BlockCairo, Illinois
27 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1931 and the latest in 1993. It stands in Cairo precinct. It lies in ZIP code area 62914. The Survey maps it on the Cairo quadrangle. 1,733 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 315 feet above sea level.
On record in Cairo
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 4 records
Cairo Historic Districtlisted 1979
Magnolia Manorlisted 1969- Old Customhouselisted 1973
- Ward Chapel AME Churchlisted 2024
Population over time
3 figuresCairo fell from 3,632 to 1,733 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3,632 | |
| 2010 | 2,831 | -801 (-22%) |
| 2020 | 1,733 | -1,098 (-39%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
16 surveys from 27 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1931 USGS Cairo quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1933 USGS Cairo quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1939 USGS Cairo quadrangle1:62500
- 1949 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1950 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000
- 1953 USGS Cairo quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1954 USGS Cairo quadrangle1:24000
- 1954 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1955 USGS Cairo quadrangle1:62500
- 1961 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1964 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1967 USGS Cairo quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1984 USGS Cape Girardeau quadrangle1:100000
- 1986 USGS Cape Girardeau quadrangle1:100000
- 1987 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000
- 1993 USGS Cairo quadrangle1:24000
Fires near this place
4 since 2003Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 4 fires within 5 miles of Cairo between 2003 and 2017, burning about 21 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 April 2012 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Kentucky Division of Forestry | ACROSS DIS |
| 5 February 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 29 November 2008 | Equipment and vehicle use | 20 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 26 November 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
60 of 119 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Cairo in 119 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 77 flood, 19 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 6 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2011 | Flood | Cairo | $1,000,000 | Record flooding occurred on the Ohio River. At the Cairo river gage, the flood crest of 61.72 feet on the evening of May 2 broke the previous record of 59.50 feet set in 1937. The activation of the New Madrid Floodway by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spared Cairo (population 2,800) from an even higher crest that could have easily overtopped the city's levees. With the detonation of the Mississippi River levee at Birds Point, Missouri, the Ohio River dropped suddenly at Cairo. The entire city of Cairo was placed under a mandatory evacuation order as the Ohio River approached the top of the levees protecting the city. Only about 40 people remained behind after the evacuation. Due to heavy rain and backed-up sewers, several blocks within the city experienced basement flooding despite being protected by levees. Some streets in the city were undermined by seepwater. Most routes into and out of the city were blocked by flooding, including Route 3 to the north and both bridges to the south (over the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers). A main rail line that runs through Cairo was shut down due to a large landslide. |
| February 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $500,000 | A short-lived but very intense thunderstorm microburst caused about a half million dollars damage in the center of Cairo. The affected area, which was 5 city blocks wide and about a mile long, was primarily residential. A total of 52 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Of these 52, eight were businesses, seven were outbuildings or garages, and the rest were houses. Five of the residences were moved off their foundation and considered total losses. In another 25 buildings, windows were blown out and roofs were damaged. For the remaining structures, the damage was relatively minor, consisting of porch damage or gutters blown off. Initial reports indicated there were some minor injuries, however, later investigation revealed no injuries. |
| March 1997 | Flash Flood | Cairo | $400,000 | no account filed |
| March 2018 | Flood | Cairo | $350,000 | Major flooding continued on the Ohio River from late February. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 54.8 feet on March 3. This was the 10th highest crest on record at Cairo, and it was 1.3 feet below the flood crest of January, 2016. Flood stage there is 40 feet. The bridge connecting Cairo with Wickliffe, KY was closed due to floodwater over the bridge approach on the Kentucky side. The bridge, which carries U.S. Highway 51/60/62 over the Ohio River, was closed for about one week. Most of the flood gates were installed at Cairo. Areas not protected by the levee and floodwall system were inundated. Since the crop season was not underway, agricultural losses were quite small. |
| July 2023 | Flash Flood | Cairo | $150,000 | no account filed |
| March 2019 | Flood | Cairo | $100,000 | Major flooding continued on the Ohio River from February into March. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 56.51 feet on the 1st. This was just a few inches above the crest of 56.2 feet in the flood of March, 1997. This flood crest was tied with the flood of April, 1975 for the second highest crest since the Flood of 1937. The flood of Spring, 2011 remains the highest crest since 1937. Flood stage at Cairo is 40 feet. U.S. Highway 60/62 was closed at the Ohio River bridge to Kentucky. This road serves as a primary link between Kentucky and Illinois. A detour of about 80 miles was required for commuters in the area. The governor of Illinois surveyed the flooded part of the county. There was extensive flooding of low-lying woods, fields, and parks. The impacts were very similar to the March, 1997 flood. Most of the flood gates were installed at Cairo. Areas not protected by the levee and floodwall system were inundated. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed a high-capacity pump near Urbandale to remove water from heavy rainfall on the protected side of the levee. Since the crop season was not underway, agricultural losses were insignificant. |
| March 2011 | Flood | Cairo | $100,000 | no account filed |
| February 2019 | Flood | Cairo | $50,000 | Major flooding occurred on the Ohio River. U.S. Highway 60/62 was closed at the Ohio River bridge to Kentucky. This road serves as a primary link between Kentucky and Illinois. A detour of about 80 miles was required for commuters in the area. The governor of Illinois surveyed the flooded part of the county. There was extensive flooding of low-lying woods, fields, and parks. Through February, the impacts were very similar to the March, 1997 flood. Most of the flood gates were installed at Cairo. Areas not protected by the levee and floodwall system were inundated. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed a high-capacity pump near Urbandale to remove water from heavy rainfall on the protected side of the levee. Since the crop season was not underway, agricultural losses were insignificant. The Ohio River did not crest until March at the Cairo river gage. |
| June 2019 | Flood | Cairo | $50,000 | The Ohio River remained above flood stage since February 8 and through the month of June. This was the most prolonged flood on the Ohio River since records began at Cairo in the late 1800's. The highest recorded stage in the month of June (2019) was 51.54 feet, which corresponds to the moderate flood category. At this stage, the flooding has a significant impact on farming operations in the flood plain, causing some farmers to lose crops. However, farmers never were able to plant crops because this flood began in the winter. Riverside parks and recreational facilities remained underwater. Some side roads near the river were flooded. Due to the extended duration of the flooding, levees along the river were very stressed from saturation of the soil. Seepage was a concern, and relief wells caused water to rise on the land side of the levees. Moderate flooding continued into the month of July. |
| May 2019 | Flood | Cairo | $50,000 | The Ohio River rose above flood stage at Cairo on February 8 and remained above flood stage through the remainder of the spring. This was the most prolonged flood on the Ohio River at Cairo, IL since records began in the late 1800's. The highest recorded stage in the month of May (2019) was 50.53 feet, which corresponds to the moderate flood category. At this stage, the flooding has a major impact on farming operations in the flood plain, causing some farmers to lose crops. In this prolonged flood, farmers never really had the chance to plant in the flood plain. Flooding of riverside parks and recreational facilities occurred. A few side roads near the river were flooded. Due to the extended duration of the flooding, levees began to show signs of stress. There was concern about the stability of the levees, and seepage became a problem. Some roads nearest the levees began to buckle. |
| April 2019 | Flood | Cairo | $50,000 | no account filed |
| July 2019 | Flood | Cairo | $40,000 | The Ohio River finally fell below flood stage at Cairo after spending five months above flood stage, which is the longest duration on record. Much of this time, the river was above flood stage at Cairo due to backwater from the swollen Mississippi River. When it came to the impacts of the flooding, the extended duration of the flooding was at least as significant as its severity. The levee system along the Ohio River was saturated by the extended presence of floodwaters, raising concerns about the stability and integrity of some levees. Repairs were made in certain locations where slippage was observed. Although crops were never planted in many parts of the flood plain, the agricultural impacts were still significant. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested in late June and fell below flood stage in mid July. |
