Rents are 2% below what Cape Girardeau's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $944 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Cape Girardeau is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2022.
Rent in Cape Girardeau changed +4.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 60 Missouri cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.4%.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,658) is $1,391 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,390); a 4-bedroom is $1,660.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Cape Girardeau. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Cape Girardeau, MO is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 34.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Cape Girardeau, MO has changed in 5 years
Rent in Cape Girardeau, MO has increased 19.6% since 2023, going from about $789 per month to roughly $944 today. Household income in the area moved from $48,055 to $55,658 across the same window, up 15.8% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 3.8 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 39,415 to 40,344 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.4% change. About 46% of households rent today, against 44% in 2021. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Cape Girardeau, MO look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Cape Girardeau on your salary?
At $944/mo, how Cape Girardeau rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Cape Girardeau rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Cape Girardeau. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Cape Girardeau
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Cape Girardeau is $944/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $750/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $990/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $800/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,390/mo.
At 20% of local median household income ($55,658/yr), Cape Girardeau ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Cape Girardeau?
Is rent going up or down in Cape Girardeau?
How does Cape Girardeau rent compare to other cities in Missouri?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Cape Girardeau?
At $944/mo, rent takes ~20% of Cape Girardeau's median household income ($55,658/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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