Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Name: Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has a population of 82,735, the 15th most populous county in Missouri. The median household income is $68,464 and the median home value is $220,700. The poverty rate is 14.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Cape Girardeau County Quick Facts

Population 82,735

Median Household Income $68,464

Median Home Value $220,700

Poverty Rate 14.0%

Unemployment Rate 2.3%

Median Age 37.1 years

Homeownership Rate 66.8%

Affordability Ratio 3.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 33.1%

High School Graduation 92.6%

Cities/Places 14

Population 82,735 15th of 115

Median Income $68,464 3% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.0%

Unemployment 2.3%

How Cape Girardeau County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	82,180	82,735	+0.7%
Median household income	$68,912	$68,464	-0.7%
Median home value	$208,300	$220,700	+6.0%

Median Household Income

Cape Girardeau

$68,464

$70,702

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cape Girardeau

$220,700

$230,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.7%

$25K-$50K 19.8%

$50K-$100K 30.5%

$100K+ 32.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.8%

$10K-$15K

4.0%

$15K-$20K

3.9%

$20K-$25K

4.0%

$25K-$30K

3.6%

$30K-$35K

5.4%

$35K-$40K

3.9%

$40K-$45K

3.4%

$45K-$50K

3.5%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

9.9%

$75K-$100K

13.2%

$100K-$125K

11.7%

$125K-$150K

6.4%

$150K-$200K

7.1%

$200K+

6.8%

Employment

2.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.0%|National: 5.2%

64.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.8%

Renter 33.2%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $881/mo 15.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.3%

18-34

26.2%

35-54

22.8%

55-74

22.1%

75+

7.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 40 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cape Girardeau County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Cape Girardeau	40,344	$55,658	20.8%	$196,300
Jackson	15,659	$77,105	8.6%	$240,000
Scott City	4,371	$62,599	11.2%	$147,500
Delta	532	$45,625	6.2%	$119,400
Gordonville	473	$82,750	1.5%	$241,500
Oak Ridge	298	$71,458	4.7%	$131,300
Millersville	280	$75,781	0.0%	$145,300
Dutchtown	187	$86,111	2.1%	$154,200
Burfordville	147	N/A	8.2%	N/A
Allenville	127	$51,071	25.6%	$82,500
Shawneetown	122	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Old Appleton	109	$54,306	4.6%	$79,100
Whitewater	64	$49,038	1.6%	$105,100
Pocahontas	55	$106,875	3.6%	$142,900

Explore Missouri Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Cape Girardeau County is located in Missouri with a total population of 82,735. It is the 15th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cape Girardeau County is 37.1 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cape Girardeau County is $68,464. This is 3% lower than the state median of $70,702. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.0%. This is 11% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 2.3%. This is 42% lower than the state rate of 4.0%. The median home value is $220,700. Housing costs are 4% lower than the state median of $230,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 66.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 68.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cape Girardeau County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.6% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 7.4%.

Education

33.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Cape Girardeau County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 2% higher than the state rate of 32.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cape Girardeau County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Missouri and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?

Cape Girardeau County has a population of 82,735, making it the 15th most populous county in Missouri.

What is the median income in Cape Girardeau County?

The median household income in Cape Girardeau County is $68,464 with a poverty rate of 14.0%.

How many cities are in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?

Cape Girardeau County contains 14 Census-designated places.