| April 2011 | Flood | Cairo | $40,000 | The entire city of Cairo was placed under a mandatory evacuation order as the Ohio River approached the top of the levees protecting the city. Only about 40 people remained behind after the evacuation. Due to heavy rain and backed-up sewers, several blocks within the city experienced basement flooding despite being protected by levees. Most routes into and out of the city were blocked by flooding, including Route 3 to the north and both bridges to the south (over the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers). |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $30,000 | Half of the roof of the Alexander County courthouse was blown off. There was no other damage nearby. |
| May 2013 | Flood | Cairo | $20,000 | Continuing from April into May, moderate flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 49.96 feet on the evening of the 10th. This is about 10 feet over the flood stage of 40 feet. There was considerable flooding of low-lying fields and woodlands near the river. A state park and some river access roads were under water. |
| March 2020 | Flood | Cairo | $10,000 | Moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River through most of March at Cairo. The river crested at 52.64 feet at Cairo on the 31st. This is just shy of the major flood category, which starts at 53 feet. There was considerable flooding of low-lying areas near the river, including parks and farmland. Most main roads remained open, although water approached Illinois Route 3 north of Cairo. |
| May 2017 | Flood | Cairo | $10,000 | An extended period of moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River. The river was above flood stage for the entire month. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 52.15 feet on May 8. Major flooding starts at 53 feet. There was considerable flooding of low-lying areas near the river, including parks and farmland. Most main roads remained open, although water approached Illinois Route 3. |
| January 2010 | Lightning | Cairo | $10,000 | Lightning struck a housing development building, producing a large hole in the roof. |
| May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $8,000 | Tree limbs and power lines were blown down, and a carport was flipped over. The carport debris hit a car. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $5,000 | Large trees were down just northwest of Cairo along Route 3. |
| July 2015 | Flood | Cairo | $5,000 | Moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River. The flooding continued from June and increased to moderate intensity. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 48.71 feet on the 7th. Flood stage there is 40 feet. The flooding inundated mainly agricultural bottomland and surrounding low-lying areas. Parts of Fort Defiance State Park at the confluence of the Mississippi River were flooded. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $5,000 | Trees, wires, and poles were blown down. A large tree was uprooted. |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $5,000 | Downed tree limbs blocked some side streets and may have damaged some houses. The wind knocked out power in Cairo for at least 90 minutes. Several restaurant signs were downed. |
| January 2019 | Flood | Cairo | $5,000 | no account filed |
| April 2018 | Flood | Cairo | $5,000 | no account filed |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $3,000 | A few trees were blown down in Cairo. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $3,000 | A loaded 18-wheeler was blown over on U.S. Highway 60/62 on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River bridge. |
| April 2013 | Flood | Cairo | $2,000 | Moderate flooding occurred along the Ohio River near Cairo, affecting low-lying fields, woods, and riverside parks. Boat ramps and river access roads were flooded. The river continued rising into early May. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cairo | $2,000 | Tree limbs were snapping. |
| March 2016 | Flood | Cairo | $1,000 | Minor flooding continued from February along the Ohio River. There was flooding of low-lying bottomland woods and fields, as well as parts of a riverfront park. |
| June 2015 | Flood | Cairo | $1,000 | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. The flooding inundated mainly agricultural bottomland and low lying areas. Parts of Fort Defiance State Park at the confluence of the Mississippi River were flooded. The flooding continued into July. |
| December 2011 | Flood | Cairo | $1,000 | Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 43.65 feet on the 6th. Flood stage is 40 feet. Minor flooding of bottomland fields and some park land occurred. River recreation facilities such as boat ramps were affected. |
| March 2025 | Flood | Cairo | - | Late February flooding continued into early March along the Ohio River at Cairo. Minor flooding of low-lying fields and woodlands continued. River levels fell just below flood stage in the afternoon of the 1st. |
| February 2025 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding of low-lying fields and woodlands occurred around Cairo. The flooding continued into early March. |
| May 2024 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River at Cairo mid-month affecting low-lying areas. |
| March 2023 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. There was minor flooding of low-lying woods and fields near the river. The river remained above flood stage into early April. |
| February 2022 | Flood | Cairo | - | The Ohio River rose above flood stage and remained there into March. The crest occurred in March. |
