Margate

Originally named South Atlantic City when incorporated in 1869, Margate has evolved into
a more laid back and charming community than its neon­-powered neighbor, Atlantic City,
on the north end of Absecon Island. About 1.5 miles long and at its widest 1 mile wide,
the community’s eastern boundary is the Atlantic Ocean with bay waters marking its
eastern edge. A number of marinas offer a full menu of services for boats of every type as
well as boat rentals and more. While the town has a year­-round population of about
6,400, the area’s wide sandy beaches are a favorite destination for vacationers and the
population swells each summer, although the town and its beaches remain considerably
less hectic and crowded than Atlantic City. Margate is known for providing excellent city
services as well as having quality schools and a strong sense of community spirit.
Homes in the community range from historic estates to new construction. Prices on
condominiums start below $100K and rise to around $2 million. Single­-family detached
homes begin in the low $100s with a good selection of homes in the $2 million-­plus price
range, topping out at more than $8 million. The town has a much higher percentage of
residents working in white­-collar jobs, 90 percent, than the national average. The resort
town is also popular with retirees with about 30 percent of the population 65 years of age
or older. A high percentage of the town’s population is also considered to be “urban
sophisticates,” wealthy, well­-educated professionals and executives who have a taste for
the finer things of life. Part of the city’s appeal to the latter group is providing a great
coastal lifestyle just an hour away from the galleries, opera, theatre, museums,
restaurants and other diversions of Philadelphia. The community is also home to a
number of top area restaurants.

Among the community’s notable features is Marven Gardens, a neighborhood of homes
built in the 1920s and 30s that lies on the city’s border with Ventnor. If the name, taken
from the first three letters of Margate City and Ventnor City, sounds familiar, it’s likely from
the board game Monopoly. Misspelled as “Marvin” Gardens by the game’s inventor, the
neighborhood had fallen into disrepair but is now restored and home to some of the
highest priced per square foot real estate in New Jersey.