The Town FilesCape Girardeau, Missouri
City in Cape Girardeau County · population 39,540 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
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- Median home
- $196,300
- Household income
- $55,658
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 34.5
Cape Girardeau is a city of 39,540 people in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. The median home is worth $196,300, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 91% of Missouri towns, hipper than 91% of Missouri towns, more vibrant than 89% of Missouri towns.
How Cape Girardeau ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cape Girardeau is worth $196,300, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $55,658, which is more affordable than 19% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $876 a month. 54.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cape Girardeau | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,300 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $876 | $855 |
| Median household income | $55,658 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 54.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Cape Girardeau
| People | Cape Girardeau | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.8% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 15.9 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 88.7% |
Weather in Cape Girardeau
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 26.2°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.5 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 90 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cape Girardeau since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on January 11, 2020 about 3.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 26 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 64 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 25, 1961.
Severe weather in Cape Girardeau County since 1996
Cape Girardeau County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4929: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4872: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| July 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cape Girardeau County
Cape Girardeau County had 41,463 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,752 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Cape Girardeau itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Cape Girardeau
13 public schools with 4,595 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CENTRAL HIGH | 9-12 | 1,315 | 14.8 |
| CENTRAL MIDDLE | 5-6 | 610 | 13.0 |
| CENTRAL JR. HIGH | 7-8 | 598 | 12.5 |
| JEFFERSON ELEM. | PK-5 | 470 | 10.4 |
| CLIPPARD ELEM. | PK-4 | 424 | 11.2 |
| ALMA SCHRADER ELEM. | K-4 | 357 | 13.2 |
| BLANCHARD ELEM. | PK-4 | 303 | 11.2 |
| NELL HOLCOMB ELEM. | K-8 | 241 | 8.3 |
| FRANKLIN ELEM. | PK-4 | 224 | 8.6 |
| GIRARDOT CENTER FOR YOUTH | 5-12 | 27 | 6.8 |
| PARKVIEW SCHOOL | K-12 | 26 | 5.2 |
| CAPE GIRARDEAU CAR TECH CTR. | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Cape Girardeau
- Scott City, MO6.0 mi · 4,346 people · home $147,500
- Jackson, MO7.2 mi · 15,481 people · home $240,000
- Chaffee, MO10.5 mi · 3,057 people · home $117,400
- Anna, IL20.5 mi · 4,303 people · home $134,300
- Sikeston, MO29.5 mi · 16,291 people · home $168,800
- Charleston, MO29.8 mi · 5,056 people · home $123,700
Cape Girardeau questions
Is Cape Girardeau, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cape Girardeau scores better for retirees than 35% of Missouri towns and quieter than 13%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.5).
How much does a house cost in Cape Girardeau?
The median owner-occupied home in Cape Girardeau is valued at $196,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,658, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $876 a month.
What is the weather like in Cape Girardeau?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 26.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 7.5 inches of snow.
Does Cape Girardeau get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cape Girardeau since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on January 11, 2020. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)