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MICROPOLITAN AREA

Peru Micro

Peru, IN · 1 counties · 34,487 residents (2025 est.) · 373.842 sq mi
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#39Fastest shrinkingof 918-4.1%
The short version

Peru has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $61,139. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $126,200.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.5
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

Total population
35,712
−1%since 2000
from 36,082 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
96 / sq mi
−1%since 2000
from 97 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
41.5
+13%since 2000
from 36.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:34,487 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
36K36K36K37K37K1990201020202024Peru
202436K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(1,786)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95%(1,771)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(2,370)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(2,315)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.4%(2,297)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.9%(4,595)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.8%(4,559)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.7%(4,891)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413%(4,634)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.8%(3,865)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.7%(2,023)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(606)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$61,139
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,184 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,463
+72%since 2000
from $17,726 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.4%
+19.0 ptssince 2009
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.1%
+7.1 ptssince 2000
from 8.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.423
+3%since 2010
from 0.410 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade24.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade6.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$126,200
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$838
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $452 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
76.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 76.0% in 2000
23.8% rent
Vacancy rate
10.9%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
16.4%
−7.2 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
36.1%
−8.4 ptssince 2009
from 44.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.1
−5%since 2009
from 2.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
42
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Peru on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93%(33,560)
Black3%(1,066)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(478)
Asian0.3%(115)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic86.9%(31,047)
Black3.7%(1,338)
Hispanic / Latino3.7%(1,327)
Asian0.6%(228)
Other5%(1,772)
Diversity Score
30
+35%since 2009
from 22 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
32
−7%since 2020
from 35 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.8%(659)
Puerto Rican0.3%(120)
Cuban0.3%(106)
Spaniard0.2%(69)
Guatemalan0.1%(45)
Honduran0%(15)
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(116)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German20.8%(7,444)
English12%(4,272)
Irish10.1%(3,607)
American7.7%(2,750)
Italian2.2%(801)
Scottish1.4%(492)
Polish1.2%(444)
Dutch1.2%(418)
French1%(356)
Swedish0.8%(298)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(285)
Swiss0.6%(204)
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.4%(130)
Slovene0.3%(98)
Welsh0.3%(98)
Finnish0.2%(65)
Ukrainian0.2%(64)
British0.2%(62)
Romanian0.2%(54)
Austrian0.1%(51)
Czech0.1%(41)
Danish0.1%(41)
Lithuanian0.1%(41)
Greek0.1%(31)
Hungarian0.1%(29)
Russian0.1%(24)
Arab0.1%(22)
West Indian0.1%(19)
Jamaican0.1%(19)
Nigerian0%(16)
Slovak0%(14)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.1%
+5.7 ptssince 2000
from 10.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.6%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 81.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.6 min
+76%since 2000
from 14.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
83.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 82.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.9%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.6%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 11.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
54.7%
−4.4 ptssince 2011
from 59.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
10.4%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.2%
−27.1 ptssince 2009
from 55.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
54.6%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Female
45.4%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Foreign born
1.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.0%
−44.0 ptssince 2009
from 52.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2012
from 17.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.9%
−78.5 ptssince 2013
from 85.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.5%
+16.8 ptssince 2017
from 70.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
96.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2016
from 96.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2016
from 2.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.7%(6,160)
Married45.3%(7,405)
Widowed2.9%(475)
Divorced14.1%(2,313)
Women 15+
Never married23.4%(3,137)
Married51.7%(6,943)
Widowed8%(1,078)
Divorced16.9%(2,274)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
In this metro

Largest cities

PeruCENTRAL10,962Mexico906Bunker Hill828Denver465Amboy309Macy194
What's inside

1 component county

Miami CountyCENTRAL34,487
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Peru

Cambridge
Pop 33,628
Centralia
Pop 36,382
Emporia
Pop 34,838
Canton
Pop 32,901
Places similar to Peru
Head to head

Compare Peru side by side

PERU VS
Cambridge
Income$61,839+1%
Home value$262,400+108%
Population33,628−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PERU VS
Centralia
Income$61,240same
Home value$103,000−18%
Population36,382+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PERU VS
Emporia
Income$59,659−2%
Home value$147,585+17%
Population34,838+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PERU VS
Canton
Income$60,599−1%
Home value$107,200−15%
Population32,901−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Peru, IN?

Peru, IN has about 35,712 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Peru, IN?

The typical household in Peru, IN earns about $61,139 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Peru, IN expensive?

In Peru, IN, the median home is worth about $126,200, and the typical rent is about $838 a month.

How educated are people in Peru, IN?

About 16.1% of adults age 25 and over in Peru, IN hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Peru, IN?

About 15.1% of people in Peru, IN live below the federal poverty line.

Has Peru, IN grown since 1990?

Yes, Peru, IN has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,185 residents, a change of about -3 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →