United States › Illinois › Peru CITY
Peru Illinois · 9,780 residents (2025 est.) · 10.4 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 9,775 people, Peru is a city in Illinois. At a median age of 45.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $154,300. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock. 5% of residents were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,835 in 2000
9,780 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 902 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
9K 10K 10K 10K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Peru Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $74,808
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,060 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $20,658 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.442 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 6.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing 4.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.3%
Education & health services 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$154,300
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$921
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $484 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 75.2% in 2000
25.0% rent
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.25 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 93.8%(9,230)
Hispanic / Latino 4.1%(401)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.8%(8,389)
Hispanic / Latino 10.9%(1,067)
from 26 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 16.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 89.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 86.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 28.4%(1,157)
Women 15+
Never married 24.6%(1,042)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 58.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 72.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 5.3%(24)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.4%(93)
Share of the 456 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Peru Head to head
Compare Peru to nearby cities PERU VS
LaSalle
Income $57,732 −23%
Home value $113,500 −26%
Population 9,388 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PERU VS
Ottawa
Income $71,413 −5%
Home value $154,000 same
Population 18,684 +91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PERU VS
Streator
Income $57,609 −23%
Home value $94,700 −39%
Population 12,190 +25%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PERU VS
Morris
Income $76,711 +3%
Home value $247,400 +60%
Population 14,669 +50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Peru, Illinois? Peru, Illinois has about 9,775 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Peru, Illinois? The typical household in Peru, Illinois earns about $74,808 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Peru, Illinois expensive? In Peru, Illinois, the median home is worth about $154,300, and the typical rent is about $921 a month.
How educated are people in Peru, Illinois? About 23.1% of adults age 25 and over in Peru, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Peru, Illinois? About 9.0% of people in Peru, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Peru, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Peru, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 473 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 