Compare towns
Peru vs Lorain 69 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+50% in Peru) and conserved land (+24.3 pts in Lorain).
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Peru, WI A small town of 321 Dunn County · 321 people
Where each one shines Two towns, two different strengths What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.
Peru A small town of 321
Quiet strengths Peru doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Peru →
The biggest differences Where they differ most The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.
★ What stands out · Monthly cost A typical home costs about the same each month A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.
Down payment3.5% 10% 20% Rate
Peru $1,290 /mo
Typical home $200K (Census) · tax rate 1.49% · Housing →
Lorain $1,260 /mo
Typical home $209K (Census) · tax rate 0.95% · Housing →
Within $50 a month of each other.
Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.
Report cards Grades and rankings, side by side Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Wisconsin ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.
Life in each What daily life feels like in each The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.
Outdoors & history
A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.
Where they are 69 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Peru ↔ Lorain 69 miles apart
Everything, side by side What matters to you? Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
321 Highest 279 Lowest
Median age
42.5 ±6.7 Highest 6% above WI 42.1 ±15.2 Lowest 5% above WI
Kids under 18
33.6% ±11 Highest WI: 21.4% 16.5% ±6.4 Lowest WI: 21.4%
Age 65+
11.2% ±6.7 Lowest WI: 18.5% 24.4% ±3.7 Highest WI: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20.9% Highest WI: 33.4% 17.7% Lowest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.6% ±3.4 Highest WI: 5.8% 1.4% ±1.2 Lowest WI: 5.8%
Household incomemedian
$70,625 ±$27k Lowest 9% below WI $75,750 ±$15k Highest about the WI average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$199,600 ±$63k Lowest 25% below WI $208,600 ±$19k Highest 22% below WI
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,971 Highest 22% below WI $1,983 Lowest 48% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0% ±100 WI: 43.7% 0% ±100 WI: 43.7%
Below poverty line
6.5% Highest WI: 10.6% 3.2% Lowest WI: 10.6%
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.5% Lowest WI: 67.8% 97.3% Highest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1972 Lowest 3 yrs older than WI 1976 Highest 1 yr newer than WI
Average commuteone way
36 min Highest 60% above WI 35 min Lowest 58% above WI
Work from home
7.9% ±6.2 Lowest WI: 13.1% 9.6% ±5.9 Highest WI: 13.1%
Work in townworking residents
0% Lowest 0.8% Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
16.8 mi Lowest 27.8 mi Highest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.30 Highest 0.25 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Eau Claire (23%) Frederic (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Lorain Few work in Peru
Conserved landshare of the town
1% Lowest 25.3% Highest
Trailsmapped miles
5.8 mi Lowest 14.0 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.3 mi Lowest 0.4 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
5 Highest 2 Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
1.2 Highest 1.1 Lowest
“±” Census margin of error ACS 2020–2024
Deciding? Ask the people who live there The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.
Peru or Lorain: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Peru? → Moving to Peru: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Peru’s Town Square.
Lorain or Peru: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Lorain? → Moving to Lorain: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Lorain’s Town Square.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.
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