, a total of three geotubes discharged a small quantity of sediment containing several contaminants. Dredging was halted pending development of a plan to prevent future such spills.[34]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.19 square miles (5.68 km2), including 1.42 square miles (3.68 km2) of land and 0.77 square miles (2.01 km2) of water (35.34%).[2][3]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Seven Mile Beach.[35]
Of the 441 households, 10.2% had children under the age of 18; 49.2% were married couples living together; 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 42.0% were non-families. Of all households, 37.4% were made up of individuals and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.54.[22]
10.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 11.8% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 41.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 60.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 89.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 84.2 males.[22]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $69,286 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,969) and the median family income was $92,083 (+/− $19,643). Males had a median income of $55,417 (+/− $23,166) versus $70,208 (+/− $15,479) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $60,057 (+/− $10,700). About 2.8% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.[45]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[17] there were 1,128 people, 596 households, and 330 families residing in the borough. The population density was 796.1 inhabitants per square mile (307.4/km2). There were 3,428 housing units at an average density of 2,419.4 per square mile (934.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.76% White, 0.80% African American, 0.18% from other races, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.[43][44]
There were 596 households, out of which 11.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.89 and the average family size was 2.50.[43][44]
In the borough the population was spread out, with 12.3% under the age of 18, 3.0% from 18 to 24, 14.4% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 38.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.[43][44]
The median income for a household in the borough was $51,471, and the median income for a family was $67,250. Males had a median income of $52,500 versus $35,000 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,427. About 1.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.[43][44]
Government
Local government
Stone Harbor is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.[46] The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[8] The borough form of government used by Stone Harbor is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.[47][48][49]
As of 2023[update], the mayor of Stone Harbor Borough is Republican Judith M. Davies-Dunhour, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. Members of the Stone Harbor Borough Council are Council President Francis J. "Frank" Dallahan (R, 2024), Robin Lynn Casper (R, 2023), Victor Foschini (I, 2025), Jennifer B. Gensemer (R, 2025), Reese E. Moore (R, 2023) and Bernadette "Bunny" Parzych (R, 2024).[4][50][51][52][53][54]
In June 2019, Frank Dallahan was selected from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that was vacated by Robert Levins when he resigned from office due to health issues; Dallahan served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.[55][56]
In November 2018, the council selected Reese Moore from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that was vacated the previous month following the resignation of Council President Karen Lane; Moore served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when she was elected to serve the remainder of the term.[57][56]
In 2018, the borough had an average property tax bill of $8,615, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.[58]
Federal, state and county representation
Stone Harbor is located in the 2nd Congressional District[59] and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.[60][61][62]
Cape May County is governed by a five-person Board of County Commissioners whose members are elected at-large on a partisan basis to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year; At an annual reorganization held each January, the commissioners select one member to serve as director and another to serve as vice-director.[68] As of 2025[update], Cape May County's Commissioners are
Director Leonard C. Desiderio (R, Sea Isle City, 2027),[69]
Robert Barr (R, Ocean City; 2025),[70]
Will Morey (R, Wildwood Crest; 2026),[71]
Melanie Collette (R. Middle Township; 2026),[72] and
Vice-Director Andrew Bulakowski (R, Lower Township; 2025).[73][68][74]
The county's constitutional officers are Clerk Rita Marie Rothberg (R, 2025, Ocean City),[75][76]
Sheriff Robert Nolan (R, 2026, Lower Township)[77][78] and
Surrogate E. Marie Hayes (R, 2028, Ocean City).[79][80][81][74]
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 778 registered voters in Stone Harbor, of which 62 (8.0%) were registered as Democrats, 588 (75.6%) were registered as Republicans and 128 (16.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.[82]
In 2016, Republican Donald Trump received 59.3% of the vote (296 votes) vs. Hillary Clinton's 37.5% (187 votes) with other candidates taking 3.2% (16 votes).[83] In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.8% of the vote (411 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.1% (216 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (7 votes), among the 640 ballots cast by the borough's 782 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 81.8%.[84][85] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 62.7% of the vote (416 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 36.1% (240 votes), with 664 ballots cast among the borough's 801 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.9%.[86] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 69.6% of the vote (519 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 29.1% (217 votes), with 746 ballots cast among the borough's 920 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.1.[87]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 82.7% of the vote (324 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 15.8% (62 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (6 votes), among the 405 ballots cast by the borough's 742 registered voters (13 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.6%.[88][89] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.9% of the vote (349 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.5% (172 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.4% (25 votes), with 564 ballots cast among the borough's 808 registered voters, yielding a 69.8% turnout.[90]
Education
The Stone Harbor School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 99 students and 11.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.0:1.[91] In the 2016–17 school year, Stone Harbor had the 4th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state, with 75 students.[92]
Starting with the 2011–12 school year, in an agreement with the Avalon School District, public school students in grades K–4 from both communities attend school in Stone Harbor while all students in grades 5–8 attend school in Avalon.[93]
Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents.[97][98] Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area.
