Cost to Own
United States › Missouri › Cape Girardeau County › Cape Girardeau Population 40,047 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-10-29
The part nobody budgets Even with the mortgage fully paid off, the median home here still costs $596 a month in taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. See the full Cape Girardeau County picture

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Cape Girardeau, Missouri

A $186,000 home here costs

$1,611

per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $69,000 a year.

P&I 63%Tax 7%Insurance 6%Utilities 14%Upkeep 10%

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,014. The real number is $596 higher every month, 59% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Compare Cape Girardeau County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown

Cape Girardeau median: $186,100
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
MO average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $148,800 borrowed $1,014
Property tax0.750% effective rate for Cape Girardeau itself $116
Homeowners insuranceMissouri averages $1,340/yr (NAIC), or 0.625% of home value $97
Electricity16.02ยข/kWh, Missouri residential average, EIA $160
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $155
Total monthly $1,611

Cape Girardeau against Cape Girardeau County and Missouri

MeasureCape GirardeauCape Girardeau County
Median home value$186,100$208,300
Median property tax$1,395$1,404
Effective tax rate0.750%0.674%
Median gross rent$855$881
Population40,04782,180

Cape Girardeau extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Cape Girardeau County, where most of its housing sits.

The weather behind that power bill

Cape Girardeau sits in Cape Girardeau County, which averages a high of 90.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.7°F in its coldest, with 50.49" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,592 cooling and 4,499 heating degree days, which is what sets the $160 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Cape Girardeau County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Cape Girardeau County

Full Cape Girardeau County cost breakdown · Every county in Missouri

Talk to someone who works this market

These are Cape Girardeau averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Cape Girardeau every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.

I'm looking to buy in Cape Girardeau I already own here and may sell

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Cape Girardeau?

A $186,000 home in Cape Girardeau, Missouri costs approximately $1,611 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,014 principal and interest, $116 property tax, $97 homeowners insurance, $228 utilities and $155 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Cape Girardeau?

Cape Girardeau has an effective property tax rate of 0.750%, based on a median home value of $186,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,395. That is higher than the Cape Girardeau County average of 0.674%.

What is the average home price in Cape Girardeau?

The median owner-occupied home value in Cape Girardeau, Missouri is $186,100, against $208,300 across Cape Girardeau County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cape Girardeau?

Median gross rent in Cape Girardeau is $855 a month, against $1,611 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

What salary do you need to buy a home in Cape Girardeau?

Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $69,000 a year. That covers the full $1,611 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Cape Girardeau, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Missouri.
  • Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology