Cairo, Illinois
Cairo is a city of 1,682 people in Alexander County, Illinois, founded in 1818.
Why visit Cairo
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 2 places to eat and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cairo I-57 Bridge, Cairo Rail Bridge, Cairo Custom House Museum and Magnolia Manor.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Cairo
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cairo
Cairo (, KAIR-oh, sometimes , KAY-roh) is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County. A river city, Cairo has the lowest elevation of any location in Illinois and is the state's only city to be surrounded by levees. The city is named after Egypt's capital on the Nile and is located in the river-crossed area of Southern Illinois. It is coterminous with Cairo Precinct.
From the Wikipedia article Cairo, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Cairo I-57 Bridge
Bridge · 2.0 mi
Bridge in Missouri and Cairo, Illinois
Cairo Rail Bridge
Bridge · 1.2 mi
Bridge in Kentucky and Cairo, Illinois
Museums and landmarks12
Cairo Custom House Museum
Museum · 0.7 mi
Served as court house, post office and custom house until 1942.
1400 Washington Avenue, Cairo
Magnolia Manor
Museum · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Illinois, United States
Cairo Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Cairo, Illinois, United States
Old Custom House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Custom house in Cairo, Illinois
Fort Defiance
Monument and historic site · 2.5 mi
Park and former military fortification in Cairo, Illinois, United States
Illinois National Guard Armory
Monument and historic site · 1.1 mi
410 Washington Avenue, Cairo
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship26
Cairo Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 0.6 mi
3511 Washington Avenue, Cairo
Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
Church · Episcopal · 1.0 mi
600 Washington Avenue, Cairo
First Central Missionary Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.4 mi
316 26th Street, Cairo
First Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.5 mi
1708 Washington Avenue, Cairo
Lerenzo C. Nelson Fellowship Hall
Church · Church Of Christ
2601 Sycamore Street, Cairo
Mighty Rivers Regional Worship Center
Church · Baptist · 0.9 mi
1000 Poplar Street, Cairo
Shopping2
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare1
Southern Seven Health Department
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.4 mi
3014 Elm Street, Cairo
Map of Cairo
62 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 26°F | 3.8 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 30°F | 3.9 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 38°F | 4.8 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 48°F | 5.4 in |
| May | 78°F | 58°F | 5.1 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 66°F | 4.4 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 70°F | 4.1 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 68°F | 3.2 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 60°F | 3.5 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 48°F | 4.1 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 37°F | 4.5 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 30°F | 4.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cairo 3N (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Alexander County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-06-07: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2009-03-02: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cairo Regional Airport (CIR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Sikeston 24 mi west, about 38 min by car
- Cape Girardeau 29 mi northwest, about 47 min by car
- Paducah 30 mi east, about 48 min by car
- Anna 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
- Jackson 37 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Union City 41 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Carbondale 50 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Martin 50 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Marion 52 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Murray 55 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- The City of Cairo Illinois downtown, hickory hardscrabble, CC BY 2.0
- Mescher Gymnasium, Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371036596, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mescher Gymnasium, Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371036671, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mescher Gymnasium, Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54370165162, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mescher Gymnasium, Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371272413, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue, Cairo, IL - 54371432605, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue, Cairo, IL, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mescher Gymnasium, Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54370165477, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371271633, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371431930, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mescher Gymnasium, Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371271573, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mescher Gymnasium, Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54370164912, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371272008, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371036196, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371243214, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371271643, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371271928, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371432160, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Cairo Junior High School, Pine Street and 24th Street, Cairo, IL, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Park In Cairo, Il, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Washington Avenue, Cairo, IL - 54371273898, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Washington Avenue, Cairo, IL, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Washington Avenue, Cairo, IL - 54370166617, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mansion In Cairo, Il, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Magnolia Manor, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371434085, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Magnolia Manor, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371433905, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Magnolia Manor, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371273583, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Magnolia Manor, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Riverlore Mansion, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371273023, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Riverlore Mansion, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371244559, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 28th Street, Cairo, IL, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371433690, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Historical Marker, Riverlore Mansion, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cairo, IL - 40656877063, Marcus O. Bst, CC BY 2.0
- Riverlore Mansion, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54370165642, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Riverlore Mansion, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371433085, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Magnolia Manor, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371037631, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Riverlore Mansion, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371244659, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Magnolia Manor, Washington Avenue and 28th Street, Cairo, IL - 54371273343, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
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