Cape May County Library operates the Stone Harbor Library.[102]
Transportation
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 24.11 miles (38.80 km) of roadways, of which 21.38 miles (34.41 km) were maintained by the municipality and 2.73 miles (4.39 km) by Cape May County.[103]
The Stone Harbor Water Tower pumping station, built in 1924, is the oldest municipal structure still in use in Stone Harbor. The tower, 133 feet (41 m) high, can be seen from almost anywhere on the island. It holds 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 L; 420,000 imp gal) of water and is supplied by four individual fresh water wells 890 feet (270 m) deep that tap the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer.[109] In 2005, artist Peter Max developed a plan to cover the water tower with a mural made up of digital version of his paintings and artworks that covered 30 by 170 feet (9.1 by 51.8 m) that would be glued to the tower from June through September, with facsimiles of the art sold through Ocean Galleries as a fundraiser to benefit The Wetlands Institute and other charities.[27]
Stone Harbor's oceanfront was ranked the tenth-best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.[114]
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Stone Harbor has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with hot, moderately humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Stone Harbor, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values at or above 95.0 °F (35.0 °C). During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below 0.0 °F (−17.8 °C). The plant hardiness zone at Stone Harbor Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 6.0 °F (−14.4 °C).[115] The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is 12 to 18 inches (300 to 460 mm), and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.
Climate data for Stone Harbor Beach, NJ (1981–2010 Averages)
^Master Plan, Borough of Stone Harbor. Accessed May 22, 2008.
^Master Plan Reexamination 2019, Borough of Stone Harbor. Accessed October 28, 2019. "Harbor is attracting wealthier homeowners. The Cape May County Planning Department Estimates that Stone Harbor's population swells to just over 21,000 people in the summer. The second homeowners who occupy their summer dwellings are typically more affluent then the year round population."
^Cole, T. Mark; and Glasgow, Cheryl. Stone Harbor, p. 10. Arcadia Publishing, 2001. ISBN9780738505220. Accessed October 10, 2015. "Named for an English sea captain who found refuge from a storm here, the area was first called Stoneharbor. In 1931, the name was changed to Stone Harbor."
^Benson, David. "Stone Harbor project shut down after second spill"Archived 2016-10-10 at the Wayback Machine, The Gazette of Middle Township, April 7, 2016. Accessed May 31, 2016. "A Stone Harbor dredging project aimed at removing about 100,000 cubic yards of silt from the borough's back bays has been shut down by the state after two geotubes failed recently at the Stone Harbor marina parking lot, releasing mud which seeped through bulkhead openings and into the North Basin, officials said."
^Agenda and Meetings, Borough of Stone Harbor. Accessed March 13, 2020. "The Borough form of municipal government is the most common among New Jersey's municipalities. This form of government provides for a mayor and a six-member council, elected separately in partisan elections at the November general election. The mayor serves for four years. Council members serve three-year staggered terms of office, with two council seats being contested each year. The mayor and council members are elected at large from the entire community."
