Cost of Living in Cape Girardeau

Cape Girardeau's cost of living runs genuinely affordable, anchored by below-average housing costs and a favorable effective property-tax rate.

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Genuinely affordable housing

Cape Girardeau's average home value ran approximately $220,162 per Zillow, up a real, modest 4.2% year-over-year -- comfortably below national and Missouri statewide figures.

A favorable property-tax rate

Cape Girardeau County's 0.71% average effective property tax rate runs genuinely below Missouri's own statewide average (0.88%-0.97%) -- a real, disclosed advantage.

A modestly elevated local sales tax

Cape Girardeau's combined sales tax rate ran approximately 9.475%, somewhat above Missouri's own 8.44% statewide combined average -- a real, disclosed tradeoff against the favorable property-tax picture.

Key takeaways

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Read the full Cape Girardeau overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-27. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.