What it's like to live in Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau is a small city in Missouri with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cape Girardeau deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, hospital ratings below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High poverty rate
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Cape Girardeau compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cape Girardeau
Based on Cape Girardeau's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,752
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $35,040 a year
- 44% of Cape Girardeau renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$39,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,630
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 38% below US
$876/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $876 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $196,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $196,300 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 42% above US
467 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1743/100k · Cape Girardeau Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 39% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.9 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park (53 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cape Girardeau's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($876/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Cape Girardeau
All Missouri guides →Moving to Jackson →
7 mi away · pop. 15,659
Rent $900/mo · Income $77,105
Compare with Cape Girardeau →Moving to Sikeston →
29 mi away · pop. 16,320
Rent $891/mo · Income $58,915
Compare with Cape Girardeau →Moving to Farmington →
58 mi away · pop. 18,282
Rent $855/mo · Income $53,729
Compare with Cape Girardeau →Moving to Poplar Bluff →
60 mi away · pop. 16,254
Rent $760/mo · Income $41,941
Compare with Cape Girardeau →Not sure Cape Girardeau is the one?
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