^Conti, Vince. "Dallahan Joins Council", Cape May County Herald, June 11, 2019. Accessed October 28, 2019. "When health-related issues led Robert Levins to resign from Stone Harbor Borough Council, the process to temporarily fill the seat requires that the municipality’s Republican organization nominate three potential candidates. That left the final decision to the council. Frank Dallahan, one of the candidates nominated, was appointed by council June 4 to finish Levins’ unexpired term."
^Conti, Vince. "Shifts Occur on Council", Cape May County Herald, November 27, 2018. Accessed October 28, 2019. "Stone Harbor Council President Karen Lane resigned from council effective Oct. 22.... Council member Joselyn Rich was selected as its president for the remainder of the calendar year.... On Nov. 20, council announced its appointment to Lane’s vacant seat: Reese Moore, an active member in the Stone Harbor Property Owners Association (SHPOA)."
^Marcus, Samantha. "These are the towns with the highest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, April 22, 2019. Accessed November 5, 2019. "The average property tax bill in New Jersey was $8,767 last year. But there can be big swings from town to town and county to county.... The average property tax bill in Stone Harbor Borough was $8,615 in 2018, the highest in Cape May County."
^ abBoard of County Commissioners, Cape May County, New Jersey. Accessed April 28, 2022. "Cape May County Government is governed by a Board of County Commissioners. These individuals are elected at large by the citizens of Cape May County and hold spaced 3-year terms." Note that as of date accessed, Desiderio is listed with an incorrect term-end year of 2020.
^Guion, Payton. "These 43 N.J. school districts have fewer than 200 students", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 2017. Accessed January 30, 2020. "Based on data from the state Department of Education from the last school year and the Census Bureau, NJ Advance Media made a list of the smallest of the small school districts in the state, excluding charter schools and specialty institutions.... 4. Stone Harbor Borough; Enrollment: 75; Grades: K-4; County: Cape May; Town population: 866"
^Stone Harbor Elementary School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 5, 2017. "The district has entered into a 'send-receive' agreement with the neighboring district on the island to consolidate the instructional programs in the two schools. Stone Harbor houses the K-4 programs for both districts and Avalon houses grades 5-8."
^Middle Township High School 2015 School Report Card, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 23, 2020. "Middle Township High School is a four-year, accredited, comprehensive high school situated in central Cape May County. The school serves the communities of Middle Township, Dennis Township, Avalon, Stone Harbor, and Woodbine Borough."
^Home page, Middle Township Public Schools. Accessed June 23, 2020. "The high school is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades. In addition to students from Middle Township, students from Avalon, Dennis Township, Stone Harbor and Woodbine attend the high school as part of sending/receiving relationships."
^Frequently Asked Questions, Cape May County Technical High School. Accessed October 27, 2019. "All residents of Cape May County are eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School.... The Cape May County Technical High School is a public school so there is no cost to residents of Cape May County."
^Gillin-Schwartz, Megan. "Villa Maria-by-the Sea celebrates 70th Anniversary", Cape May County Herald, July 10, 2007. Accessed August 30, 2013. "On July 8, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the treasured Villa Maria-by-the Sea retreat home on 111th Street with a celebratory mass for benefactors, and an open house for the public.... The retreat house opened June 20, 1937; a little more than four months after the first piece of lumber was laid."
^Martin, Douglas. "Clarence C. Newcomer, a Longtime Federal Judge, Dies at 82", The New York Times, August 25, 2005. Accessed July 8, 2015. "Clarence C. Newcomer, who as a federal judge in Philadelphia for more than three decades won a reputation for no-nonsense jurisprudence in hundreds of cases ranging from civil rights to organized crime to baseball cards, died Monday at his home in Stone Harbor, N.J., near Cape May. He was 82."
^Flint, Peter B. "Donald Voorhees, 85, Conductor Who Led Bell Telephone Hour", The New York Times, January 11, 1989. Accessed September 18, 2017. "Donald Voorhees, for 28 years the conductor and musical director of the Bell Telephone Hour, one of the most popular musical programs in broadcasting history, died of pneumonia yesterday at Tomlin Memorial Hospital in Cape May Court House, N.J. He was 85 years old and lived in Stone Harbor, N.J."