1st Advantage MortgageThe median Cape Girardeau County household earns $68,464, and 14% of residents live below the poverty line. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Missouri before sharing details.
On this page
- Who lives in Cape Girardeau County
- Income in Cape Girardeau County compared with Missouri
- The Cape Girardeau County job picture
- Housing costs in Cape Girardeau County
- Towns and communities in Cape Girardeau County
- Cape Girardeau County and the counties next door
- Budget math at the Cape Girardeau County median
- People and households in Cape Girardeau County
- Borrowing situations common in Cape Girardeau County
- Checking a lender's license in Missouri
- Checklist for Cape Girardeau County applicants
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Cape Girardeau County
Cape Girardeau County is home to about 82,735 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 15th most populous of 115 county-level areas in Missouri. It covers 579 square miles of land, or about 143 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Cape Girardeau is the biggest of its 14 Census places, at roughly 40,344 people (49% of the county total).
Income in Cape Girardeau County compared with Missouri
At $68,464, the typical Cape Girardeau County household income is 4% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Yearly household income | Cape Girardeau County | Gap to Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 26.7% | +3.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.4% | -1.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.1% | -0.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.8% | -1.8 pts |
The spread is wide: 32% of Cape Girardeau County households make $100,000 or more, and 27% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 13.9%, 1 point higher than the state's 12.6%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.461 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
The Cape Girardeau County job picture
Education and health care employs 28% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 12%. The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 28% locally and 24% for Missouri. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.3% in Cape Girardeau County. 7% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 9% work from home. Only 5.9% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Top industries | Cape Girardeau County share | +/- vs Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.4% | +4.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.9% | +0.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.6% | +2.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.4% | -1.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.0% | -2.4 pts |
| Other services | 7.2% | +2.4 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Housing costs in Cape Girardeau County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $881 in Cape Girardeau County versus $1,033 statewide. 46% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 24% spend half or more. Home values center on $220,700, or 3.2 years of median income. 67% of Cape Girardeau County households own their home and 33% rent.
| Home costs | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $881/mo | $1,033/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $220,700 | $230,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 67% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 5.1% | 5.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 11% | n/a |
Towns and communities in Cape Girardeau County
The table lists the 14 largest of 14 Census places in Cape Girardeau County, by population. Together all 14 hold about 58,397 people, so roughly 29% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $77,105 at the median in Jackson, $45,625 in Delta. Rent is cheapest in Delta ($707) and steepest in Jackson ($900). This guide covers each of the 14 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau | city | 40,344 | $55,658 | $876 | 9 mi |
| Jackson | city | 15,659 | $77,105 | $900 | 2 mi |
| Delta | city | 532 | $45,625 | $707 | 13 mi |
| Gordonville | village | 473 | $82,750 | $1,013 | 5 mi |
| Oak Ridge | town | 298 | $71,458 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Millersville | CDP | 280 | $75,781 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Dutchtown | CDP | 187 | $86,111 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Burfordville | CDP | 147 | n/a | n/a | 7 mi |
| Allenville | village | 127 | $51,071 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Shawneetown | CDP | 122 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
| Old Appleton | town | 109 | $54,306 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Whitewater | town | 64 | $49,038 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Pocahontas | town | 55 | $106,875 | n/a | 8 mi |
| New Wells | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
Cape Girardeau County and the counties next door
Bollinger County is closest, 19 miles from center to center; the sixth, Jackson County, is 32 miles off. Income ranges from $47,043 in Alexander County to $63,814 in Bollinger County; none of these neighbors top Cape Girardeau County's median. Some neighbors are in Illinois. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Cape Girardeau County resident follows Missouri rules.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau County | - | $68,464 | $881/mo | 67% |
| Bollinger County, MO | 19 mi | $63,814 | $694/mo | 82% |
| Alexander County, IL | 23 mi | $47,043 | $656/mo | 78% |
| Perry County, MO | 23 mi | $62,981 | $923/mo | 77% |
| Scott County, MO | 24 mi | $62,782 | $873/mo | 71% |
| Union County, IL | 25 mi | $55,728 | $648/mo | 77% |
| Jackson County, IL | 32 mi | $48,763 | $782/mo | 50% |
Budget math at the Cape Girardeau County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Cape Girardeau County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $5,705 a month: gross income for a household at the Cape Girardeau County median
- Rent at the median, $881, takes 15% of that
- Under a 43% cap, $2,453 total minus rent leaves $1,572
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Cape Girardeau County's.
People and households in Cape Girardeau County
Degree holders: 33% of adults over 25. 7.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 33.1% | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.4% | 8.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.4% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.3% | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 41.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 38.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 13.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.8% |
| 60+ min | 3.7% |
Borrowing situations common in Cape Girardeau County
A few patterns in the Cape Girardeau County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Rent squeeze. 46% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Cape Girardeau County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
Checking a lender's license in Missouri
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Cape Girardeau County borrowers answers to the Missouri Division of Finance. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Missouri guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Cape Girardeau County applicants
Before you apply, wherever you live in Cape Girardeau County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- A Missouri license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Missouri guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Cape Girardeau County?
$68,464 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $70,702 for Missouri. It ranks 25th of 115 in the state.
How much is rent in Cape Girardeau County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $881 a month; 46% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Which towns does the Cape Girardeau County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 14 Census places: Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Delta, Gordonville, Oak Ridge.
Is the fit check different in Cape Girardeau County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who regulates personal lenders for Cape Girardeau County residents?
The Missouri Division of Finance licenses consumer lenders in Missouri; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.