Cape Girardeau, Missouri Income Statistics
Cape Girardeau Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Cape Girardeau Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Cape Girardeau | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $56,543 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,361 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.1% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.0% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Cape Girardeau is about 20% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in Cape Girardeau (3.6%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Cape Girardeau earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Missouri average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Cape Girardeau, Missouri grew by 41.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $56,543 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Cape Girardeau
| Metric | Cape Girardeau | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.559 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,194 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,996 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.3% | 20.6% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Cape Girardeau, it is 0.559, higher than Missouri's 0.532, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 25% more than women's income in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $391,930 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cape Girardeau, Missouri has narrowed from about 24% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2014, and was narrowest at 13% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,168 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Cape Girardeau | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.2% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 469 people are unemployed in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
The average commute time in Cape Girardeau is 12 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Cape Girardeau, Missouri has fallen from 7.7% to 2.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.1% in 2014.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Cape Girardeau, Missouri has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Missouri, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
How Rich Is Cape Girardeau, Missouri?
Cape Girardeau has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $56,543, about 20% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
Are incomes growing in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Cape Girardeau, Missouri rose 42%, from $39,886 to $56,543. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Missouri as a whole: +42% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Cape Girardeau in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Cape Girardeau, Missouri was $57,012, up 7% from $53,096 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Cape Girardeau in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Cape Girardeau, Missouri was $46,389. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $56,543.
How strong is the job market in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?
Unemployment in Cape Girardeau, Missouri is only 2.6%, well below the Missouri rate of 4.0%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Cape Girardeau is 0.559. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cape Girardeau, Missouri has narrowed from about 24% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2014, and was narrowest at 13% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,168 since 2009.
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