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City · 40,344 residents · Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

Cape Girardeau , Missouri

In Cape Girardeau, a typical home is worth $196,300 and typical rent is $876 a month. Compared with all of Cape Girardeau County, typical household income is 19% lower, the typical home value is 11% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 13 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $196,300

    11% below the county

    15% below Missouri

    • Cape Girardeau
    • County
    • Missouri

  • Typical rent

    $876a month

    About the same as the county

    15% below Missouri

    • Cape Girardeau
    • County
    • Missouri

  • Typical household income

    $55,658a year

    19% below the county

    21% below Missouri

    • Cape Girardeau
    • County
    • Missouri

  • Households that own their home

    54%

    13 points below the county

    14 points below Missouri

    • Cape Girardeau
    • County
    • Missouri

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$219,276
4.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$944 a month
4.6% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Cape Girardeau is in Cape Girardeau County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Cape Girardeau County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Cape Girardeau apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Dexter, the typical home value is $137,200: 30% less than in Cape Girardeau ($196,300).

  2. 54% of households in Cape Girardeau own their home, against 67% in Cape Girardeau County.

  3. The typical household income in Cape Girardeau is $55,658, 19% less than in Cape Girardeau County as a whole ($68,464).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Cape Girardeau

What homes there are in Cape Girardeau, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Cape Girardeau, 6 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Cape Girardeau County, 7.

Year built

In Cape Girardeau, half of the homes were built before 1975; in Cape Girardeau County, before 1982.

There are fewer big homes in Cape Girardeau than in Cape Girardeau County: 56% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 65%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA loan limit for Cape Girardeau County is $541,287, and about 94% of owner-occupied homes in Cape Girardeau are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,012), about 62% of rented homes in Cape Girardeau cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,369 a month

Cape Girardeau County: $1,408 a month

Without a mortgage

$495 a month

Cape Girardeau County: $490 a month

Owners with a mortgage

60%

Cape Girardeau County: 61%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Cape Girardeau is $1,369 a month, near the figure in Cape Girardeau County ($1,408).

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Cape Girardeau gained value more slowly than in Cape Girardeau County: 29% since 2015–2019, against 38%.

Much as in Cape Girardeau County, the typical rent in Cape Girardeau rose 10% since 2015–2019.

The typical household income in Cape Girardeau rose 22% over that time; home values changed +29% and rent +10%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureCape GirardeauCape Girardeau CountyMissouriUnited States
Rental vacancy 6.9%7.5%5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.1%1.7%3.4%
People per household 2.272.442.402.53
Drive alone 80%81%75%69%
Carpool 8%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 3%2%2%3%
Work from home 8%9%13%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Cape Girardeau, the rental vacancy rate is 6.9%, about the same as in Cape Girardeau County.

Households in Cape Girardeau are smaller: 2.27 people on average; in Cape Girardeau County, 2.44.

In Cape Girardeau, 80% of workers drive alone to work; in Cape Girardeau County, 81%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Cape Girardeau?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Cape Girardeau, worth $196,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 34% of the typical household income in Cape Girardeau, which is $55,658 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $68,093 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Cape Girardeau County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Cape Girardeau. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $6,871 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,589

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$192,744
Total interest
$277,313
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,315 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,299 a month

  • Tight

    $1,299 to $1,670 a month

    Your payment · 34%

  • Hard

    more than $1,670 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Cape Girardeau ($55,658 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,589
Principal & interest$1,306
Property tax$115
Home insurance$82
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$87

You need at least $6,871 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County

Cape Girardeau is in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Cape Girardeau's own numbers

Typical home value
$196,300
Typical monthly rent
$876
Typical yearly household income
$55,658
Households that own their home
54%
Effective property tax rate
0.7%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Cape Girardeau County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,012
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+43%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.8%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Cape Girardeau County.

Everything about Cape Girardeau County

Buying

Buying a home in Cape Girardeau

A typical home in Cape Girardeau is worth $196,300: 11% below the county and 15% below Missouri. With the typical household income in Cape Girardeau ($55,658 a year), a typical home costs 3.5 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Cape Girardeau 3.5 years
  • County 3.2 years
  • Missouri 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Cape Girardeau County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Cape Girardeau County rose 64% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Cape Girardeau County.

Period County Missouri U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.1% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +43% +51% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +64% +88% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Cape Girardeau next to Cape Girardeau County, Missouri and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Cape Girardeau $196,300
  • County $220,700
  • Missouri $230,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Cape Girardeau $876
  • County $881
  • Missouri $1,033
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Cape Girardeau $55,658
  • County $68,464
  • Missouri $70,702
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Cape Girardeau next to Cape Girardeau County and Missouri
Measure Cape Girardeau Cape Girardeau County Missouri U.S.
Typical home value $196,300 $220,700 $230,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $876 $881 $1,033 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $55,658 $68,464 $70,702 $80,734
Households that own their home 54% 67% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,380 $1,421 $1,948 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.7% 0.64% 0.85% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 48% 46% 46% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Cape Girardeau County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Cape Girardeau

For a typical $196,300 home in Cape Girardeau, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Cape Girardeau's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,589a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,871
    Cash to close
    $12,760
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $87

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,553a month

    Down payment
    $9,815
    Cash to close
    $15,704
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $93

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,260a month

    Down payment
    $39,260
    Cash to close
    $45,149
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,442a month

    Down payment
    $29,445
    Cash to close
    $35,334
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Cape Girardeau and for Cape Girardeau County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Cape Girardeau

0.7%of the home’s value each year

$1,380 a year for the typical owner in Cape Girardeau.

