Cape Girardeau and Morgantown receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Cape Girardeau | Morgantown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 98,169 | 141,323 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,759 | $64,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,681 | $38,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 69/sq mi | 140/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,400 | $233,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $864 | $967 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.9% | 63.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.8% | 40.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 22 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.7% | 37.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.9" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 51 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cape Girardeau
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado, inland flooding.
Morgantown
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Cape Girardeau, MO-IL Metro Area · Morgantown, WV Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology