McKee City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)[5] located near the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

[6] The community was named after Colonel John McKee (1821–1902), an African American property speculator.

Colonel McKee intended to build a 4,000-acre (1,600 ha) planned community where African Americans from the south could settle after the Civil War.

A number of dormitory-type houses were built without frills like inside plumbing or heating.

[8] Leases were carefully designed to ensure that the tenants improved the land.