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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Cape Girardeau County

Missouri · 81,710 residents · 579 sq mi
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The short version

Cape Girardeau County is a county of 81,710 people in Missouri. The foreign-born share is 3%. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $162,400. 13,017 more people live here than in 2000. The average commute runs 20 minutes. Median rent is $795 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 37.4
US median: 38.8
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
81,710
+19%since 2000
from 68,693 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
37.4
+6%since 2000
from 35.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
579 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
60K66K72K79K85K19902000201020202024Cape Girardeau County
202483K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.6%(4,608)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(4,741)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.3%(5,140)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.6%(5,374)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.9%(8,122)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.8%(10,493)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.7%(9,551)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.9%(8,902)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.5%(10,200)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.1%(8,241)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.4%(4,449)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.3%(1,889)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$53,776
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,458 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,483
+48%since 2000
from $18,593 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
34.8%
+11.0 ptssince 2009
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
15.8%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information11.5%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade9.4%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade5.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services5.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Public administration3.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing3%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
US avg: 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 2%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.9%
US avg: 0.5%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$162,400
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$795
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $440 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
63.8%
−4.6 ptssince 2000
from 68.4% in 2000
36.2% rent
Persons per household
2.49 people
+4%since 2009
from 2.40 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
3.0
+1%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.6%(62,926)
Black5.3%(3,607)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(624)
Asian0.7%(511)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic82.5%(67,393)
Black7.9%(6,459)
Hispanic / Latino2.7%(2,234)
Asian1.6%(1,300)
Other3%(2,431)
Segregation Score
36
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.6%(1,254)
Puerto Rican0.1%(82)
Cuban0.1%(66)
Honduran0.1%(60)
Guatemalan0.1%(53)
Dominican0%(12)
Asian origin
Chinese0.6%(480)
Japanese0.3%(219)
Filipino0.2%(160)
Nepalese0.2%(148)
Korean0.2%(122)
Asian Indian0.1%(89)
Vietnamese0.1%(82)
Laotian0%(37)
Thai0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(20)
Ancestry
German27.2%(21,468)
American14%(11,027)
English9.2%(7,236)
Irish8.9%(6,981)
French2.5%(1,946)
Scottish2%(1,550)
Dutch1.6%(1,230)
Italian1.2%(961)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(706)
Polish0.8%(656)
Welsh0.7%(577)
Swedish0.7%(563)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.6%(474)
Swiss0.4%(287)
British0.3%(245)
Danish0.3%(224)
Russian0.3%(201)
Czech0.3%(199)
Austrian0.2%(133)
Canadian0.1%(75)
Hungarian0.1%(75)
Greek0.1%(74)
Lithuanian0.1%(44)
Slovak0.1%(42)
Jordanian0%(33)
Belgian0%(32)
Romanian0%(32)
Armenian0%(31)
Serbian0%(31)
Arab0%(27)
Moroccan0%(21)
Latvian0%(13)
Iranian0%(12)
Croatian0%(10)
Finnish0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.9%
+7.7 ptssince 2000
from 24.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
91.6%
+10.5 ptssince 2000
from 81.1% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
12.5%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 7.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.3 min
+67%since 2000
from 12.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
80.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
5.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.4%
−2.3 ptssince 2011
from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
63.7%
−2.3 ptssince 2011
from 66.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.1%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
36.9%
+6.4 ptssince 2009
from 30.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
Female
51.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
Foreign born
2.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
7.7%
−4.0 ptssince 2013
from 11.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
90.9%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
81.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married36.5%(11,973)
Married50.9%(16,707)
Widowed3.8%(1,241)
Divorced8.9%(2,924)
Women 15+
Never married31.3%(11,080)
Married48.7%(17,221)
Widowed8.4%(2,955)
Divorced11.6%(4,099)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.7%
−4.0 ptssince 2013
from 11.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
60.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
16.6%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
18.5%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
12.1%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
75.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
28.9%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)20.4%(954)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)19.7%(922)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era38.4%(1,797)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.4%(393)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II4.1%(191)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 4,675 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Cape Girardeau County

Mendocino County
Pop 88,122
Glynn County
Pop 87,599
Howard County
Pop 83,904
Bannock County
Pop 91,591
Places similar to Cape Girardeau County
Head to head

Compare Cape Girardeau County to nearby counties

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY VS
Bollinger County
Income$63,814+19%
Home value$179,800+11%
Population10,646−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY VS
Alexander County
Income$47,043−13%
Home value$59,800−63%
Population4,570−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY VS
Perry County
Income$62,981+17%
Home value$188,200+16%
Population19,093−77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY VS
Scott County
Income$62,782+17%
Home value$154,400−5%
Population37,975−55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?

Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has about 81,710 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri earns about $53,776 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 $162,400, and the typical rent is about $795 a month.

How educated are people in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?

About 31.9% 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 15.8% 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 20,077 residents, a change of about 33 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 →

Cape Girardeau County, Missouri (2020): demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy