Cape Charles is a very small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Virginia. With a population of 1,201 people and two associated neighborhoods, Cape Charles is the 271st largest community in Virginia. Much of the housing stock in Cape Charles was built prior to World War II, making it one of the older and more historic towns in the country.

Cape Charles real estate is some of the most expensive in Virginia, although Cape Charles house values don't compare to the most expensive real estate in the U.S.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 16.39% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Cape Charles is an extremely popular destination for tourists and seasonal residents. So much of the population is seasonal such that the town’s population swells significantly during the vacation season, and drops again when the season ends. Because of this, much of the local economy is centered around tourism; some businesses may be operated only during the high season. During the low season, year-round residents will notice that the city is a substantially quieter place to live.

Cape Charles is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

As is often the case in a small town, Cape Charles doesn't have a public transportation system that people use for their commute.

Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in Cape Charles. 55.30% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.

The per capita income in Cape Charles in 2022 was $61,031, which is wealthy relative to Virginia and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $244,124 for a family of four. However, Cape Charles contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

Cape Charles is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Cape Charles home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Cape Charles residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Cape Charles include German, English, Irish, Scots-Irish, and Italian.

The most common language spoken in Cape Charles is English. Other important languages spoken here include Polish and German/Yiddish.