United States › Indiana › Peru CITY
Peru Indiana · 10,962 residents (2025 est.) · 5.06 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 10,901 people, Peru is a city in Indiana. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $92,500. 1% of residents were born outside the United States. That trails the Indiana median by roughly 36%. The poverty rate is 23.6%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% 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 12,994 in 2000
10,962 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,156 / sq mi
−10%since 2009
from 2,397 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K 11K 12K 13K 13K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Peru Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $46,159
−17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,668 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,497 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.426 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.1%
Public administration 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.2%
Education & health services 0.5%
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$92,500
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $52,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$826
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $418 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.4% in 2000
28.7% rent
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 53.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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 92.1%(11,972)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(172)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.6%(9,443)
Hispanic / Latino 4.7%(507)
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
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 77.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Women 15+
Never married 26.7%(1,262)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 49.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 28.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 61.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.4% 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) 36.7%(224)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.6%(126)
Share of the 611 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Peru Head to head
Compare Peru to nearby cities PERU VS
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PERU VS
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PERU VS
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PERU VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Peru, Indiana? Peru, Indiana has about 10,901 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Peru, Indiana? The typical household in Peru, Indiana earns about $46,159 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Peru, Indiana expensive? In Peru, Indiana, the median home is worth about $92,500, and the typical rent is about $826 a month.
How educated are people in Peru, Indiana? About 16.4% of adults age 25 and over in Peru, Indiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Peru, Indiana? About 23.6% of people in Peru, Indiana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Peru, Indiana grown since 1990? Yes, Peru, Indiana has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,942 residents, a change of about -15 percent over that period.
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