Margate City is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

situated on the

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore, commonly called the Shore by locals, is the coast, coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The term encompasses about of shore, oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Perth Amboy in the n ...

Absecon Island Absecon Island is a barrier island located on the South Jersey Shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. On the island from north to south are the resort communities of Atlantic City, Ventnor City, Margate City, ...

, within

Atlantic County Atlantic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 15th-most-populous county,U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, on the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

shoreline A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 5,317, a decrease of 1,037 (−16.3%) from the 2010 census count of 6,354, which in turn had reflected a decline of 1,839 (−22.4%) from the 8,193 counted in the 2000 census. Geographically, the city, and all of Atlantic County, is part of the

South Jersey South Jersey, also known as Southern New Jersey, comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located between Pennsylvania and the lower Delaware River to its west, the Atlantic Ocean to its east, Delaware to its south, ...

region of the state and of the

Atlantic City Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan sta ...

- Hammonton metropolitan statistical area, which in turn is included in the

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

- Camden combined statistical area and the

Delaware Valley The Philadelphia metropolitan area, also known as Greater Philadelphia and informally called the Delaware Valley, the Philadelphia tri-state area, and locally and colloquially Philly–Jersey–Delaware, is a major metropolitan area in the Nor ...

. Margate City was originally incorporated as the

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

of South Atlantic City by an act of the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...

on September 7, 1885, from portions of Egg Harbor Township, based on the results of a referendum held on August 1, 1885. South Atlantic City was reincorporated as a city on April 23, 1897, and then reincorporated with the name Margate City on April 20, 1909.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 70. Accessed May 30, 2024. The city was named for

Margate Margate is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Thanet District of Kent, England. It is located on the north coast of Kent and covers an area of long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay, UK, Palm Bay and W ...

in Kent, England. The city is located on Absecon Island, which stretches for and is also home of

and Ventnor City to the northeast, and Longport on the southwest. The city stretches about eight blocks from the

to the bay at most points in town. Margate is a popular

destination, especially during the summer, and is the home of

Lucy the Elephant Lucy the Elephant is a six-story elephant-shaped wood frame and tin clad building, constructed in 1882 by James V. Lafferty in Margate City, New Jersey, Margate City, New Jersey. Lucy was built with the purpose of promoting real estate sales and ...

, a -tall wooden and metal-clad elephant recognized as America’s Oldest Surviving Roadside Attraction and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976, and of

Marven Gardens Marven Gardens is a neighborhood in Margate City, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore, two miles (3 km) south of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Atlantic City. The name ''Marven Gardens'' is a portmanteau derived from Margat ...

, of ''Monopoly'' board game fame.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city had a total area of 1.63 square miles (4.22 km²), including 1.42 square miles (3.67 km²) of land and 0.22 square miles (0.56 km²) of water (13.19%). Margate City borders Longport and Ventnor City.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 6,354 people, 3,156 households, and 1,805 families in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 7,114 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 96.36% (6,123)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.71% (45) Black or African American, 0.09% (6) Native American, 0.98% (62) Asian, 0.02% (1)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.72% (46) from other races, and 1.12% (71) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.75% (175) of the population. Of the 3,156 households, 14.6% had children under the age of 18; 45.8% were married couples living together; 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 42.8% were non-families. Of all households, 38.0% were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.64. 14.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 15.5% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 31.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.1 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

showed that (in 2010

inflation-adjusted In economics, nominal value refers to value measured in terms of absolute money amounts, whereas real value is considered and measured against the actual goods or services for which it can be exchanged at a given time. Real value takes into acco ...

dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $66,667 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,735) and the median family income was $90,625 (+/− $6,808). Males had a median income of $81,759 (+/− $13,790) versus $61,179 (+/− $11,593) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the borough was $50,328 (+/− $7,450). About 8.4% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 8,193 people, 3,984 households, and 2,302 families residing in the city. The

was 2, 243.5/km² (5,825.4/sq mi). There were 7,006 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.73%

, 0.87%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.02% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.07%

, 0.92% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 2.71% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Margate City city, New Jersey
,

