Meridean, Wisconsin, 2024
Peru’s story
161 years in pictures
Census counts: 203 in 1990, 233 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1929 on.
- 1865Peru is settled
PeruWI
A town of 243, settled in 1865.
Population
243
2025 Census estimate · +5.7% since 2020
Median home value
$200K
Census ACS
Household income
$71K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
33
A commuter town
Is Peru a good place to live?
Peru’s average trip to work is 36 minutes, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Xcel Tyrone Energy Park, at 2,982 acres with 1.6 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Peru has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
243 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Spring BrookDunnRock CreekLimaPeru
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Peru: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Peru, and how to reach them.
PowerDunn County Electric Coop16.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Peru’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Peru ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes54755, 5473654755 67% · 54736 33%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Peru.
Work & commute
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Peru’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Peru for work: only 0% work in town. Since 2013, Peru has added 32 jobs, to 33 in 2023. Peru’s median household income is $71,000, below the Wisconsin town median ($87,000) and near the median of U.S. towns ($80,000).
0%work in town
| Peru | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Peru0%
Eau Claire23%
Menomonie21%
Union8%
Chippewa Falls7%
17 mi
median commute distance
33
jobs based in Peru
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Peru Amish School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades 1–8 | Grades 1–8 | 27 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Peru
Peru has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 6° and about 41 inches of snow falls in a winter.
41″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–28°
Spring33–56°
Summer58–80°
Fall37–58°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Peru is
Peru tracks Wisconsin closely on all 32 CDC measures. 19% of adults binge drink in Peru.
| Peru | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 38% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Chippewa Valley Hospital
10.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Peru, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1%conserved
| Peru | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
1%
conserved · 126 of 13,126 acres
5.8 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Xcel Tyrone Energy Park | 1.6 mi | 2,982 |
| 2. Lower Chippewa River State Natural Area | 0.2 mi | 987 |
| 3. Nine Mile Island State Natural Area | — | 65 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Peru
18pages on Peru
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Peru
University of Wisconsin-StoutUniversity or college · Public · Menomonie12 mi$10,701 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Peru residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Peru for work
Where Peru’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
33jobs based in Peru
0%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Peru
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Peru, WI a good place to live?
Peru has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.