Rio Grande, New Jersey

Rio Grande, New Jersey
Post office
Map of Rio Grande highlighted within Cape May County. Right: Location of Cape May County in New Jersey.
Rio Grande
Location in Cape May County
Rio Grande
Location in New Jersey
Rio Grande
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 39°01′09″N 74°52′40″W / 39.019051°N 74.87787°W / 39.019051; -74.87787
Country United States
State New Jersey
CountyCape May
TownshipMiddle (most), Lower (some)
Area
  Total
2.73 sq mi (7.08 km2)
  Land2.70 sq mi (6.99 km2)
  Water0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)  1.26%
Elevation
20 ft (6 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
3,610
  Density1,337.04/sq mi (516.32/km2)
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
08242
Area code609
FIPS code34-63180
GNIS feature ID02389752

Rio Grande (/riɡrʌnd/) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Middle Township and Lower Township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

Though for the 1990 to 2010 U.S. censuses the CDP was entirely located within Middle Township, a small section at the southern edge of the community, located in Lower Township, is sometimes called Rio Grande. For the 2020 U.S. Census, the boundary was redrawn so that portions of Lower Township were included in the Rio Grande CDP.

It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 3,610, its highest decennial census count ever and an increase of 940 (+35.2%) from the 2,679 counted at the 2020 census, which in turn had reflected an increase of 226 (+9.2%) from the 2000 census of 2,444.