Cairo, Georgia

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.[7] The city was named after Cairo, the capital of Egypt.[8]

The local industrial base continues to grow with manufacturing, service, and healthcare companies anchoring a strong economy.

The area is home to several local festivals, including Calvary's Mule Day,[9] Whigham's Rattlesnake Roundup,[10] Cairo's own Antique Car Rally,[11] and several competitive recreational programs. The Antique Car Rally features a wide range of cars, and includes many activities: a poker run, a parade, and even a street dance. It usually takes place on the second weekend of May. Sponsored by Mr. Chick, it is an annual event that attracts many people to the southwest corner of Georgia.

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.[12]

A campus of the Southern Regional Technical College is located in Cairo.

Grady General Hospital serves the city. A 60-bed acute care facility, it has been affiliated with John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville since 1985.[13]

Cairo is located in central Grady County at 30°52′39″N 84°12′5″W (30.8774, -84.2013).[4] 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 square miles (25.4 km²), of which 9.7 square miles (25.1 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²), or 1.38%, is water.[14]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 9,239 people, 3,465 households, and 2,456 families residing in the city. The population density was 992.0 people per square mile (383.2/km²). There were 3,898 housing units at an average density of 418.5 per square mile (161.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 51.30% African American, 43.99% White, 0.42% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.80% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.05% of the population.

There were 3,465 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 24.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,054, and the median income for a family was $30,352. Males had a median income of $29,063 versus $20,542 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,759. About 24.4% of families and 30.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.2% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over.

• Notable Cairo people include:
• 
  Bryan Johnson,
  born 1986,
  professional motocross and supercross rider.
• 
  Jackie Robinson,
  born 1919,
  American professional baseball second baseman who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era.
• 
  Mickey Thomas,
  born 1949,
  American rock singer, best known as one of the lead vocalists of Jefferson Starship and Starship.

• City of Cairo official website
• City of Cairo from georgia.gov