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Cape Girardeau County, Missouri: crime rate, income and local data
The violent-crime rate in Cape Girardeau County was 3.8 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), 21% lower than the statewide rate (4.7). The median household earns $68,464 and the unemployment rate was 3.6% in August 2026. About 82,735 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Cape Girardeau County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 310 violent and 1,283 property crimes per year. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 3.8: 21% lower than the Missouri rate (4.7), and close to the national rate (3.7). Property crime ran at 15.5 per 1,000, against 21.0 statewide. Aggravated assaults make up 80% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 5 homicide deaths a year in the county (6.1 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Cape Girardeau County | Per 1,000 | Missouri per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 310 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 3 | 0.04 | 0.09 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 43 | 0.52 | 0.49 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 17 | 0.21 | 0.53 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 247 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 1,283 | 15.5 | 21.0 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 200 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 954 | 11.5 | 14.2 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 129 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (4 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Cape Girardeau County?
The median household in Cape Girardeau County earns $68,464 a year, close to the Missouri median ($70,702). The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $220,700 by its owners; renters pay a median $881. 9.8% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 9.8%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.6% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 1,544 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Cape Girardeau County | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,735 | 6,191,814 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $68,464 | $70,702 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $220,700 | $230,300 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $881 | $1,033 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 2.3% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 13.9% | 12.6% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 9.8% | 9.8% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 32.4% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 66.8% | 68.1% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 37.1 | 39.0 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 89.5% | 89.3% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 7.4% | 8.8% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Cape Girardeau County?
Cape Girardeau County carries a “Relatively Moderate” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Cape Girardeau County: Missouri Electric Works. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
Cape Girardeau County has 16 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. 1 is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 6 Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Lipps Lake Dam (72 ft) and City of Cape Girardeau Dam (58 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
11 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 1,578,951 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Cape Girardeau County was covered by 5 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Flood 3, Severe Storm 2), not counting COVID-19. Of 21 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate). NHTSA counted 10 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 1 pedestrian.
Is there road construction in Cape Girardeau County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 9 highway work zones in Cape Girardeau County (all active that day). Listed roads include 55, SHAWNEE PKWY and WILLIAM ST. 3 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Cape Girardeau County?
Federal school lists show 27 public and 9 private schools in the county. 9 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 21 fire or EMS stations and 4 police or sheriff stations. 1 state park or recreation area: Trail Of Tears State Park.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Cape Girardeau County
Gun shops
6 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Cape Girardeau County, plus 16 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Academy Sports + Outdoors #178 (Cape Girardeau), Buchheit Of Jackson INC (Jackson), Rural King (Cape Girardeau), Sappington Pro Outdoor (Jackson), Shooters Gun Shop INC (Cape Girardeau) and Walmart #188 (Cape Girardeau).
Liquor stores
3 liquor stores are on the map in Cape Girardeau County: Beehive Liquors (Cape Girardeau), Dirt Cheap #536 (Cape Girardeau) and Liquor Warehouse (Cape Girardeau).
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Cape Girardeau County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Cape Girardeau County?
Cape Girardeau County averaged 310 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 3.8 per 1,000 residents, 21% lower than the Missouri rate (4.7). The property-crime rate was 15.5 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Cape Girardeau County?
$68,464 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $70,702 for Missouri and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Cape Girardeau County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.6% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 1,544 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Cape Girardeau County?
Cape Girardeau County carries a “Relatively Moderate” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here.
Are there Superfund sites in Cape Girardeau County?
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Cape Girardeau County: Missouri Electric Works. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list.
Is there road construction in Cape Girardeau County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 9 highway work zones in Cape Girardeau County (all active that day). Listed roads include 55, SHAWNEE PKWY and WILLIAM ST. 3 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Cape Girardeau County?
9 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Cape Girardeau County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander County, IL | 4,875 | 0.00 | $47,043 |
| Bollinger County | 10,559 | 5.9 | $63,814 |
| Perry County | 18,976 | 3.1 | $62,981 |
| Scott County | 37,933 | 6.4 | $62,782 |
| Stoddard County | 28,470 | 2.5 | $57,957 |
| Union County, IL | 16,997 | 1.4 | $55,728 |
More: Missouri statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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