City · Illinois
Cairo, Illinois
Cairo, city, in Alexander County, Illinois. Cairo had 1,515 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 12.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,733 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,682 (±206). GEOID 1710383.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,515
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,733 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,682 ±206
Median household income
$41,912
±$8,310 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$32,000
±$15,027 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$515
±$484 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Cairo and what county is it in?
Cairo is a city in Alexander County, Illinois. It covers 7.0 square miles of land, 248 residents per square mile in 2020.
Cairo is in the Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cairo, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,515 people lived in Cairo on July 1, 2025, down 12.9% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,733 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,682 (±206).
| Measure | Cairo | Alexander County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,682 ±206 | 4,875 | −438 |
| Households | 664 ±87 | 1,904 | −149 |
| Average household size | 2.41 ±0.26 | 2.50 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,199 ±100 | 2,938 | −527 |
Cairo's population since 2000
From 3,632 in 2000 to 1,515 in 2025: down 58.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Cairo as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Cairo?
The median resident of Cairo is 43.8 years old; 23.2% are under 18 and 22.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 75.7%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 20.6%.
| Measure | Cairo | Alexander County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 ±5.1 | 48.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.2% ±3.4 pts | 21.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.6% ±3.9 pts | 24.9% | – |
| Male | 47.9% ±3.5 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 20.6% ±8.4 pts | 62.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 75.7% ±9.4 pts | 32.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±2.9 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.2% ±1.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.0% ±3.5 pts | 9.2% | – |
| With a disability | 23.5% ±5.0 pts | 23.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.3% ±3.6 pts | 9.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.5% ±6.0 pts | 87.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.2% ±5.3 pts | 12.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.4% ±2.5 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.0% ±6.8 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 1.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Cairo earn?
Half of Cairo's 664 households earn less than $41,912 a year (±$8,310), against $47,043 in Alexander County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 the median was $32,538 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $9,374 after inflation. 19.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Cairo | Alexander County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,912 ±$8,310 | $47,043 | +$9,374 |
| Mean household income | $54,368 ±$9,172 | $68,282 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,276 ±$3,770 | $29,379 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 19.0% ±9.4 pts | 19.0% | −15.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 21.3% ±20.6 pts | 26.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 40.8% ±10.7 pts | 26.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 73.9% ±8.2 pts | 76.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 56.3% ±10.0 pts | 61.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Cairo?
Owners occupy 65.1% of Cairo's occupied homes and renters 34.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $32,000 by its owner (±$15,027).
| Measure | Cairo | Alexander County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $32,000 ±$15,027 | $59,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $515 ±$484 | $656 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 17.6% ±17.0 pts | 18.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,222 ±$504 | $1,257 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.1% ±8.9 pts | 77.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.9% ±8.9 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Housing units | 1,199 ±100 | 2,938 | −527 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 6.7% ±6.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 13.4% ±12.6 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.0% ±6.2 pts | 76.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.7% ±2.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 40.3% ±7.8 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 18.5% ±8.3 pts | 10.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Cairo building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Cairo in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 1.5 across Illinois.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Cairo work and get to work?
87.5% of Cairo's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 36.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 14.6%.
| Measure | Cairo | Alexander County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 49.9% ±5.8 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 14.6% ±8.5 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 87.5% ±7.5 pts | 87.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.3% ±5.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±6.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.2% ±6.3 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 36.7 min ±10.5 | 30.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Cairo?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Cairo (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $27,021 (Tract 9579) to $44,932 (Tract 9578).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9579Alexander County | 729 | $27,021 |
| Tract 9578Alexander County | 1,036 | $44,932 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Cairo) · Census block assignment files
How does Cairo compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Cairo is the 8,694th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 533rd-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Cairo ranks 1,357th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 533rd | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,344th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 870th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,357th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,333rd | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,379th | 1,379 |
| Poverty rate | 155th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,232nd | 1,369 |
| Median age | 404th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,184th | 1,382 |
| Travel time to work | 30th | 1,382 |
Cairo's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Cairo with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Cairo?
21 of the 57 figures for Cairo on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Cairo are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Cairo.