| March 2022 | Flood | Cairo | - | Moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River. The river crested at 47.11 feet at the Cairo river gage on the 3rd, which is 7.11 feet above flood stage. Low-lying fields and woodlands in the flood plain were underwater. Fort Defiance State Park near Cairo was partially flooded. |
| January 2020 | Flood | Cairo | - | Moderate flooding occurred along the Ohio River. The river crested at 49.46 feet on the afternoon of the 16th at Cairo. Moderate flooding begins at 47 feet. Considerable flooding of low-lying woods, fields, and parkland persisted. The river flooding had little impact on agricultural interests, since planting season begins in April. |
| May 2019 | Flash Flood | Cairo | - | A portion of U.S. Highway 51 in Cairo was closed due to flooding. A co-operative observer in Cairo measured 3.47 inches, which mostly fell on the 29th. |
| February 2018 | Flood | Cairo | - | The Ohio River rose above flood stage around mid-month and continued rising through the end of the month. Low-lying county roads were submerged. Agricultural bottomland and portions of a riverside park were flooded. |
| March 2018 | Flood | Cairo | - | The Ohio River rose above flood stage on the 31st and continued rising through the end of the month. The flooding during late March was minor, consisting of bottomland woods and cropland. |
| May 2018 | Hail | Cairo | - | This hail occurred at the Cairo Fire Department. |
| December 2018 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Low-lying woods and fields were inundated, including some state park property. |
| December 2018 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Low-lying woods and fields were inundated, including some state park property. |
| April 2017 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Low-lying fields and bottomlands were under water. |
| June 2017 | Flood | Cairo | - | The Ohio River continued to fall slowly after cresting in early May. Early in June, minor flooding of the Ohio River inundated low-lying fields and portions of a state park. |
| April 2017 | Flood | Cairo | - | The Ohio River rose above flood stage. Through the end of April, the flooding was mostly minor. The river continued rising beyond the end of the month. |
| February 2016 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding of the Ohio River inundated some low-lying fields and woodlands along the river. |
| February 2016 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. There was flooding of low-lying bottomland woods and fields. The river continued rising into March. |
| August 2016 | Flood | Cairo | - | U.S. Highway 51 was flooded in a few places in Cairo. |
| June 2015 | Heavy Rain | Cairo | - | Minor street flooding was reported. Two city blocks were covered with water. |
| March 2015 | Flood | Cairo | - | Moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 48.48 feet on the 20th. Flood stage is 40 feet. Mainly agricultural bottomland and surrounding low-lying areas were affected. Portions of Fort Defiance State Park were flooded. This flood crest was about a foot below the flood of May, 2010. |
| March 2015 | Heavy Rain | Cairo | - | Water was over U.S. Highway 51 in places throughout Cairo. |
| April 2015 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Mainly agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were under water. A few river access roads and portions of Fort Defiance State Park were inundated. |
| December 2015 | Flood | Cairo | - | The Ohio River began its rise above flood stage late in the month. The flooding in December was relatively insignificant compared to the major flooding in January. In December, there was widespread flooding of low-lying fields and woodlands. The Ohio River bridge connecting U.S. Highway 51/60/62 with Wickliffe, Kentucky was closed due to water over the approach on the Kentucky side. Parts of Fort Defiance State Park and some river access roads were underwater. |
| December 2015 | Flood | Cairo | - | Very minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River near Cairo. Some low-lying fields and a park were flooded. |
| April 2014 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Riverside access roads were underwater, along with sections of a park. Some agricultural land was flooded. |
| June 2013 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River near Cairo. Low-lying agricultural land, state parkland, and river access roads were flooded. Many farmers had not yet planted due to the prolonged spring flooding, so crop losses were minimal. |
| July 2013 | Flood | Cairo | - | Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River near Cairo. Some low-lying fields, river access roads, and a state park were flooded. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elmwood Place | 0.9 miles | 27 | |
| Future City | 1.7 miles | 27 | |
| Cairo Junction | 2.6 miles | 27 | |
| Urbandale | 3.3 miles | 27 | |
| Golden Lily | 4.9 miles | 27 | |
| Klondike | 4.9 miles | 27 | |
| Cache | 7.9 miles | 21 | |
| Roth | 9.5 miles | 21 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Cairo | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q575306 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 424699. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.