  • Cape Girardeau 0.7%
  • County 0.64%
  • Missouri 0.85%

What Missouri publishes Deadline to appeal the assessment to the county board of equalization (Missouri Revisor of Statutes (Revised Statutes of Missouri))

Exemptions and deadlines in Missouri

Flood risk in Cape Girardeau County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Cape Girardeau County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.8%
536
Of those, with NFIP insurance
6.9%
County Missouri U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.8% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 6.9% 19% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Cape Girardeau

Typical rent in Cape Girardeau is $876 a month: about the same as the county. In Cape Girardeau, 48% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Cape Girardeau County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,012 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.46 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Cape Girardeau County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $757 $14.56 $30,280
1 bedroom $833 $16.02 $33,320
2 bedrooms $1,012 $19.46 $40,480
3 bedrooms $1,401 $26.94 $56,040
4 bedrooms $1,692 $32.54 $67,680

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Cape Girardeau

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Cape Girardeau has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,010 in 63703 to $1,050 in 63701.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Cape Girardeau County ($1,012).

  • 63701 $1,050$1,450
  • 63703 $1,010$1,400

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Cape Girardeau when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Cape Girardeau

HUD lists 17 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Cape Girardeau. These are the largest.

  • Lindenwood Apartments 1105 Linden St, Cape Girardeau 63703 67 low-income homes · For older adults (573) 334-7682
  • Cape Gardens Apartments 611 S West End Blvd, Cape Girardeau 63703 60 low-income homes · For older adults (573) 334-1331
  • Cape Girardeau Sundance Apts 909 Hackberry St, Cape Girardeau 63703 48 low-income homes · 2 bd: 32 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 1998
  • Cape Meadows 515 Cape Meadows Cir, Cape Girardeau 63701 48 low-income homes · 2 bd: 48 · In service since 2006 · For families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Schultz Senior Housing 101 S Pacific St, Cape Girardeau 63703 45 low-income homes · 1 bd: 21 · 2 bd: 24 · In service since 2009 · For older adults

See all 24 buildings in Cape Girardeau County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Cape Girardeau

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Cape Girardeau County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A pregnant woman reads paperwork on the sofa while the grandmother plays with the girl on the floor.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Cape Girardeau

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Cape Girardeau or Cape Girardeau County. The ones below are statewide in Missouri: they work in Cape Girardeau the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Missouri

  • First Place Loan Program

    Statewide in Missouri

    Missouri state commission mortgage for first-time buyers and veterans, with the option of cash assistance for the down payment and closing costs. Offered by Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • Next Step Program

    Statewide in Missouri

    Missouri state commission mortgage for buyers who earn more than First Place allows, with a second loan of 4% of the mortgage for the down payment and closing costs that is forgiven after ten years. Offered by Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Cape Girardeau

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Cape Girardeau, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • The Housing Partnership, Inc.

    729 Lemay Ferry Rd, Saint Louis · 94 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (314) 631-9905

  • Housing Options Provided for the Elderly (H.O.P.E)

    1120 S 6th St, Saint Louis · 97 miles away

    • Reverse mortgage counseling
    (844) 432-6467

  • Justine Petersen Housing and Reinvestment Corporation

    1023 N Grand Blvd, Saint Louis · 99 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (314) 533-2411

All counseling agencies in Missouri

Help in Spanish near Cape Girardeau

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Cape Girardeau

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Cape Girardeau County. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Missouri Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Cape Girardeau County

These cities are also in Cape Girardeau County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Cape Girardeau County Housing in Missouri

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Cape Girardeau, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Cape Girardeau County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Cape Girardeau.

All guides
A man and two girls read a book together on the sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Cape Girardeau

Short answers with the numbers for Cape Girardeau and all of Cape Girardeau County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Cape Girardeau?

The typical home value in Cape Girardeau is $196,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Cape Girardeau County it is $220,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Cape Girardeau?

Typical rent in Cape Girardeau is $876 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Cape Girardeau County is $1,012.

What is the FHA loan limit in Cape Girardeau?

Cape Girardeau uses the FHA limit for all of Cape Girardeau County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Cape Girardeau?

The typical homeowner in Cape Girardeau pays $1,380 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.7% of the home’s value; in Cape Girardeau County, the rate is 0.64%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Cape Girardeau?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Cape Girardeau County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).