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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Cape Girardeau

Missouri · 35,349 residents · 29.3 sq mi
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The short version

Cape Girardeau is a city of 35,349 people in Missouri. 57% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 11 minutes on average. The typical home is worth $88,800, having risen by half since 1990. Renters pay $436 a month at the median. About 29% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 33.6
US median: 35.2
More educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

35,349
+3%since 1990
from 34,438 in 1990
1990 – 2025
33.6
+10%since 1990
from 30.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
29.3 sq mi
Population, 19902024
34K36K37K39K41K19902000201020202024Cape Girardeau
202440K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.4%(1,902)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.7%(1,999)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.9%(2,079)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 199.2%(3,264)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2412.8%(4,520)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.7%(4,486)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4412.9%(4,574)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.2%(4,316)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.7%(2,726)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.9%(2,436)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.9%(2,102)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.7%(945)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$32,452
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $22,634 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$18,918
+54%since 1990
from $12,254 in 1990
US average: $21,522
15.2%
−2.8 ptssince 1990
from 18.0% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$88,800
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $58,000 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$436
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 1990
from $331 in 1990
US average: $602
57.3%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 57.4% in 1990
42.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic90.3%(31,104)
Black7.6%(2,630)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(218)
Asian1.4%(498)
2000
White, non-Hispanic86.7%(30,650)
Black9.3%(3,276)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(388)
Asian1.1%(396)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.6%(1,038)
Puerto Rican0.2%(66)
Dominican0.1%(59)
Salvadoran0.1%(49)
Honduran0.1%(28)
Panamanian0.1%(28)
Spaniard0.1%(22)
Cuban0%(15)
Asian origin
Japanese0.6%(261)
Asian Indian0.6%(232)
Chinese0.5%(189)
Vietnamese0.3%(122)
Sri Lankan0.2%(96)
Filipino0.1%(53)
Nepalese0.1%(43)
Bangladeshi0.1%(36)
Burmese0.1%(23)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(34)
Ancestry
German20.1%(8,121)
English8.9%(3,587)
Irish8.7%(3,500)
American6.6%(2,676)
Italian2%(806)
Scottish2%(804)
French1.9%(774)
Dutch1.3%(508)
Polish1.1%(435)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(375)
Russian0.9%(364)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.8%(312)
Swedish0.6%(244)
Norwegian0.4%(174)
Israeli0.4%(144)
Canadian0.3%(135)
British0.3%(123)
Czech0.2%(80)
Danish0.2%(77)
Austrian0.2%(67)
Arab0.2%(64)
Egyptian0.2%(64)
Swiss0.2%(61)
Iranian0.1%(58)
Ukrainian0.1%(54)
Brazilian0.1%(43)
Greek0.1%(39)
Nigerian0.1%(30)
Croatian0%(19)
Romanian0%(17)
Slovak0%(15)
Belgian0%(10)
Section 05

Education

29.3%
+4.9 ptssince 1990
from 24.3% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
81.6%
+4.6 ptssince 1990
from 77.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
9.9%
+1.7 ptssince 1990
from 8.2% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

11.0 min
−15%since 1990
from 13.0 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.8%(4,750)
Married53.8%(7,356)
Widowed2.7%(373)
Divorced8.7%(1,187)
Women 15+
Never married30.6%(4,809)
Married45.1%(7,078)
Widowed13.2%(2,073)
Divorced11%(1,734)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

9.2%
−3.3 ptssince 2013
from 12.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
53.4%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 55.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 15.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
19.7%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
18.4%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 14.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.2%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
68.3%
−3.1 ptssince 2020
from 71.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
35.7%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 32.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.1%(514)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16.6%(355)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.6%(846)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.3%(135)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(18)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,135 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?

Cape Girardeau, Missouri has about 35,349 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?

The typical household in Cape Girardeau, Missouri earns about $32,452 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cape Girardeau, Missouri expensive?

In Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the median home is worth about $88,800, and the typical rent is about $436 a month.

How educated are people in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?

About 29.3% of adults age 25 and over in Cape Girardeau, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?

About 15.2% of people in Cape Girardeau, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cape Girardeau, Missouri grown since 1990?

Yes, Cape Girardeau, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 911 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →