City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Cairo, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Cairo - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,699
Residents
$35,493
Median income
$28,200
Median home
$916
Median rent (state)

Cairo - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Cairo places in the 5th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

5th
percentile, household income
0th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Cairo, IL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,699 residents in Cairo, a small town within Illinois. Median household income here is $35,493 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 14.6%. Home values in Cairo run a median of $28,200, and the median resident age is 43.2 years. 10.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 39.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 2 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 58.1°F with 51.0 inches of precipitation per year.

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $916 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $240 across Illinois, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 49.0 out of 100 (Low).

Population

1,699 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$35,493 /yr

Poverty 14.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Cairo compare to other US cities?

Here's how Cairo stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 5% higher than other cities
Home value 0% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Cairo's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Illinois, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

5thIncome percentile

5th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Cairo's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$28,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 100% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Cairo $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Cairo, IL Cairo, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Cairo, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Cairo, IL median $35,493/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Cairo, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Cairo, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 10.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 39.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,699
Median Income
$35,493
Median Home Value
$28,200
Median Age
43.2
Poverty Rate
14.6%
Labor force participation
39.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
10.9%

Climate

Avg Temperature
58.1°F
Annual Precipitation
51.0"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,400 residents1,500 residents1,600 residents1,700 residents1,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,717 residents 1,515 residents ▼ -11.8%
Cairo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 2

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
90.3%
Carpool
6.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
2.1%

Based on 514 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Cairo sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$916/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
49.0 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

De Soto
1,701 people
Carrier Mills
1,702 people
Teutopolis
1,693 people
Heritage Lake
1,708 people
Venice
1,682 people
Hillcrest
1,679 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cairo's 1,699 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Angola on the Lake, NY
1,699 people
Horse Shoe, NC
1,699 people
Congress, AZ
1,700 people
Searles Valley, CA
1,698 people
Ellaville, GA
1,698 people
Grand Marais, MN
1,700 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Cairo's $35,493 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pomeroy, OH
$35,492 median income
Emory, TX
$35,489 median income
Brantley, AL
$35,500 median income
Magness, AR
$35,500 median income
Buena Vista, PA
$35,500 median income
Loop, TX
$35,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cairo, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Cairo, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 26.9% 67.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.1% White 26.9% Black or African American 67.5% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 5.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Cairo compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Cairo (this city) 1,699 $35,493
De Soto 1,701 $52,131
Carrier Mills 1,702 $50,269
Teutopolis 1,693 $96,875
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cairo, IL?

What is the population of Cairo, IL? +

Cairo, IL counts 1,699 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Cairo, IL? +

The median household income in Cairo is $35,493 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Cairo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Cairo; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Cairo, IL? +

Cairo's median home value sits at $28,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Cairo? +

Climate normals put Cairo's yearly average temperature at 58.1°F, 51.0 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.