[23] The area home to Egg Harbor City was settled by Europeans in 1614, when the Dutch vessel Fortuyn landed at the Mullica River.

On December 14, 1854, a group of prominent German Americans from Philadelphia, including William and Henry Schmoele and Philip Mathias Wolsieffer, incorporated the "Gloucester Farm and Town Association", which purchased approximately 38,000 acres of woodland north of the railroad to serve as a refuge for those being persecuted in the anti-immigrant violence known as the Know-Nothing movement.

The development's layout contained an urban "city core" containing 100x150-foot lots bounded by New York Avenue to the west and Baltimore Avenue to the east, while the remainder of the land was divided into separate 20-acre farm parcels.

[28] The north-south streets were named for cities with large German populations, while the east-west streets were named for notable Germans, starting with Agassiz Avenue (current-day White Horse Pike) to the south, and Zschokke Avenue to the north.

The city was planned to include ample public green space; both New York Avenue and Baltimore Avenue were platted with wide medians to accommodate garden plats, Landing Creek would have been dammed to create an artificial lake called "Gloucester Lake", and Egg Harbor City Lake would have been made into a reservoir at the center of a large urban park containing landscaped gardens, an arboretum, and a model farm.

Though the city did not grow to the size as originally proposed, it grew in population steadily in the 1870s, and remained a virtual island of German language and culture in South Jersey for more than 50 years.

[6][50][51] The mayor is the statutory head of the Police department and the city's Chief Executive Officer.

The City Administrator takes the elected officials programs and sets policy and procedures in order to carry out the day-to-day operations of the municipality.

The City Administrator also deals with federal, state, county and neighboring municipal officials to implement the community's needs.

As of 2023[update], the Mayor of Egg Harbor City is Democrat Lisa Jiampetti, whose four-year term of office ends on December 31, 2024.

Dash (R, 2025), Nanette LoBiondo Galloway (D, 2025), Kim Hesse (D, 2024), Ingrid Nieves-Clark (R, 2025), Karl Timbers (D, 2023) and Mason Wright Jr. (D, 2023).

[3][52][53][54][55][56] Kasey Attianese was elected in November 2022 to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that became vacant following the death of Robin L. Sefton in May 2022.

[59] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).

[61] For the 2024-2025 session, the 8th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Latham Tiver (R, Southampton Township) and in the General Assembly by Andrea Katz (D, Chesterfield Township) and Michael Torrissi (R, Hammonton).

[63][64] As of 2025[update], Atlantic County's Executive is Dennis Levinson (R, Northfield), whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.

[83] Among the city's 2010 Census population, 60.4% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 80.4% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).

[108][109] Cedar Creek High School is zoned to serve students from Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, Port Republic and Washington Township, while students in portions of Galloway and Hamilton townships have the opportunity to attend Cedar Creek through the school of choice program or through attendance in magnet programs offered at Cedar Creek.

[112][113] Township public school students are also eligible to attend the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township[114] or the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts, located in Somers Point.

[116] The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden formerly maintained the St. Nicholas School in Egg Harbor.

[118] U.S. Route 30 (the White Horse Pike) is the most significant highway passing through Egg Harbor City.

[122][123] The South Jersey Transportation Authority provides shuttle bus service connecting the Egg Harbor City train station with Atlantic City International Airport and Stockton University, as well as other area locations.

[124] People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Egg Harbor City include: