Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Located in Missouri, Cape Girardeau County has a population of 82,735 residents and a median age of 37.1 years, making it the #710 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.9%. The median home value is $220,700, and the median household income is $68,464, which is 9% below the national median.
Demographics
Cape Girardeau County has a population of 82,735, making it the #710 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.1 years, which is 4.6% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Cape Girardeau County is $68,464, ranking #1,304 out of 3,222 counties — 8.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.9% and unemployment stands at 2.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Cape Girardeau County is $220,700 (-21.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $881/mo and the homeownership rate is 66.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Cape Girardeau County, 33.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 1.8% below the national average, ranking #567 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Cape Girardeau County is 75.8 years. 19.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 9.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
22.0% of adults in Cape Girardeau County smoke , 40.7% are obese , and 20.5% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 15.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Cape Girardeau County is 6.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 18.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.7 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
13.6% of children in Cape Girardeau County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.7 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 16.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Cape Girardeau County is 66.5%. The mean commute time is 21.4 min, which is 22.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Cape Girardeau County voted Republican with a margin of 46.5%. The vote was 26.2% Dem / 72.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has a total population of 82,735, making it the 710th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Cape Girardeau County is 37.1 years, which is 4.6% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Cape Girardeau County is $68,464, which ranks #1,304 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 8.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.3%.
The median home value in Cape Girardeau County is $220,700, 21.7% below the national median. Renters in Cape Girardeau County pay a median gross rent of $881 per month. The homeownership rate is 66.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Cape Girardeau County, 33.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 1.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.4 min.
Cape Girardeau County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 83.6% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (7.4%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
All data for Cape Girardeau County, Missouri comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.