Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.0 | 82,984 people · 90th most distressed in Missouri
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Cape Girardeau County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.0 — 2284th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Missouri, it ranks 90th of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cape Girardeau County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 55.9 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 55.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 17
Debt & Delinquency 51.7
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 42
Student Loan Delinquency 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Community Vulnerability 37.8
Uninsured Rate 41
Disability Rate 35
Employment & Wages 30.9
Unemployment Rate 16
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 46
Income & Poverty 28.9
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 28

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Cape Girardeau County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cape Girardeau County
Cape Girardeau County, MO 41.0 Normal —
Alexander County, IL 65.3 Serious +24.2
Stoddard County, MO 57.8 Elevated +16.8
Scott County, MO 56.3 Elevated +15.2
Bollinger County, MO 54.3 Elevated +13.3
Union County, IL 52.2 Elevated +11.2
Perry County, MO 37.8 Normal -3.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cape Girardeau County
LaSalle County, IL 41.0 Normal -0.0
Yellowstone County, MT 41.1 Normal +0.0
St. Clair County, AL 41.1 Normal +0.1
Monongalia County, WV 41.0 Normal -0.1
Warren County, NJ 40.8 Normal -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Cape Girardeau County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Cape Girardeau County

Find an Attorney

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 573-635-4128

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Cape Girardeau County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri 314-534-4200 (St. Louis); 1-800-444-0514 (statewide hotline)
Legal Aid of Western Missouri 816-474-6750 (Kansas City); 1-800-748-2057 (statewide hotline)
Central Missouri Legal Services 573-442-0116
The Legal Aid and Defender Association (LAD) 816-474-6750
Legal Services of Southern Missouri (417) 881-1397
Mid-Missouri Legal Services Corporation (573) 442-0116

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?

    Cape Girardeau County has a County Distress Index score of 41.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,284th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 90th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cape Girardeau County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cape Girardeau County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 55.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cape Girardeau County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cape Girardeau County (41.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Alexander County, IL (65.3); Stoddard County, MO (57.8); Scott County, MO (56.3).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Cape Girardeau County?

    Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has a population of approximately 82,984 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.