Cairo, Illinois

About Cairo

Cairo, IL is a small town located in southern Illinois with an estimated population of 1,523.

Cairo holds the status of an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 6.99 square miles, giving it wide-open spaces and a spread-out, rural feel at roughly 218 residents per square mile.

📰 Cairo News Today

• Ethel Mae Lynch Obituary (2026) - Cairo, IL - Massie Funeral Home Legacy obituary · Aug 17
• Rose Johnson Nasser - View Obituary & Service Information Crain Funeral Home · Jun 2
• KYTC: U.S. 51 Ohio River "Cairo" Bridge expected to reopen late Friday WPSD Local 6 · Jul 17
• 3D-Printed Homes, an Abandoned $590,000 Deposit, the FBI: What Really Happened in This Small Town? ProPublica · Apr 16
• U.S. 51 Ohio River ‘Cairo’ Bridge closed; repairs to begin week of July 13 KFVS12 · Jul 6

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Cairo Unique

• One of 7 places in the US named Cairo — but the Illinois one has a character all its own.
• Positioned in southern Illinois, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Part of the fabric of Illinois — one of 1,461 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• Small-town pace of life: less traffic, more community, and neighbors who wave.
• Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 7 miles.

📍 Neighborhoods in Cairo

Click a neighborhood to see it on the map.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Cairo

• Hannibal Black Sports Grill
• Shemwell's Barbecue — barbecue

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

• Cairo Custom House Museum · Museum
• Big Subway Gate · Attraction
• Caboose · Attraction
• Magnolia Manor · Attraction

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Cairo

• Cairo Public Boat Launch reviews ★
• David Box Twin Rivers Ball Park reviews ★
• Halliday Park reviews ★
• Halliday Plaza reviews ★
• Lansden Park reviews ★
• Saint Mary's Park reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Cairo

• Cairo Elementary School
• Cairo Jr/Sr High School

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Cairo

🏘️ Nearby Communities