Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Cape Girardeau, MO has a Safety Score of 18/100 — higher crime than 82% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,079.5 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,411 of 2,957 US cities and #55 of 69 in Missouri.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Cape Girardeau, MO?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Cape Girardeau, Missouri Safe?
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, a city on the Mississippi River, is home to Southeast Missouri State University. Its historic downtown features a vibrant arts scene and overlooks the river, which forms the eastern border of Missouri.
Cape Girardeau has a safety score of 18/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,079.5 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Cape Girardeau ranks #55 out of 69 cities in Missouri and #2411 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 18th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 82% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Cape Girardeau is aggravated assault, at 532.5 per 100K — 1.6x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.3x the national rate.
Year over year, Cape Girardeau's total crime rate decreased by 3.8%, with violent crime declining 1.7%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Cape Girardeau Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 254 | 623.3 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 3 | 7.4 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 21 | 51.5 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 13 | 31.9 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 217 | 532.5 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 1,001 | 2,456.3 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 121 | 296.9 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 787 | 1,931.2 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 93 | 228.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Cape Girardeau vs Missouri Average
How does Cape Girardeau's crime rate compare to the Missouri state average?
| Metric | Cape Girardeau | Missouri Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 623.3 | 683.3 | -8.8% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,456.3 | 2,957.1 | -16.9% |
| Murder Rate | 7.4 | 12.9 | -43.1% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,079.5 | 3,640.4 | -15.4% |
Cape Girardeau Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 40,753 | 3,079.5 | 623.3 | 2,456.3 |
| 2023 | 40,691 | 3,199.7 | 634.1 | 2,565.7 |
| 2022 | 40,067 | 3,059.9 | 604.0 | 2,455.9 |
| 2021 | 41,957 | 3,460.7 | 636.4 | 2,824.3 |
| 2020 | 40,845 | 3,838.9 | 891.2 | 2,947.7 |
| 2019 | 40,077 | 4,154.5 | 581.4 | 3,573.1 |
Cape Girardeau Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Cape Girardeau and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Missouri crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cape Girardeau, Missouri safe?
Cape Girardeau has a safety score of 18/100, meaning it has less crime than about 18% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,079.5 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Cape Girardeau is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?
According to FBI data for 2024, Cape Girardeau has a violent crime rate of 623.3 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,456.3 per 100,000 residents.
How does Cape Girardeau compare to the national average?
Cape Girardeau's total crime rate of 3,079.5 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 40,753 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Cape Girardeau?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Cape Girardeau are larceny-theft (787 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (217 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.9x in the city.
Is Cape Girardeau safe to visit?
Like any city, Cape Girardeau has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 18/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.