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. Cape Charles has an unusually large stock of pre-World War II architecture, making it one of the older and more historic towns.

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 a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Cape Charles’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much 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. Such areas are often places that visitors and locals go for waterfront activities or taking in the scenery.

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

If knowledge is power, Cape Charles is a pretty powerful place. 55.30% of the adults in Cape Charles have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.

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.