Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.7 | 82,984 people · 50th most distressed in Missouri
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Cape Girardeau County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.7 — 1589th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Missouri, it ranks 50th of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cape Girardeau County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 76.7 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 76.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Housing Cost Burden 69.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 82
Consumer Credit Distress 46.4
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 52
Economic Vitality 29.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 17
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 32
Structural Poverty 27.9
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 32

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cape Girardeau County
Cape Girardeau County, MO 49.7 Normal —
Scott County, MO 67.0 Serious +17.3
Stoddard County, MO 58.2 Elevated +8.4
Alexander County, IL 57.6 Elevated +7.9
Bollinger County, MO 57.4 Elevated +7.6
Perry County, MO 45.3 Normal -4.5
Union County, IL 44.0 Normal -5.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cape Girardeau County
Kerr County, TX 49.7 Normal -0.0
Miami County, OH 49.7 Normal -0.1
Racine County, WI 49.6 Normal -0.1
Berkshire County, MA 49.6 Normal -0.1
Wagoner County, OK 49.6 Normal -0.1

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 49.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,589th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cape Girardeau County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cape Girardeau County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 76.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Cape Girardeau County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cape Girardeau County (49.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Scott County, MO (67.0); Stoddard County, MO (58.2); Alexander County, IL (57.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Cape Girardeau County's score of 49.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Cape Girardeau County's CDI score?

    Cape Girardeau County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • 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.