Editing Cairo, Illinois (section)

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 3,632 people, 1,561 households, and 900 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|515.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,885 housing units at an average density of 103.2 per km{{sup|2}} (267.3 per sq&nbsp;mi). The racial makeup of the city was 35.93% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|white]], 61.70% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|black or African American]], 0.08% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Native American]], 0.72% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Asian]], 0.03% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Pacific Islander]], 0.36% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|other races]], and 1.18% from two or more races. [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Hispanic]] or [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Latino]] of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 1,561 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.3% were married couples living together, 25.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.08.

The distribution of the population by age was 30.4% under 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,607, and the median income for a family was $28,242. Males had a median income of $28,798 versus $18,125 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,220. About 27.1% of families and 33.5% of the population were living below the poverty line, including 47.0% of those under the age of 18 and 20.9% of those ages 65 and older.