The Poorest Town in Illinois: What You Need to Know About It? This Town Has Been Named The Poorest In Illinois. Illinois is a state with a long history, multiple cultures, and cities very much at work such as in Chicago. But it also boasts small towns which are poor and have dysfunctional economies. This can be said of a small town called Cairo found at the bottom tip of Illinois.
At one point, it has been called the poorest town in the state many times. This is a story of people who are strong in the face of struggle, economic hardship, and racial tension. But why did Cairo get this bad reputation, and what does the future hold for it?
The History of Cairo, Illinois
Cairo is the confluence point of Ohio and Mississippi rivers, named after some location in Egypt. It was a city doing very well as a significant river port town in the 1800s and early 1900s.
Because of its good location, it became a center for trade and transportation. Goods moved through the area both by river and rail. Businesses, industry, and people looking for work all came to the town. It looked like at one time Cairo was going to become very important.
There was, however less river trade, more travelling by train so that it became an unimportant commercial centre. One of the woes Cairo had to face was an economy going down.
The town was literally torn apart by racial tensions in the mid-20th century and mainly during the Civil Rights Movement.
Racism, segregation, and violence between black and white residents of the town did not help matters, and its once-bright future was beginning to fall apart.
Economic Decline and Population Loss
Cairo’s population peaked at around 15,000 in the early 1900s but has since plummeted to fewer than 2,000 people today. Such a sharp decline in population is a testament to the economic hardship and lack of opportunity that have plagued the town for decades.
With businesses shutting down, jobs evaporating, and people leaving to seek greener pastures elsewhere, Cairo was left battling its way through high poverty rates and very little economic investment.
As recent stats show, Cairo has one of the highest poverty rates in Illinois, with over 40 percent of its population living below the poverty level.
Average household income lies shockingly low at around $20,000 per year, below the state and national averages.
A lack of industry, businesses, and employment opportunities makes it hard for those left behind in Cairo to break themselves out of the cycle of poverty.
Impact on the Community Due to Poverty
All of this general poverty can be seen throughout town. An abandoned neighborhood is defined by its deserted shops, vacant buildings, and homes left to crumble.
Public services are stretched to their limits, and schools are having trouble with their means. For years, the town’s infrastructure has been ignored, making businesses and new residents even less likely to move into the town.
Access to health care is another major issue. There are few medical facilities in the area, and many people cannot afford medical care; therefore, chronic illnesses and conditions that are not treated are rampant.
The lack of jobs and steady loss of people has also brought feelings of isolation and hopelessness to some residents.
Cairo’s Fight for Survival
Even with all of these huge problems, the people of Cairo have shown amazing strength. Some of the town’s most important problems have been worked on by local leaders and regular people.
Some parts of the town are rebuilt; historical sites are preserved thanks to work by local groups, while there are ongoing attempts to make housing better, bring in new businesses, and get the local economy going again.
Cairo’s potential location as a meeting place of two huge rivers may again help the economy flourish in the future. The town could again exploit its good position to make some money from tourism or recreation, or even small-scale river business activities.
Others believe that spending money on education and infrastructure could mean opening new opportunities for the next generations of Cairo residents.
Conclusion
Cairo, Illinois, is one of the stark examples of how social problems and a drop in the economy can hurt small places across the country. This is not the only story like this, but it shows how towns that were once doing well can lose everything.
People in Cairo are still fighting to keep their town alive and make the future better, even though it has been called the poorest town in Illinois.
This strong town by the Mississippi River may still have hope if people keep trying, work together, and think about investing.
