Along the Mississippi River about 115 miles south of St. Louis, the city of Cape Girardeau is home to around 40,000 people but with a culture all its own. There's plenty of outdoor recreation, lively entertainment and a historic downtown, setting apart the town from its eastern Missouri neighbors. “We are a small town, but we have all the amenities of a large city—music and theater—without the traffic or the people,” says Brenda Newbern, the executive director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Blue Diamond Sports Bar is a place to socialize with friends and play a game of pool or darts in Cape Girardeau.
Established in 1733, Cape Girardeau sits along the Mississippi River beginning as a trading post.
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Historic homes and modern subdivisions
The median sale price for a home in Cape Girardeau is $208,250, about half the national median. Homes downtown tend to be older than in other parts of the city, with Craftsman styles, bungalows and cottages lining the streets. “In the historic districts, you have traditional homes, but we also have apartments and new subdivisions with modern styles,” says Newburn. The city's five historic districts often require a level of preservation, and permissions must be granted before significant changes or renovations can be made. Major employers include St. Francis Medical Center, Mercy Hospital Southeast and Procter & Gamble, which operates a paper-products factory on a 1,300-acre site north of town.
The quaint craftsman style homes are common in downtown Cape Girardeau.
Bungalows and small cottages line many streets in Cape Girardeau.
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Threaded with trails and peppered with parks
“Our parks are beautiful, and the trail system is unbelievable,'' Newburn says. "The Shawnee Trail runs the length of the city.” Cape Girardeau is home to 25 parks, spanning over 600 acres and seven scenic trails, including a riverfront walk. “You can bike on it, you can skateboard on it, and there are terraces where you can just sit and watch the barges go by.” Other popular spots include Cape Girardeau County Park South and Trail of Tears State Park, the latter of which is just outside the city in neighboring Jackson. Golfers can book a tee time at Dalhousie Golf Club. Locals can also catch a show at the Show Me Center, Southeast Missouri State University's destination for sporting events and live entertainment. Downtown, the historic Rose Theater puts on plays and musicals.
Families and kids enjoy the playground at Cape Girardeau County Park South.
Trail of Tears State Park stands as a memorial to those Cherokee Native Americans who died on the Cherokee Trail of Tears.
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Dinners in the historic downtown and shopping at The West Park Mall
Though restaurants and shops can be found throughout the city, most are concentrated downtown and along Blues Highway. Downtown, in particular, is known for its restaurants and antique stores, which are clustered together in historic buildings. “The food— oh, my goodness,” says Newburn. “We have every restaurant you can think of in this small town. I think we have something like 77 restaurants— everything from chains to independent, and all types of food.” The West Park Mall, located on the west side of the city, is being renovated and expanded to include new shops.
The West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau offers name brand shopping and a cozy place out of the elements to socialize.
Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant is a popular place for dinner downtown.
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The Cape Girardeau School District
The Cape Girardeau School District serves the city. Scoring a B on Niche, the district maintains five elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. Blanchard Elementary School ranks particularly high, earning an A-minus from Niche. At Franklin Elementary, class sizes are relatively small, with an average student-teacher ratio of 8-to-1.
Southeast Missouri State University, a four-year public institution, serves about 7,000 undergraduate students.
Franklin Elementary School is located at 1550 Themis Street.
Cape Girardeau is a college town, home of SEMO, Southeast Missouri University.
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Travel in Cape Girardeau and beyond
Interstate 55, State Route 74 and State Route 177 run through the city, providing a direct route to St. Louis. Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority operates fixed-route bus service and paratransit transportation. Cape Girardeau Regional Airport provides daily flights to Chicago under the federal Essential Air Service program. The St. Louis Lambert International Airport is 130 miles north and offers a broader selection of airlines and destinations.
Climate and Environment
Cape Girardeau experiences a humid subtropical climate, with humid summers and mild winters. Stormwater pollution is a concern, as most of the city’s stormwater ends up in the Mississippi River, which is a major drinking source for the community and surrounding areas. Prevention efforts include Cape Girardeau’s Storm Drain Stenciling Program, which remind residents and business operators that storm drains lead to the river.
Barge traffic can be seen traveling the Mississippi River that serves as the water source for many towns in this areas including Cape Girardeau.
Mild winters in Cape Girardeau allow students a comfortable commute to classes.
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Crime
According to FBI data, the rates of reported violent crime and property crime in Cape Girardeau over the last five years trend higher than the Missouri and national averages.
Written By
Stephanie Davison
Photography Contributed By
Dana Dieckmann
Video By
Victoria York
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
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On average, homes in Cape Girardeau, MO sell after 64 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Cape Girardeau, MO over the last 12 months is $224,900, down 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Charming 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with a 2 car garage, situated on a desirable corner lot. The primary bedroom features an ensuite bath, while a formal dining room offers plenty of space for entertaining. The kitchen opens to a cozy hearth room with a wood burning fireplace, creating the perfect spot to gather. Enjoy the large fenced backyard with a deck, ideal for outdoor living. An unfinished
This spacious 3-bedroom, 2 full bath, laundry/half bath combination multi-level home offers over 2000 sq ft of finished living space across multiple levels. Perfect for families and entertaining, the home features three distinct living areas, providing plenty of room for relaxation and gatherings. The bright and air layout is complemented by recent updates, including a newer roof, new vinyl
Three year old meticulously maintained brick ranch in sought out Dalhousie Subdivision. Open design with split bedroom floor plan. Vaulted ceilings featuring a gas fireplace in the living. Beautiful cabinetry with center island, stainless appliances, pantry and farmhouse sink in kitchen. Primary ensuite with walk-in closet, double sink, custom cabinetry with makeup vanity, and large tiled shower.
The District at Cape near SEMO University is a unique, inclusive community offering the best of the best living in Cape Girardeau. Whether you're a college student, retiree, single professional, or family of four, you'll find the perfect fit with one of our one-, two-, and three-bedroom floor plans. At The District at Cape, you'll enjoy carefree living at its finest in your new
Welcome to Hawthorne Place. A new community that focuses on high end finishes in a spacious 3 bedroom single family home with a large open concept living and entertaining area. This development is located conveniently off of Mount Auburn and Hopper Road with easy accessibility to all that Cape Girardeau has to offer.
Check out our fully-furnished apartments in Cape Girardeau. Cape Trails offers spacious two- and four-bedroom apartments complete with high-speed internet and in-unit laundry. Our pet-friendly community has the amenities that make student life easy like a study lounge, a computer center with printing, planned social events, and a resident shuttle. Not to mention, our prime location is situated
Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
