Peru’s story
188 years in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1838Peru is settled
PeruIL
A town of 9,775, settled in 1838. A regional job hub with 7,744 jobs.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
9,775
−3.9% since 2010
Typical home
$184K
+5.9% in a year
Household income
$75K
median
Median age
45.7
years
Jobs based here
7,744
A job hub
What makes Peru stand out
The 3 things Peru does most differently from other towns.
7,744jobs here
Work
7,744 jobs
based in Peru, a regional job hub
23% of working residents work in town.
$184Ktypical home
Housing
$184K typical home
38% below the IL typical home
Up 5.9% in a year.
Outdoors
#351 most walkable in IL
2.6 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
2.2% of the town is conserved land.
A job hub
Every workday, about 6,703 people come to Peru for work
Where Peru’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
7,744jobs based in Peru
23%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Peru’s report card
Now in Peru
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Peru is #674 of 691 in IL for “Wettest”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Peru’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Local news
All →- St. Bede vs Away - Boys Sophomore Football 10/01/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
- St. Bede vs Putnam County - Girls Varsity Volleyball 09/29/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 28
- Sophomore Girls Volleyball Multi-team Event - 09/19/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 19
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Peru. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Peru
About one in 4 of Peru’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are LaSalle (11%), Ottawa (5%) and Spring Valley (4%). Half commute less than 15 miles.
23%work in town
Where working residents work
In Peru23%
LaSalle11%
Ottawa5%
Spring Valley4%
Chicago4%
15 mi
median commute distance
7,744
jobs based in Peru
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Peru home is worth about $184K
The typical Peru home is worth about $184,000, up 5.9% in a year, 38% below the Illinois typical home.
$184KZillow home value
Typical home value
Peru$184K
Illinois$298K
Market temperature
52
days on market
96.8%
sale-to-list price
+5.9%
value change, 1 year
5
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
2.2% of Peru is conserved land
2.6 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves.
2.2%conserved
2.2%
conserved · 146 of 6,739 acres
2.6 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
#351
most walkable in IL
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Baker Park | 1.2 mi | 65 |
| 2. Washington Park | — | 12 |
| 3. Centennial Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 13% of U.S. communities.
13risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
45
paid flood claims since 1979
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Health
Healthier than 58% of U.S. towns
Peru beats the Illinois average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
BHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Illinois
6 better21 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Peru | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.2% | 13.2% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.6% | 15.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.4% | 7.6% |
Osf Saint Elizabeth Mdl Ctr
2.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
50th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Peru has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer61–83°
Fall42–63°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 40% of U.S. towns
Peru reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 60% report less.
C+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Peru1.7
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Peru18
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
40th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
26th
percentile among IL towns
17
violent crimes reported in 2025
176
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
About Peru
City in Illinois, United States
Peru is a city in LaSalle and Bureau counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,896 at the 2020 census, down from 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Peru and its twin city, LaSalle, make up the core of Illinois Valley.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1838
- Population
- 9,896
- Area
- 6.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 597 ft
- ZIP code
- 61354
- Area code
- 815
Peru’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Peru.
More about Peru
Still missing for Peru:archive photosupcoming events