Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

Cape Girardeau County
County
Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°23′N 89°41′W / 37.38°N 89.68°W / 37.38; -89.68
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	October 1, 1812
Named for	A rock promontory over the Mississippi River and Ensign Sieur Jean Baptiste de Girardot (also spelled Girardeau or Girardat)
Seat	Jackson
Largest city	Cape Girardeau
Area
• Total	586 sq mi (1,520 km2)
• Land	579 sq mi (1,500 km2)
• Water	7.8 sq mi (20 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	81,710
• Density	140/sq mi (54/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	8th
Website	www.capecounty.us

Cape Girardeau County is located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri; its eastern border is formed by the Mississippi River. At the 2020 census, the population was 81,710.^[1] The county seat is Jackson,^[2] the first city in the US to be named in honor of President Andrew Jackson. Officially organized on October 1, 1812, the county is named after Ensign Sieur Jean Baptiste de Girardot, an official of the French colonial years. The "cape" in the county's name is named after a former promontory rock overlooking the Mississippi River; this feature was demolished during railroad construction. Cape Girardeau County is the hub of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson metropolitan area. Its largest city is Cape Girardeau.