City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Peru, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Peru - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

9,863
Residents
$68,147
Median income
$155,600
Median home
$937
Median rent (state)

Peru - the verdict

Peru ranks in the 47th percentile for household income and the 35th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

47th
percentile, household income
29th
percentile, home value
9th
percentile, median rent
35th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Peru, IL

Illinois's Peru is a small town, with 9,863 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Peru households earn a median of $68,147 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.3%. Peru's housing stock carries a median value of $155,600, and the median resident age is 45.4 years. 21.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 14 residential building permits were authorized in Peru (Building Boom), up 367% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 1890.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 49.6°F with 38.0 inches of precipitation per year and 28.5 inches of snowfall.

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Illinois at 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $937 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $240 across Illinois, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 9.2 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

9,863 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$68,147 /yr

Poverty 6.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Peru compare to other US cities?

Where Peru sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 29% pricier than other cities
Median rent 9% pricier than other cities
Safety 35% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Illinois and the picture shifts: Peru ranks #352 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Peru against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent sits close to the middle of Illinois's city distribution

Among the 1,336 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Peru ranks #892 - the 31st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Peru only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#636 of 1,311
51st percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#892 of 1,336
31st percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#470 of 1,315
64th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#738 of 1,335
44th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#523 of 1,336
60th percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

47thIncome percentile
35thSafety percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income · 35th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Peru's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Peru's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 54 Avg. percentile National median
Peru's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Peru's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$155,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 71% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Peru $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Peru, IL Peru, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Peru, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Peru, IL median $68,147/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Peru, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Peru, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
9,863
Median Income
$68,147
Median Home Value
$155,600
Median Age
45.4
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Labor force participation
61.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1890.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
226.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1664.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
49.6°F
Annual Precipitation
38.0"
Annual Snowfall
28.5"

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,750 residents9,800 residents9,850 residents9,900 residents9,950 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,920 residents 9,780 residents ▼ -1.4%
Peru's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
14
housing units authorized
Single-Family
14
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 3
2021 3
2022 3
2023 18
2024 14

Permit volume increased 367% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.3%
Carpool
13.1%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
0.5%
Work from Home
3.6%
Other
2.1%

Based on 4,939 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Peru sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$937/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
9.2 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Harvard
9,875 people
Frankfort Square
9,777 people
Mahomet
9,755 people
Winfield
9,982 people
Sauk Village
9,724 people
Flossmoor
9,666 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Peru's 9,863 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Jesup, GA
9,863 people
Greencastle, IN
9,863 people
Ingleside, TX
9,861 people
Succasunna, NJ
9,866 people
Wapakoneta, OH
9,867 people
East Liverpool, OH
9,869 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Peru's $68,147 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sutter Creek, CA
$68,148 median income
Murillo, TX
$68,140 median income
Enola, PA
$68,131 median income
Columbiana, AL
$68,125 median income
Redfield, AR
$68,125 median income
Morganton, GA
$68,125 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Peru, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Peru, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.9% White 88.4% Black or African American 1.0% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.9% Two or more races 5.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Peru compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Peru (this city) 9,863 $68,147
Harvard 9,875 $71,418
Frankfort Square 9,777 $126,953
Mahomet 9,755 $114,904
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Peru, IL?

What is the population of Peru, IL? +

Peru, IL counts 9,863 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Peru, IL? +

Peru households earn a median of $68,147 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Peru? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Peru; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Peru, IL safe? +

Peru has a total crime rate of 1890.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Peru, IL? +

A typical home in Peru is worth $155,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Peru? +

The average annual temperature in Peru runs 49.6°F, 38.0 inches of precipitation, and 28.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.