Population 82,735 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cape Girardeau County
Household size in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Cape Girardeau County run a little small, averaging 2.53 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.42, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.3 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.4 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Cape Girardeau County are younger than 39.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.7 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Cape Girardeau County than nationally: 9.0%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cape Girardeau County
Renters in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.6% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.4% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.0% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.2% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Cape Girardeau County is about as common as it is nationally: 33.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. About four in ten owners (40.0%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the north. The renter share has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Cape Girardeau County: 11.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has risen 2.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Cape Girardeau County was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $642 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $759 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $870 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $983 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$341 | +$383 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cape Girardeau County pays $983 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $341 a month from 2006–10, a 53% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cape Girardeau County
Bachelor's degrees in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.3% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.0% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.3% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Cape Girardeau County (33.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.0 points, mirroring the country. Few Missouri counties have a higher share of college graduates: only nine of 115.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.1% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.5% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Cape Girardeau County have finished high school (92.5%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Cape Girardeau County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Missouri counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cape Girardeau County
| Period | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Cape Girardeau County has been low: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cape Girardeau County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau County | 2.53 | 39.4 | 9.0% | 33.2% | 11.4% | 1982 | $983 | 33.3% | 92.5% | 2.6% |
| Bollinger County | 2.68 | 43.7 | 10.0% | 17.7% | 20.8% | 1982 | $776 | 13.1% | 90.6% | 3.5% |
| Union County | 2.43 | 43.5 | 10.2% | 22.6% | 13.1% | 1977 | $747 | 20.4% | 86.8% | 4.2% |
| Johnson County | 2.75 | 41.6 | 10.5% | 18.0% | 30.2% | 1978 | $896 | 21.8% | 86.9% | 10.2% |
| Pope County | 2.65 | 53.5 | 6.3% | 13.7% | 38.2% | 1983 | $475 | 15.0% | 93.6% | 2.6% |
| Hardin County | 2.27 | 53.4 | 9.3% | 20.5% | 33.7% | 1974 | $444 | 13.1% | 91.8% | 2.8% |
| Reynolds County | 2.53 | 47.5 | 7.4% | 20.2% | 27.4% | 1975 | $635 | 15.5% | 81.9% | 8.7% |
| Crittenden County | 2.56 | 43.5 | 11.4% | 21.8% | 16.4% | 1976 | $788 | 15.1% | 83.6% | 3.2% |
| Hopkins County | 2.44 | 40.8 | 14.6% | 29.3% | 13.1% | 1977 | $824 | 17.3% | 88.1% | 6.3% |
| Texas County | 2.52 | 44.3 | 9.5% | 22.8% | 13.2% | 1978 | $740 | 16.6% | 86.7% | 4.9% |
| Muhlenberg County | 2.47 | 43.4 | 10.8% | 21.2% | 12.6% | 1979 | $757 | 14.6% | 84.4% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Caldwell County, NC · Henderson County, TX · Cullman County, AL · Talladega County, AL · Sullivan County, NY · Lonoke County, AR · Somerset County, PA · Floyd County, IN · Forrest County, MS · Scioto County, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cape Girardeau County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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