Population 8,955 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Perry
Household size in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.48 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Perry run small, averaging 2.48 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The Des Moines area as a whole looks much the same. Household size has edged down from 2.53 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.3 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.9 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Perry are younger than 39.9 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Des Moines area overall, where the median age is 37.6. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.4, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.7 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Perry: 8.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 7.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Perry
Renters in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.5% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.3% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.2% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Perry is about as common as it is nationally: 33.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. Just over half of owners (53.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the northwest. The renter share is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Perry is the same as the national rate: 9.6% of homes are empty. The rate is higher than in the Des Moines area as a whole (7.0%). Vacancy has fallen 5.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Perry is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1955, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the west. Perry has older homes than at least four in five Iowa cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $598 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $642 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $778 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $944 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$345 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Perry pays $944 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $345 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 23.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Perry
Bachelor's degrees in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.6% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Perry: 17.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Perry has a lower share of college graduates than at least four in five Iowa cities.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.6% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.8% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.7% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.1% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Perry never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 9.6 points, in line with the national trend. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only six have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Perry
| Period | Perry | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Perry runs below the national rate: 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 4.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Perry compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry | 2.48 | 39.9 | 8.4% | 33.2% | 9.6% | 1955 | $944 | 17.6% | 86.1% | 3.9% |
| Gardiner | 2.41 | 46.8 | 7.2% | 14.4% | 8.1% | 1962 | $1,033 | 26.2% | 96.8% | 2.3% |
| Bouton | 2.37 | 47.8 | 6.9% | 17.7% | 10.8% | 1963 | $907 | 26.2% | 97.6% | 0.1% |
| Dawson | 2.53 | 42.9 | 7.0% | 17.2% | 8.8% | 1960 | $1,259 | 27.2% | 95.2% | 6.3% |
| Minburn | 2.43 | 46.3 | 6.8% | 17.3% | 10.1% | 1962 | $1,044 | 26.9% | 96.8% | 2.3% |
| Rippey | 2.40 | 40.1 | 10.7% | 25.1% | 11.0% | 1949 | $834 | 19.5% | 94.6% | 4.3% |
| Woodward | 2.46 | 41.9 | 8.5% | 15.8% | 7.3% | 1968 | $861 | 28.2% | 96.6% | 0.7% |
| Jamaica | 2.10 | 55.9 | 3.8% | 13.9% | 28.4% | 1974 | $716 | 31.0% | 96.2% | 2.7% |
| Dallas Center | 2.60 | 42.6 | 5.5% | 12.6% | 8.0% | 1981 | $1,139 | 37.3% | 96.5% | 0.5% |
| Moingona | 2.53 | 47.0 | 8.0% | 5.0% | 3.2% | 1969 | $966 | 36.5% | 98.6% | 0.4% |
| Herndon | 2.25 | 49.8 | 6.5% | 25.5% | 19.8% | 1968 | $712 | 26.3% | 94.9% | 0.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Strawberry Plains, TN · Good Hope, CA · Grafton, MA · Granite Falls, WA · Greenwell Springs, LA · Groton, MA · Stoneville, NC · Strafford, MO · Stratmoor, CO · Gonzales, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Perry. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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