Cape Girardeau County is home to 82,735 people in Missouri. The foreign-born share is 2%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $220,700. Median rent is $881 a month. 14,042 more people live here than in 2000. The average commute runs 19 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $68,464, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.1
US median: 38.9
Average education
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 32%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Cape Girardeau County
What changed most since 1990
White share93.7% → 83.6%(−10.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
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)20.3%(865)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.4%(783)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41.8%(1,777)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.6%(196)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(20)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 4,256 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
Over time
Cape Girardeau County, decade by decade
Cape Girardeau County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
61,633
$58,826
$135,364
19.2%
14.9
2000
68,693
$66,414
$167,228
24.2%
19.7
2010
75,674
$63,986
$190,611
26.9%
27.7
2020
81,710
$65,179
$196,835
31.9%
38.9
2024
82,735
$68,464
$220,700
33.1%
36.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
How many people live in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has about 82,735 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?
The typical household in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri earns about $68,464 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cape Girardeau County, Missouri expensive?
In Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $220,700, and the typical rent is about $881 a month.
How educated are people in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?
About 33.1% of adults age 25 and over in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?
About 13.9% of people in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cape Girardeau County, Missouri grown since 1990?
Yes, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 21,102 residents, a change of about 34 percent over that period.
