Your life in Perry County, Illinois

What stands out

Three things set Perry County apart from the other 3,142 counties: the median home price is in the bottom 5% of American counties ($114K), the property tax rate is in the top 8% of American counties (1.70%), and the share working from home is in the bottom 11% of American counties (3%). Within Illinois it ranks 17th of 102 counties for the median home price, counting from the bottom.

Where you are

You live in Perry County, Illinois. 20,996 people live here with you. The population held steady at 0.0% last year, and more Americans moved in than out (net +87).

Illinois exempts all retirement income from its flat 4.95% income tax: Social Security, pensions, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals are untaxed. It offsets that with the second-highest property taxes in the country and an estate tax that starts at $4 million, well below the federal threshold. Chicago and the collar counties hold two-thirds of the population; downstate is a different housing market.

Money

The typical household here brings in $56,338 a year, lower than 63% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $50,313. Unemployment runs 4.9%, higher than 88% of American counties. 3% of workers work from home; for the rest the average commute is 23 minutes each way.

Illinois takes 5.0% of that median income in state income tax, about $2,789 a year.

Home

The median home costs $114K, cheaper than 95% of American counties, about 1.6 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $651 a month. Property tax is 1.70% of home value, roughly $1,734 a year on that median home, higher than 92% of American counties. 77% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 4.1 per 1,000 residents, higher than 64% of American counties. Drug overdoses killed 15 people per 100,000 in 2024.

A child born here can expect to live 75.8 years, longer than 50% of American counties. There are 13 active physicians in the county, about 6.2 per 10,000 people. 6.8% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

Local students test at grade level 2.90 where 3.0 is national grade level, lower than 70% of American counties. 84% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Republican by 47 points, among the most lopsided counties in the country. 59% of eligible voters turned out. Under Illinois law you can get a concealed-carry permit on request, abortion is protected by state law, and marijuana is legal for adults.

Weather and risk

The year averages 57°F, highs near 68 and lows near 47, warmer than 57% of American counties. About 35 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 70 out of 100, riskier than 71% of American counties; the county has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 175 Mbps down, slower than 61% of American counties. There are 4 airports in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 0.5 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people, 1 brewery.

Where these numbers come from

• BLS QCEW 2024
• CDC 2024
• CMS 2024
• Census 2023
• Census ACS
• Census ACS 2022
• Census Population Estimates 2023
• Census SAHIE 2024
• County Health Rankings 2024
• Derived from ACS 2022 home value / household income
• FAA Airport Database
• FEMA Disaster Declarations 1953–2026
• FEMA National Risk Index 2023 (0–100, all hazards)
• HRSA Area Health Resources File 2023
• IMLS
• NOAA Climate Normals
• National Park Service
• Ookla Speedtest Intelligence
• Open Brewery DB
• OpenElections 2024
• SEDA via County Health Rankings 2024 (3.0 = at grade level; not a Z-score)
• Tax Foundation 2023
• USDA Food Environment Atlas
• Zillow ZHVI 2024
• Illinois tax and law data: state revenue department, Tax Foundation, Giffords, Guttmacher (2026)

Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure. Missing figures are left out rather than guessed. Share this page: the address is permanent.