| Nicknames | "Georgia's Hospitality City", and "The Syrup City" |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Grady |
| Mayor | Booker Gainor |
| Unit pref | Imperial |
| Area total | 25.77 km² |
| Area land | 25.42 km² |
| Area water | 0.35 km² |
| Area total | 9.95 sq mi |
| Area land | 9.81 sq mi |
| Area water | 0.14 sq mi |
| Population as of | 2020 |
| Population total | 10179 |
| Population density | 400.44 km² |
| Population density | 1037.19 sq mi |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| Time zone (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Coordinates | 30°52′39″N 84°12′5″W |
| Elevation | 74 m |
| Elevation | 243 ft |
| ZIP codes | 39827, 39828 |
| Area code | 229 |
| FIPS code | 13-12400[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0354934[2] |
| Website | syrupcity.net |
Cairo (/ˈkeɪroʊ/) is a city in Grady County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 10,179. The city is the county seat of Grady County.[3]
History
Cairo was founded in 1835. It was incorporated as a town in 1870 and as a city in 1906. In 1905, Cairo was designated seat of the newly formed Grady County.[4] The city was named after Cairo, the capital of Egypt.[5][6]
Geography
Cairo is located in central Grady County at 30°52′39″N 84°12′5″W (30.8774, -84.2013).[2] U.S. Route 84 (38th Boulevard) passes through the northern part of the city, leading east 14 miles (23 km) to Thomasville and west 24 miles (39 km) to Bainbridge. Valdosta is 59 miles (95 km) to the east, and Dothan, Alabama, is 79 miles (127 km) to the west on US 84. Georgia State Route 93 passes through the center of Cairo as Broad Street and Fifth Street; it leads north 19 miles (31 km) to Pelham and south 12 miles (19 km) to U.S. Route 319, north of the Florida border. Tallahassee, Florida, is 33 miles (53 km) to the south.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Cairo has a total area of 9.8 sq mi (25.4 square kilometres), of which 9.7 sq mi (25.1 square kilometres) is land and 0.1 sq mi (0.3 square kilometres), or 1.38%, is water.[7]
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Cairo has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[8]
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[9] | Pop 2010[10] | [11] | % 2000 | % 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 3,921 | 3,416 | style='background: #ffffe6; |3,293 | 42.44% | 35.56% | style='background: #ffffe6; |32.35% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,700 | 4,601 | style='background: #ffffe6; |4,688 | 50.87% | 47.89% | style='background: #ffffe6; |46.06% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 32 | 27 | style='background: #ffffe6; |27 | 0.35% | 0.28% | style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 53 | 52 | style='background: #ffffe6; |68 | 0.57% | 0.54% | style='background: #ffffe6; |0.67% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 10 | style='background: #ffffe6; |3 | 0.01% | 0.10% | style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 4 | 19 | style='background: #ffffe6; |50 | 0.04% | 0.20% | style='background: #ffffe6; |0.49% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 61 | 98 | style='background: #ffffe6; |213 | 0.66% | 1.02% | style='background: #ffffe6; |2.09% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 467 | 1,384 | style='background: #ffffe6; |1,837 | 5.05% | 14.41% | style='background: #ffffe6; |18.05% |
| Total | 9,239 | 9,607 | style='background: #ffffe6; |10,179 | 100.00% | 100.00% | style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00% |
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Cairo had a population of 10,179. The median age was 36.3 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 87.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 82.7 males age 18 and over.[12][13]
98.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.0% lived in rural areas.[14]
There were 3,932 households in Cairo, including 2,169 families; 35.2% of households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 34.5% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 41.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]
There were 4,363 housing units, of which 9.9% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%.[12]
Education
Grady County Schools serves the city. Cairo High School, located in Cairo serves as a central high school for all of Grady County. Elementary schools serving students in the city include Eastside Elementary, Northside Elementary and Southside Elementary. Washington Middle School serves Cairo residents.[15]
A campus of the Southern Regional Technical College is located in Cairo.
Health
Archbold Grady serves the city. A 60-bed acute care hospital, it has been affiliated with John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville since 1985.[16]
Notable people
- Teresa Edwards, former professional basketball player and an Olympic gold medalist
- Emerson Hancock, former pitcher for University of Georgia and selected to the Seattle Mariners as the 6th overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft.
- Willie Harris, outfielder and second baseman in Major League Baseball from 2001 through 2012, member of the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox
- Bryan Johnson, former professional motocross racer.
- John Monds, 2010 Libertarian gubernatorial candidate for the state of Georgia
- David Ponder, former defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys
- Ernest Riles, shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball
- Jackie Robinson, Baseball Hall of Famer; first person to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball; born in Cairo
- Matthew "Mack" Robinson, Olympic silver medalist, older brother of Jackie Robinson
- Daryle Singletary, country music singer
- George Thornewell Smith, Georgia politician
- Bill Stanfill, former All-Pro National Football League defensive end
- Mickey Thomas, lead singer of Jefferson Starship
- Bobby Walden, former punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings
- Hurston Waldrep, baseball pitcher
- J. J. Wilcox, safety for the New York Jets
- Arthur L. Williams Jr., founder of Primerica Financial Services
- Curley Williams, country music singer and songwriter; born near Cairo in Grady County
References
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ 354934.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 222. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ^ Logue, Victoria & Logue, Frank (1997). Touring the Backroads of North and South Georgia. John F. Blair, Publisher. p. 412. ISBN 978-0-89587-171-8.
- ^ "Cairo Across America: Interpreting Geography, History and the Meaning of a Name". AramcoWorld. November 11, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Cairo city, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 23, 2016.[dead link]
- ^ Climate Summary for Cairo, Georgia
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Cairo city, Georgia". United States Census Bureau
- ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cairo city, Georgia". United States Census Bureau
- ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cairo city, Georgia". United States Census Bureau
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ^ "Schools." Grady County Schools. Retrieved on April 9, 2009.
- ^ "Grady General Hospital". Archbold Medical Center. Retrieved 2017-03-30.