Carthage receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carthage
Cape Girardeau
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs55 · Bottom 49%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs92 · Top 27%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 9%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Carthage | Cape Girardeau | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,574 | 40,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,328 | $55,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,235 | $32,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,287/sq mi | 1,379/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $146,800 | $196,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $876 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.2% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 45 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.7% | 0.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.6" | 47.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 17.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 34.5 | 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
Carthage
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, drought.
Cape Girardeau
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Carthage
61
Your Score
63
Area Score
Cape Girardeau
58
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Carthage, MO · Cape Girardeau, MO · How this is calculated: methodology