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Cape Girardeau, IL

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cape Girardeau, IL is $992 per month, ranking #594 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $67,267, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 17.7% of income on housing. Rent in Cape Girardeau has increased 6.3% year over year. The area has a population of 98K, with 32.1% of households renting.

17.7%
Affordable
of income → rent
$992
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$67,267
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$864
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+6.3%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
98K
Population
Census ACS
32.1%
Renters
of occupied housing
$195,200
Median Home Value
12.9%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
14.2%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$763
Studio
$807
1 Bedroom
$992
2 Bedroom
$1,380
3 Bedroom
$1,664
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Cape Girardeau, IL, a household earning the area median income of $67,267 would spend 17.7% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$39,680
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$19
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$864
$128 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+22.9% since 2021
$8072021$8072022$8712023$9332024$9852025$9922026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Illinois is $14.00/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 54.5 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Cape Girardeau is 14.2%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$14.00/hr
Hours/Week Needed
54.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
14.2%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Cape Girardeau is $195,200. At a median income of $67,267, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.9x. 12.9% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,366 est. mortgage
vs $992 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
12.9%
of housing units

Other Areas in Illinois

Kendall County
$2,050/mo
2BR FMR · 27.7% burden
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville
$1,781/mo
2BR FMR · 24.1% burden
Grundy County
$1,459/mo
2BR FMR · 19.7% burden
DeKalb County
$1,373/mo
2BR FMR · 18.5% burden
Kankakee
$1,326/mo
2BR FMR · 23.3% burden

Compare Cape Girardeau

vs Kendall County, ILvs Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, ILvs Grundy County, IL

Areas With Similar Rent to Cape Girardeau

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cape Girardeau, IL is $992 per month. A studio is $763/mo, a 1-bedroom is $807/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,380/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $864/mo.

Cape Girardeau has a rent burden of 17.7%, meaning a household earning the median income of $67,267 would spend 17.7% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $39,680.

Cape Girardeau's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $992/mo is $258 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Cape Girardeau ranks #594 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Cape Girardeau without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $39,680, or a full-time hourly wage of $19/hour. The area median income is $67,267.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Cape Girardeau increased by 6.3% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.