Cape Girardeau

Population: 40,047
Median household income: $54,870
Median home value: $186,100

Located in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, Cape Girardeau is a community with a population of 40,047. Its median household income of $54,870 runs below the Cape Girardeau County figure of $68,912.

From 2019 to 2023, Cape Girardeau's population grew 1.2% from 39,566 to 40,047, while its median home value rose 22.6% from $151,800 to $186,100.

The median resident is 34.2 years old. The largest age group is 18 to 24, 21.4% of residents.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 40,047
Median age: 34.2 yrs
Median household income: $54,870
Median home value: $186,100
Median gross rent: $855
Housing units: 18,590
Homeownership rate: 52.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 36.6%
Unemployment rate: 3.4%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

39,56640,047

Median household income

$45,733$54,870

Median home value

$151,800$186,100

Median gross rent

$794$855

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	39,566	$45,733	$151,800	$794
2020	40,100	$45,713	$153,400	$762
2021	39,415	$48,055	$157,200	$779
2022	39,795	$51,671	$177,500	$822
2023	40,047	$54,870	$186,100	$855

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.5%

5 to 1711.7%

18 to 2421.4%

25 to 3412.3%

35 to 4410.6%

45 to 548.5%

55 to 6411.0%

65 to 749.9%

75 and over9.1%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,213	5.5%
5 to 17	4,682	11.7%
18 to 24	8,570	21.4%
25 to 34	4,936	12.3%
35 to 44	4,227	10.6%
45 to 54	3,423	8.5%
55 to 64	4,393	11.0%
65 to 74	3,978	9.9%
75 and over	3,625	9.1%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	29,894	74.6%
Black or African American	6,026	15.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	17	0.0%
Asian	1,045	2.6%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	87	0.2%
Some other race	198	0.5%
Two or more races	1,401	3.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,379	3.4%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma8.4%

High school graduate29.0%

Some college or associate's26.0%

Bachelor's degree21.6%

Graduate or professional degree14.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,060	8.4%
High school graduate	7,135	29.0%
Some college or associate's	6,399	26.0%
Bachelor's degree	5,320	21.6%
Graduate or professional degree	3,668	14.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 16 min

Drove alone79.9%

Carpooled8.7%

Public transit0.2%

Walked2.4%

Bicycle0.1%

Worked from home7.1%

Other means1.6%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	15,674	79.9%
Carpooled	1,702	8.7%
Public transit	44	0.2%
Walked	467	2.4%
Bicycle	26	0.1%
Worked from home	1,389	7.1%
Other means	320	1.6%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	10,832	59.4%
15 to 29 min	4,969	27.3%
30 to 44 min	1,260	6.9%
45 to 59 min	532	2.9%
60+ min	640	3.5%

Households

Average household size: 2.23
Poverty rate: 20.7% (7,602 of 36,652)

	Count	Share
Family households	8,115	49.1%
Nonfamily households	8,406	50.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1975

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	16,521	88.9%
Vacant	2,069	11.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	8,619	52.2%
Renter-occupied	7,902	47.8%

1-unit, detached62.6%

1-unit, attached2.0%

2 to 4 units12.2%

5 to 19 units16.5%

20 or more units4.4%

Mobile home & other2.2%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	11,646	62.6%
1-unit, attached	381	2.0%
2 to 4 units	2,273	12.2%
5 to 19 units	3,073	16.5%
20 or more units	810	4.4%
Mobile home & other	407	2.2%

Geography

Place GEOID: 2911242
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 29 sq mi
Water area: 0.06 sq mi
Center point: 37.3094, -89.5584