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2025 general tax rate · Cape May County, NJ
Ocean City property tax rate
Ocean City's 2025 general tax rate is $1.160 per $100 of assessed value. A property assessed at $300,000 owes $3,480.00 for the year. That ranks 532nd highest of New Jersey's 564 municipalities, among the lowest tenth, $1.800 per $100 below the $2.960 per $100 state median.
- 1General tax rate $1.160 per $100
- 2Bill on $300,000 assessed $3,480.00
Your Ocean City tax bill
The bill before exemptions and credits. Compare every New Jersey rate.
General rate and effective rate in Ocean City
New Jersey publishes two rates for every municipality. The general tax rate, $1.160 per $100 in Ocean City, is the one applied to the assessed value on the bill: $300,000 assessed owes $3,480.00. The effective tax rate, $0.640 per $100, is "the general property tax adjusted by the municipality's equalization ratio", the rate on market value. Dividing one by the other puts Ocean City's assessments at about 55.17% of market value, well below market value, the sign of a town that has not revalued recently; the state median is 70.02%.
The effective rate is the fairer comparison between towns. On it Ocean City ranks 550th of 564, against 532nd on the general rate, and sits $1.500 below the $2.140 median effective rate. At 55.17%, a $300,000 assessment corresponds to roughly $543,774 of market value.
Ocean City's rate in 2024 and 2025
The general tax rate rose $0.040 per $100 (3.39%) from $1.122 per $100 in 2024, and the same $300,000 assessment owes $114.00 more than at last year's rate. In 2024 Ocean City ranked 534th. The effective rate went from $0.665 to $0.640 per $100 (down 3.76%), and the implied ratio from 59.27% to 55.17%: market values rose faster than assessments.
Tax on common assessed values in Ocean City
| Assessed value | 2025 bill | At the 2024 rate | Versus NJ median rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $2,320.00 | $2,244.00 | −$3,600.00 |
| $300,000 | $3,480.00 | $3,366.00 | −$5,400.00 |
| $400,000 | $4,640.00 | $4,488.00 | −$7,200.00 |
| $500,000 | $5,800.00 | $5,610.00 | −$9,000.00 |
| $750,000 | $8,700.00 | $8,415.00 | −$13,500.00 |
Each bill is the assessed value divided by 100 and multiplied by $1.160, before exemptions, credits or special charges. These are assessed values, not sale prices: at 55.17% the $300,000 row is a property worth about $543,774. The last column is the difference from the same assessment at the $2.960 per $100 state median.
How Ocean City compares in Cape May County and New Jersey
Among the 16 municipalities in Cape May County, Ocean City ranks 11th highest; the county median is $1.520 per $100, so Ocean City sits $0.360 per $100 below it. The next higher rate in the county is West Cape May at $1.444, and the next lower is Cape May at $1.093. Statewide, 5% of municipalities have a lower general tax rate than Ocean City.
Outside Cape May County, the closest rates are Far Hills ($1.160, Somerset), Englewood Cliffs ($1.165, Bergen), Brielle ($1.203, Monmouth), Bedminster Township ($1.204, Somerset). Because towns assess at different shares of market value, the effective rate is the better guide to what a house of a given price pays.
Appealing a Ocean City assessment
New Jersey appeals go to the Cape May County Board of Taxation. The petition is due April 1, or May 1 in a year when Ocean City implemented a municipal-wide revaluation or reassessment (NJ Division of Taxation). Property assessed above $1,000,000 may go directly to the Tax Court, and a County Board judgment can be appealed to the Tax Court within 45 days. The Board tests the assessment against the common level range: the average ratio plus or minus 15%. Using the 55.17% ratio implied by the state's two rates, that range runs from about 46.89% to 63.45% of market value; the Director's official average ratio for Ocean City, which the County Board applies, can differ slightly.
The New Jersey appeal page sets out each step with its source and the ratio arithmetic. This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice.
Ocean City property tax questions
What is the property tax rate in Ocean City, NJ?
Ocean City's 2025 general tax rate is $1.160 per $100 of assessed value; its effective rate, on market value, is $0.640 per $100. Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation.
How much is the property tax on a $300,000 assessment in Ocean City?
$300,000 ÷ 100 × $1.160 = $3,480.00 a year, before exemptions and credits. At the 2024 rate the same assessment owed $3,366.00.
Is Ocean City's tax rate high for New Jersey?
It ranks 532nd highest of 564, among the lowest tenth of New Jersey municipalities; the median is $2.960 per $100. On the effective rate, which allows for different assessment levels, it ranks 550th.
How do I appeal a Ocean City property assessment?
Petition to the County Board of Taxation: by April 1 (May 1 after a municipal-wide revaluation) (NJ Division of Taxation; Guide to Tax Appeal Hearings). Then: county board hearing and judgment (Set by the County Board); appeal to the tax court (Within 45 days of the County Board's judgment).
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 General Tax Rates (general and effective tax rates by county and municipality); prior year from the 2024 General Tax Rates. Appeal steps: NJ Division of Taxation, Assessment and Appeals (updated August 15, 2025); NJ Division of Taxation, A Guide to Tax Appeal Hearings (revised 2022). Last checked October 21, 2026. This page explains published figures; it is not tax or legal advice.