[24] What is now North Wildwood City was originally incorporated as the borough of Anglesea on June 13, 1885, from portions of Middle Township, based on the results of a referendum held 11 days earlier.

[25] Legislation passed in April 1908 established a potential consolidation of North Wildwood and Holly Beach City into Wildwood, subject to approval of referendums in each of the three municipalities, though this merger never took effect.

[29][30][31] The 2010 United States census counted 4,041 people, 2,047 households, and 1,085 families in the city.

[41] Established in November 2002, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in December 2023.

[42] The joint UEZ is overseen by the Enterprise Zone Development Corporation of the Wildwoods Board, which includes representatives from all four municipalities.

[44] Under this form of government, the council functions as a legislative body: it passes ordinances and approves the appointments of the mayor.

Members of the governing body are selected in partisan voting as part of the November general election.

[7][45][46][47] As of 2023[update], the mayor is Republican Patrick T. Rosenello, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025.

[48][49][50][51][52][53] In January 2014, the city council chose Joseph Rullo from among three names nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant second ward seat of Patrick Rosenello, who vacated the seat earlier that month when he took office as mayor.

[55] The city is protected by a fire department that includes career and volunteer units.

[59][60][61] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).

[63] For the 2024-2025 session, the 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Mike Testa (R, Vineland) and in the General Assembly by Antwan McClellan (R, Ocean City) and Erik K. Simonsen (R, Lower Township).

[64] Cape May County is governed by a five-person Board of County Commissioners whose members are elected at-large on a partisan basis to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year; At an annual reorganization held each January, the commissioners select one member to serve as director and another to serve as vice-director.

[65] As of 2025[update], Cape May County's Commissioners are Director Leonard C. Desiderio (R, Sea Isle City, 2027),[66] Robert Barr (R, Ocean City; 2025),[67] Will Morey (R, Wildwood Crest; 2026),[68] Melanie Collette (R. Middle Township; 2026),[69] and Vice-Director Andrew Bulakowski (R, Lower Township; 2025).

[70][65][71] The county's constitutional officers are Clerk Rita Marie Rothberg (R, 2025, Ocean City),[72][73] Sheriff Robert Nolan (R, 2026, Lower Township)[74][75] and Surrogate E. Marie Hayes (R, 2028, Ocean City).

[80][81] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 58.0% of the vote (1,415 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 39.6% (967 votes), with 2,441 ballots cast among the city's 3,263 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.8%.

[82] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 56.4% of the vote (1,556 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 42.0% (1,158 votes), with 2,760 ballots cast among the city's 4,001 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 69.0.

[106] Route 147 has its eastern terminus in North Wildwood and heads west to provide access to the Garden State Parkway northbound.

[107] County Route 621 (New Jersey Avenue) begins at the eastern terminus of Route 147 and heads southwest through the city toward Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, serving as part of Ocean Drive.

[113] Another trolley route runs from North Wildwood to shopping centers in Rio Grande, operating Mondays through Fridays.

[116] According to the Köppen climate classification system, North Wildwood has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with hot, moderately humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation.

The plant hardiness zone at North Wildwood Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 6.3 °F (−14.3 °C).