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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Cape Girardeau County

Missouri · 68,693 residents · 579 sq mi
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The short version

Cape Girardeau County is a county of 68,693 people in Missouri. The average commute runs 12 minutes. Renters pay $440 a month at the median. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $91,800. Headcount has barely moved since 1990. Median household income is $36,458, under the $42,589 national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 35.2
US median: 35.2
Average education
24% 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

68,693
+11%since 1990
from 61,633 in 1990
1990 – 2025
35.2
+9%since 1990
from 32.2 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
579 sq mi
Population, 19902024
60K66K72K79K85K19902000201020202024Cape Girardeau County
202483K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56%(4,088)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.6%(4,526)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(4,720)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.3%(5,672)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 249.2%(6,294)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.9%(8,894)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.8%(10,173)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.2%(9,045)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.5%(5,821)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.8%(4,646)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845%(3,448)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2%(1,366)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$36,458
+13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $24,510 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$18,593
+57%since 1990
from $11,858 in 1990
US average: $21,522
11.1%
−2.8 ptssince 1990
from 13.9% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$91,800
+24%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $56,400 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$440
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $327 in 1990
US average: $602
68.4%
+0.7 ptssince 1990
from 67.7% in 1990
31.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic94.2%(58,062)
Black4.5%(2,788)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(393)
Asian0.8%(521)
2000
White, non-Hispanic91.6%(62,926)
Black5.3%(3,607)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(624)
Asian0.7%(511)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.8%(1,519)
Puerto Rican0.3%(238)
Paraguayan0.2%(164)
Dominican0.1%(59)
Colombian0.1%(57)
Peruvian0.1%(53)
Salvadoran0.1%(49)
Honduran0%(28)
Spaniard0%(22)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Cuban0%(15)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(334)
Japanese0.4%(294)
Chinese0.3%(257)
Filipino0.2%(140)
Vietnamese0.1%(122)
Sri Lankan0.1%(96)
Nepalese0.1%(43)
Burmese0%(23)
Thai0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(34)
Ancestry
German25.2%(20,834)
English10.4%(8,623)
Irish8.6%(7,086)
American7.1%(5,843)
Scottish1.7%(1,426)
French1.7%(1,390)
Dutch1.4%(1,188)
Italian1.4%(1,169)
Polish0.8%(689)
Welsh0.6%(529)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.5%(374)
Russian0.4%(371)
Norwegian0.4%(319)
Swiss0.4%(302)
British0.3%(222)
Israeli0.2%(144)
Czech0.2%(139)
Canadian0.2%(135)
Austrian0.1%(87)
Danish0.1%(79)
Arab0.1%(76)
Greek0.1%(75)
Brazilian0.1%(72)
Egyptian0.1%(64)
Iranian0.1%(58)
Nigerian0.1%(54)
Ukrainian0.1%(54)
Hungarian0%(31)
Slovak0%(25)
Romanian0%(21)
Croatian0%(19)
Belgian0%(18)
Bulgarian0%(15)
Armenian0%(13)
Serbian0%(13)
Section 05

Education

24.2%
+5.0 ptssince 1990
from 19.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
81.1%
+6.7 ptssince 1990
from 74.4% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
7.8%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 6.2% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

12.1 min
−29%since 1990
from 17.0 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 married28.7%(7,554)
Married60.6%(15,949)
Widowed2.6%(678)
Divorced8%(2,116)
Women 15+
Never married23.9%(6,957)
Married54.2%(15,795)
Widowed11.4%(3,323)
Divorced10.4%(3,041)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

7.4%
−4.3 ptssince 2013
from 11.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
58.5%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 60.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
18.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
15.9%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 12.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.5%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 75.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
32.8%
+3.9 ptssince 2020
from 28.9% 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)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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?

Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has about 68,693 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri earns about $36,458 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 $91,800, and the typical rent is about $440 a month.

How educated are people in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?

About 24.2% 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 11.1% 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 7,060 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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

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