. Accessed August 3, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Margate City city, Atlantic County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed August 3, 2012. There were 3,984 households, out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.67. In the city the population was spread out, with 15.4% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $45,876, and the median income for a family was $63,917. Males had a median income of $48,152 versus $31,025 for females. The

for the city was $33,566. About 7.0% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the

, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Summer residency

Along with other spots on the

, Margate becomes a popular destination in the summer months. Many houses in Margate are second homes used during the summer, and a considerable number are owned by year-round residents. Unlike in other places, such as

Cape May Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Th ...

or Ocean City, where many visitors spend a few nights in a hotel, Margate has no hotels, so most of the people who choose this town are regulars. Unlike other area towns such as Ocean City and the municipalities on Long Beach Island, weekly house/condominium rentals are almost non-existent in Margate.

Beaches

Margate's beaches attract surfers, kayaking, and hobie cat sailing. The Margate beaches are narrower than beaches at many other places at the Jersey Shore. There are few dunes and those that do exist are artificial, having been created to protect beaches from

nor'easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below) is a large-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. Typically, such storms originate as a low ...

s and hurricanes. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Margate voters will consider a referendum that would allow the city to participate in a program operated by the

United States Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wo ...

under which dunes would be constructed on the city's beaches, which would be intended to alleviate

beach erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward r ...

and provide storm protection to Margate and to adjoining Ventnor City, which has already had a beach protection program in place for the past ten years, under which dunes have already been constructed. Margate City Beach Patrol operates lifeguard stands and beach patrol operations for the Margate beaches. Lifeguards are on duty during summer months from 10 am to 6 pm, with more limited hours in the late Spring and early Autumn months. Margate beaches are not free beaches. Beachgoers must purchase a seasonal or weekly tag to enjoy the beach. Seasonal badges can be purchased preseason at a reduced rate. Veterans and active military members are offered free seasonal badges.

Marinas and fishing

Margate is host to many bayside docks providing the casual fisherman hours of enjoyment and relaxation. Local charter boats offer sport and deep sea fishing. Margate's many marinas offer docks for lease, equipment rentals, fuel stations and fishing charters.

Attractions

Margate is the home of

, the "largest elephant in the world" and is the oldest remaining example of zoomorphic architecture left in the United States. Over 140 years old, a restoration of Lucy's exterior surface was completed in December 2022 at a cost of about $2.4 million using government funds and donor contributions. The National Historic Landmark is visited by 130,000 people each year. The Margate

farmers' market A farmers' market (or farmers market according to the AP stylebook, also farmer's market in the Cambridge Dictionary) is a physical retail marketplace intended to sell foods directly by farmers to consumers. Farmers' markets may be indoors or ...

is held every Thursday during summer months. Shoppers can purchase local produce and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Government

Local government

Margate City has operated under the

Walsh Act The Walsh Act is a piece of legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits municipalities to adopt a non-partisan commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson on April 25, 1911. The ...

commission form of municipal government since 1911.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 12. The city is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use commission form of government. The governing body is comprised of three commissioners, who are elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

to four-year terms of office on a

non-partisan Nonpartisanship, also known as nonpartisanism, is a lack of affiliation with a political party and a lack of political bias. While an ''Oxford English Dictionary'' definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., ...

basis as part of the May municipal election. Each commissioner is assigned a department to oversee and administer. The Mayor is then selected from among the three elected Commissioners by a vote between them and assigned to the office by resolution. , members of the Margate City Commission are

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

Michael Collins (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property), Maurice "Maury" Blumberg (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance) and Catherine Horn (Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety), all of whom are serving concurrent terms of office that end May 16, 2027.Mayor and Commissioners
Margate City. Accessed June 6, 2023.Municipal Government

Atlantic County, New Jersey Atlantic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 15th-most-populous county,Atlantic County Margate Municipal Election May 9, 2023 Unofficial Results

Atlantic County Atlantic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 15th-most-populous county,Plan Components Report

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 2nd state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...

. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...

. Accessed October 30, 2019.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,984 registered voters in Margate City, of which 1,164 (23.4% vs. 30.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,019 (40.5% vs. 25.2%) were registered as

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and 1,798 (36.1% vs. 44.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as

Libertarians Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

or Greens.Voter Registration Summary - Atlantic

Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 24, 2014. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 78.4% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 91.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide). In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: ...

, Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

received 1,882 votes (54.1% vs. 41.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

with 1,534 votes (44.1% vs. 57.9%) and other candidates with 21 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,479 ballots cast by the city's 5,109 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.1% (vs. 65.8% in Atlantic County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

received 2,061 votes (52.5% vs. 41.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,793 votes (45.7% vs. 56.5%) and other candidates with 32 votes (0.8% vs. 1.1%), among the 3,922 ballots cast by the city's 5,515 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.1% (vs. 68.1% in Atlantic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

received 2,160 votes (49.5% vs. 46.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

with 2,132 votes (48.9% vs. 52.0%) and other candidates with 26 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,362 ballots cast by the city's 5,697 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.6% (vs. 69.8% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...

received 1,850 votes (68.9% vs. 60.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat

Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...

with 712 votes (26.5% vs. 34.9%) and other candidates with 36 votes (1.3% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,687 ballots cast by the city's 5,127 registered voters, yielding a 52.4% turnout (vs. 41.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,466 votes (52.7% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006, and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran f ...

with 1,145 votes (41.1% vs. 44.5%), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...

with 123 votes (4.4% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 16 votes (0.6% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,784 ballots cast by the city's 5,173 registered voters, yielding a 53.8% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

For

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

through eighth grade, public school students attend the

Margate City Schools The Margate City Schools are a community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade from Margate City, in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Students from Longport Borough, a non-operating ...

, together with students from Longport Borough, who attend as part of a

sending/receiving relationship A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts hav ...

. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 317 students and 48.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...

of 6.5:1.District information for Margate City School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...

. Accessed December 15, 2024. Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the

) are William H. Ross III Elementary School 184 students in grades K–4 and Eugene A. Tighe Middle School with 133 students in grades 5–8.Board of Education
Margate City Schools. Accessed January 26, 2025. "Margate City District pupils are housed in two separate facilities: the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School constructed in 1956, and the William H. Ross III Elementary School constructed in 2000.... The elementary school houses the district administrative offices and grades K-4. The middle school, which houses grades 5-8, is departmentalized with an emphasis on thematic teaching.... Overall responsibility for the education of the K-8 children within the City of Margate lies with the district's Board of Education, composed of seven members, appointed by the mayor for staggered terms of three years." In 2017, Eugene A. Tighe Middle School was one of nine public schools recognized in 2017 as Blue Ribbon Schools by the

United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a cabinet-level department of the United States government, originating in 1980. The department began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and ...

. For

ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...

s, public school students from Margate attend Atlantic City High School in

, which also serves students from

Brigantine A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts. Ol ...

and Ventnor City who attend the school as part of

s. As of the 2023–24 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,699 students and 144.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

of 11.7:1.\ City public school students are also eligible to attend the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township or the

Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts Chartertech High School for the Performing Arts is a public charter high school for students in ninth through twelfth grades in Somers Point, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, that focuses on education in the performing arts. ...

, located in Somers Point. Blessed Sacrament Regional School was a

Catholic school Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...

serving students in grades

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

through eighth grade that had been operated in connection with the Blessed Sacrament Church, but was closed by the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden The Diocese of Camden () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It consists of 62 parishes and about 475,000 Catholics in the South Jersey counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, ...

in June 2008 and merged with St. James of Ventnor to form Holy Family Regional School. Those who wish to attend a Catholic high school choose from Holy Spirit High School, located in Absecon,

St. Augustine College Preparatory School St. Augustine Preparatory SchoolSchool Profile
, St. Augustine Preparatory School. Accessed November 19, 2014. "S ...

located in Richland or Our Lady of Mercy Academy located in Newfield.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Atlantic County. No Interstate, U.S. or state highways directly serve Margate City. The most significant roadways are county roads. County Route 563 begins in Margate City and follows Jerome Avenue over the Downbeach Express, a privately owned and operated toll-bridge which connects Margate to the mainland, towards Egg Harbor Township and Northfield. County Route 629 follows Ventnor Avenue northeast toward Ventnor and Atlantic City, and southwest towards Longport and Somers Point.

