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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Cape Girardeau Metro

Cape Girardeau, MO-IL · 3 counties · 90,312 residents · 1,432 sq mi
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The short version

Cape Girardeau is home to 90,312 people. The typical home is worth $81,531, having risen by half since 1990. Renters pay $408 a month at the median. About 20% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Median household income is $34,553, under the $42,589 national median. The population has held roughly steady since 1990.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 35.9
US median: 35.2
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

90,312
+9%since 1990
from 82,878 in 1990
1990 – 2025
63 / sq mi
+9%since 1990
from 58 / sq mi in 1990
35.9
+9%since 1990
from 33.0 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
1,432 sq mi
Population, 19902024
81K86K91K95K100K19902000201020202024Cape Girardeau
202498K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56%(5,416)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.7%(6,068)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.1%(6,434)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198%(7,242)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 248.2%(7,440)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.7%(11,501)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.8%(13,338)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.3%(11,969)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.9%(8,041)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.2%(6,466)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.1%(4,596)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2%(1,801)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$34,553
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $22,612 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$17,667
+60%since 1990
from $11,074 in 1990
US average: $21,522
13.1%
−3.9 ptssince 1990
from 17.0% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$81,531
+27%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $48,594 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$408
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $296 in 1990
US average: $602
70.5%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 69.6% in 1990
29.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic91.3%(75,696)
Black7.6%(6,298)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(478)
Asian0.7%(574)
2000
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(80,608)
Black7.7%(6,970)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(830)
Asian0.6%(571)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.6%(1,589)
Puerto Rican0.3%(261)
Paraguayan0.2%(164)
Ecuadorian0.7%(72)
Dominican0.1%(59)
Colombian0.1%(57)
Peruvian0.1%(53)
Salvadoran0.1%(49)
Honduran0%(28)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0%(22)
Cuban0%(15)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(338)
Japanese0.3%(296)
Chinese0.3%(265)
Filipino0.2%(152)
Vietnamese0.1%(122)
Sri Lankan0.1%(96)
Nepalese0.1%(43)
Burmese0%(23)
Thai0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(34)
Ancestry
German24%(23,600)
English9.9%(9,713)
Irish8.5%(8,354)
American7.4%(7,276)
Scottish1.7%(1,659)
Dutch1.6%(1,619)
French1.5%(1,512)
Italian1.4%(1,342)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(916)
Polish0.7%(715)
Welsh0.6%(550)
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.4%(418)
Russian0.4%(373)
Norwegian0.4%(346)
Swiss0.4%(302)
British0.2%(223)
Czech0.2%(144)
Israeli0.2%(144)
Canadian0.2%(137)
Austrian0.1%(119)
Danish0.1%(110)
Greek0.1%(91)
Arab0.1%(77)
Brazilian0.1%(72)
Egyptian0.1%(64)
Iranian0.1%(58)
Nigerian0.1%(54)
Ukrainian0.1%(54)
Hungarian0%(31)
Slovak0%(25)
Belgian0%(22)
Romanian0%(21)
Croatian0%(19)
Bulgarian0%(15)
Armenian0%(13)
Serbian0%(13)
West Indian0.3%(13)
Jamaican0.3%(13)
Section 05

Education

20.1%
+3.9 ptssince 1990
from 16.1% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
78.2%
+8.5 ptssince 1990
from 69.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
6.5%
+1.3 ptssince 1990
from 5.2% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

14.4 min
−26%since 1990
from 19.6 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 married26.9%(9,338)
Married61.7%(21,403)
Widowed2.7%(919)
Divorced8.7%(3,006)
Women 15+
Never married22.5%(8,519)
Married55.1%(20,813)
Widowed11.9%(4,490)
Divorced10.5%(3,960)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

7.5%
−4.9 ptssince 2013
from 12.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
56.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 57.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
20.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
17.5%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 14.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.9%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 72.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
35.3%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 32.1% 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)18.1%(951)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.1%(953)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.6%(2,292)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.7%(245)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(20)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 5,260 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.

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Frequently asked

How many people live in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?

Cape Girardeau, MO-IL has about 90,312 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?

The typical household in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL earns about $34,553 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cape Girardeau, MO-IL expensive?

In Cape Girardeau, MO-IL, the median home is worth about $81,531, and the typical rent is about $408 a month.

How educated are people in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?

About 20.1% of adults age 25 and over in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?

About 13.1% of people in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cape Girardeau, MO-IL grown since 1990?

Yes, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL has grown since 1990. The population has added about 7,434 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

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