Missouri

Cape Girardeau

81,710
2020 population
1810
first census record
22
census records

About Cape Girardeau

Cape Girardeau, Missouri, first appears in the United States federal census in 1810, when it recorded a population of 3,888. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 81,710.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 5 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Jackson Skirmish (Cape Girardeau County), Cape Girardeau Supplemental Skirmish, Marmaduke's Raid on Cape Girardeau, and 65 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202081,710
201075,674
200068,693
199061,633
198058,837
197049,350
196042,020
195038,397
194037,775
193033,203
192029,839
191027,621
190024,315
189022,060
188020,998
187017,558
186015,547
185013,912
18409,359
18307,445
18205,968
18103,888
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Cape Girardeau

Military engagements that took place in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Jackson Skirmish (Cape Girardeau County)
1861
Cape Girardeau Supplemental Skirmish
1862
Marmaduke's Raid on Cape Girardeau
1863
Battle of Cape Girardeau
1863
Skirmish at Cape Girardeau (approach)
1863

Historic places in Cape Girardeau

National Register of Historic Places listings in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

House at 323 Themis Street
Cape Girardeau
Jackson Uptown Commercial Historic District
Jackson
South Middle Street Historic District
Cape Girardeau
Marquette Hotel
Cape Girardeau
Oliver-Leming House
Cape Girardeau
Pott, Frederick W. and Mary Karau, House
Cape Giradeau
Lilly, Edward S. and Mary Annatoile Albert, House
Cape Girardeau
Big Hill Farmstead Historic District
Jackson
Kage School
Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau Court of Common Pleas
Cape Girardeau
Glenn House
Cape Girardeau
Wichterich, Robert Felix and Elma Taylor, House
Cape Girardeau
Broadway Commercial Historic District
Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase II)
Cape Girardeau
Harrison, William Henry and Lilla Luce, House
Cape Girardeau
Central High School
Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Cape Girardeau
Vasterling, Julius, Building
Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau Commercial Historic District
Cape Girardeau
Broadway and North Fountain Street Historic District
Cape Girardeau
Green's Ferry
Cape Girardeau
Wood Building
Cape Girardeau
Esquire Theater
Cape Girardeau
St. Vincent's College Building
Cape Girardeau
Browse all Missourihistoric sites ›

Other counties in Missouri

Explore census history and historic records for more Missouri counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

This page charts the census history of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Cape Girardeau

When does Cape Girardeau first appear in the US census?
Cape Girardeau, Missouri first appears in the federal census in 1810, with a recorded population of 3,888.
What is the population of Cape Girardeau?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Cape Girardeau had a recorded population of 81,710.
Were any battles fought in Cape Girardeau?
5 documented military engagements took place in Cape Girardeau, including Jackson Skirmish (Cape Girardeau County), Cape Girardeau Supplemental Skirmish, Marmaduke's Raid on Cape Girardeau.
How many historic places are in Cape Girardeau?
65 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
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