Public transportation

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. I ...

provides bus service on the

505 Year 505 ( DV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Theodorus and Sabinianus (or, less frequently, year 1258 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 505 for t ...

route between Longport and

. Beginning April 1, 2023, bus service on the

504 __NOTOC__ Year 504 ( DIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Nicomachus without colleague (or, less frequently, year 1257 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denominati ...

route between Atlantic City and Ventnor Plaza was extended to Margate.

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Margate City has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(''Cfa'') with hot, moderately humid summers, cool winters and uniform, year-round precipitation. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above , at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above , at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Margate City, a cooling afternoon

sea breeze A sea breeze or onshore breeze is a wind that blows in the afternoon from a large body of water toward or onto a landmass. By contrast, a land breeze or offshore breeze is a wind that blows in the night from a landmass toward or onto a large ...

is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur, with

heat index The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shade (shadow), shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the Shade (s ...

values at or above . During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur, with

wind chill Wind chill (popularly wind chill factor) is the sensation of cold produced by the wind for a given ambient air temperature on exposed skin as the air motion accelerates the rate of heat transfer from the body to the surrounding atmosphere. Its va ...

values below . The

plant hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

at Margate City Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is , and the average snowiest month is February, which corresponds with the annual peak in

activity.

Ecology

According to the

A. W. Kuchler August William Kuchler (born ''August Wilhelm Küchler''; 26 July 1907 – 17 June 1999) was a German-born American geographer and naturalist who is noted for developing a plant association system that has become widely used in the United Sta ...

U.S.

potential natural vegetation In ecology, potential natural vegetation (PNV), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints (climate, geomorphology, geology) without human intervention or a hazard event ...

types, Margate City would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern

Cordgrass ''Spartina'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, frequently found in coastal salt marshes. Species in this genus are commonly known as cordgrass or cord-grass, and are native to the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean in western and southern Eu ...

(''73'') with a dominant vegetation form of

Coastal A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

Prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

(''20'').U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)
Data Basin. Accessed March 18, 2020.

Popular culture

In the 2009 film ''

(500) Days of Summer ''(500) Days of Summer'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Marc Webb, written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, and produced by Mark Waters. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel as Tom and Summer r ...

'', Margate is the hometown of the male lead character, Tom Hansen, played by

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt (; born February 17, 1981) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his leading perform ...

.Jackson, Vincent
" Writer of '(500) Days of Summer,' returns to local, movie-loving roots; Scott Neustadter spent his teen years in local movie theaters. This week, he returned to the area to show friends and family his hit film"
''

The Press of Atlantic City ''The Press of Atlantic City'' is the fourth-largest daily newspaper in New Jersey. Originally based in Pleasantville, New Jersey, Pleasantville, it is the primary newspaper for southeastern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore. The Designated marke ...

'', July 31, 2009. Accessed January 7, 2013. "''(500) Days of Summer'', written by Scott Neustadter of Margate and Michael H. Weber, and starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt opens Aug. 7 at the Towne Stadium 16 in Egg Harbor Township.... The movie - which some critics are calling this generation's ''Annie Hall'' - stars Zooey Deschanel as the title character, Summer Finn, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom Hansen, a young co-worker from Margate who falls in love with her." One of the screenplay's co-writers, Scott Neustadter, grew up in Margate. In the 1998

Nicolas Cage Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Nicolas Cage, various accolades, including an Academy A ...

mystery/thriller film '' Snake Eyes,'' Margate is the main character's place of residence, alluded to as a pleasant suburban town, in contrast to the grittier Atlantic City, which forms the backdrop of the story. In the third-season finale of ''

Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter for the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. The series sta ...

'', "Margate Sands", the city is referenced as a site of gang violence between the forces of fictionalized Nucky Thompson and his rivals. The movie ''

Duane Hopwood ''Duane Hopwood'' is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Matt Mulhern, and starring David Schwimmer, Janeane Garofalo, Judah Friedlander, John Krasinski and Steve Schirripa. After being featured in the Sundance Film Festiva ...

'' was filmed at Eugene A. Tighe Middle School and at Maynards Cafe in 2004.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Margate City include: * John F. Amodeo (born 1950), politician who served in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

from 2008 to 2014, where he represented the 2nd Legislative District * Chris Arena (born 1987), singer-songwriter * Colin Bell (born 1981), member of the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure ...

who represented the 2nd Legislative District *

David Brog David Brog (born 1965/1966) is the former executive director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), an American pro-Israel Christian organization, and a conservative activist. Career After graduating from Harvard Law School, Brog served as an ex ...

(born 1965/1966), former executive director of

Christians United for Israel Christians United for Israel (CUFI) is an American evangelical organization that supports Israel. Its statement of purpose is "to provide a national association through which every pro-Israel church, parachurch organization, ministry or indivi ...

Tim Cavanaugh Tim Cavanaugh is an American journalist and screenwriter based in Alexandria, Virginia. He is a news editor for ''The Washington Examiner''. Prior to that, he was News Editor for ''National Review Online'', Executive Editor for '' The Daily Caller ...

(born 1967), ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' editor who is a Margate native and was an MCBP lifeguard * Micaela Diamond (born 1999), Broadway actor best known for originating the role of Babe (Cher) in '' The Cher Show'' * Nancy Falkow (born 1970), singer / songwriter *

Vince Fumo Vincent Joseph Fumo (born May 8, 1943) is an American politician, lawyer, and businessman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Democrat, he represented a South Philadelphia district in the Pennsylvania Senate from 1978 to 2008. On March 16, 2009, ...

(born 1943), former member of the

Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four-year terms, stagger ...

who was convicted in 2009 on federal corruption charges * Zulfi Hoxha (born 1992), jihadi,

ISIS Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...

fighter * Walter S. Jeffries (1893–1954), represented

New Jersey's 2nd congressional district New Jersey's 2nd congressional district, based in South Jersey, Southern New Jersey, is represented by Republican Jeff Van Drew. He was first elected as a Democrat in 2018, but announced on December 19, 2019, that he would be switching parties ...

from 1939 to 1941, and was mayor of Margate City from 1931 to 1935 * Red Klotz (1920–2014), former NBA point guard who created the

Washington Generals The Washington Generals are an American basketball team who play exhibition games against the Harlem Globetrotters. The team has also played under several aliases in their history as the Globetrotters' perennial opponents. Function The Gener ...

as the team that plays against and tours with the

Harlem Globetrotters The Harlem Globetrotters is an American Exhibition game, exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, entertainment, and comedy in their style of play. Over the years, they have played more than 26,000 exhibition games in 124 ...

* Mary Lacity (born 1963), Walton Professor of Information Systems and Director of the Blockchain Center of Excellence at the

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...

Pete Latzo Pete Latzo (born August 1, 1902 – July 7, 1968) was an American Boxing, boxer, who held the list of undisputed world boxing champions#Welterweight, Undisputed World Welterweight Championship from 1926 to 1927. Boxing career highlights Lat ...

(1902–1968), welterweight boxing champion in 1920s * Thomas C. McGrath Jr. (1927–1994), represented

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from 1965 to 1967 * Scott Neustadter (born 1977), Hollywood screenwriter who co-wrote ''

'' * Steven P. Perskie (born 1945), former

New Jersey Superior Court The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with statewide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The New Jersey Constitution of 1947 establishes the power of the New Jersey courts: under Article Six of the State Consti ...

judge who served in the

and the

* Ralph L. Sacco (1957–2023),

neurologist Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous system, which comprises the brain, the ...

, who served as president of the

American Heart Association The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate Heart, cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability ...

Jessica Savitch Jessica Beth Savitch (February 1, 1947 – October 23, 1983) was an American television journalist who was the weekend anchor of ''NBC Nightly News'' and daily newsreader for NBC News during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Savitch was one of ...

(1947–1983), television broadcaster and reporter * Claire Swift (born 1974), politician who has represented 2nd Legislative District in the

since taking office in 2022Attorney Profiles
Swift Law Firm. Accessed January 10, 2022. "Claire lives in Margate, New Jersey with her husband and 3 children."

References

External links

Margate City official website

Marvelous Margate

Margate City Public Library
{{Authority control 1885 establishments in New Jersey Cities in New Jersey Cities in Atlantic County, New Jersey Jersey Shore communities in Atlantic County Populated places established in 1885 Walsh Act