Located along the Wabash River, Peru, Indiana is a small city of north central Indiana. With a population of around 11,000 residents, its economy is supported by a variety of industries ranging from the Duke Hospital System to Smithfield Packaged Meats. The city is also known as the tribal headquarters for the Miami Nation and is home to the world’s only remaining manufacturer of steam calliopes – a musical instrument made of large whistles. The steam calliope remains important to Peru because of the area's former role as the winter headquarters for circus acts, like that of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Today, Peru showcases this history through its International Circus Hall of Fame and related events. “It’s a town full of good people,” Rebekah Slack of Miles Realty Group says. “And there’s a lot of good that Peru has to offer its citizens and visitors, and there’s a lot of good coming to Peru.”
Peru sits along the edge of the Wabash River.
Peru showcases it's history through its International Circus Hall of Fame and related events.
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Peru housing markets on the rise, but still far below national median
Slack says housing affordability is one of the things that draws people to Peru and one of the reasons many houses don’t stay on the market for too long. “Anything between $100,000 and $150,000 gets snatched up pretty quickly,” she says. The median home price in Peru is $133,000, which is far below the national median. Housing styles in Peru range from Colonial Revivals and cottages to bungalows and saltbox designs. Most homes here fall within the $100,000 to $300,000 range and while home prices remain relatively low, Slack says they are rising a bit. Home prices stagnated in Peru from the mid-2000s to recent years, and they’re now making a “market correction,” she says.
Most homes in Peru fall within the $100,000 to $300,000 range.
Housing styles in Peru range from Colonial Revivals and cottages to bungalows and saltbox designs.
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Peru Amateur Circus Festival celebrates city’s history
While circuses may no longer migrate to Peru for the winter, the city still honors its place in circus history every July with the Peru Amateur Circus Festival and Parade. This eight-day festival features 10 circus performances and over 200 amateur circus performers. “Some of the acts are very daring,” Slack says. “As a mother, I get a little apprehensive watching the kids flip around in the air or walk on tightropes.” There are also carnival rides, vendors, food and a parade. Some years, the festival also includes performances on historic calliopes.
Riverside parks and walking trails, plus Frances Slocum State Forest
A lot of Peru's outdoor recreation is found along the riverfront. At the aptly named Peru Riverwalk Park, a paved walking trail runs parallel to the Wabash River and the site also features a skate park and pickleball courts too. Nearby, West City Park, has a playground and baseball fields. Peru also borders the Frances Slocum State Forest, which features 515 acres of forest landscape. It’s popular with hikers, hunters, anglers and mushroom hunters. There’s also an equestrian trail.
Peru's Riverwalk features pickleball courts.
The skate park at Peru's Riverwalk Park is a busy place on a warm sunny day.
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Coffee shop and pancake house are popular in Peru
Downtown Peru is lively and local businesses, cocktail lounges, cafes and restaurants line its street. Slack says Aroma Coffee Shop and Gabriel’s Pancake House are two popular breakfast spots, while Garden Gate Café is a good spot for lunch. For dinner, she says Legend’s Cocktail Lounge has some of the best food in town, serving up dishes like seafood ravioli, filet kabobs and a wide selection of burgers.
Peru's Garden Gate Café is a favorite spot for locals to grab lunch.
Legend’s Cocktail Lounge has some of the best food in Peru, serving up dishes like seafood ravioli, filet kabobs and a wide selection of burgers.
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Highway access gives Peru quick access to Fort Wayne, Indianapolis
Peru is located near the junction of state highways 24 and 31, which connects to Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, respectively. Fort Wayne International is the closest airport to the city, 55 miles away, and offers flights to Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul and St. Petersburg and Punta Gorda in Florida. Indianapolis International Airport offers additional commercial flights and is 87 miles away. The closest hospital is Dukes Memorial Hospital, in downtown.
Peru Community Schools system offers solid schools for students
Peru is part of the Peru Community Schools system, which earns an overall B rating from Niche. There’s one school for students in prekindergarten through second grade, one school for students in third through sixth grades, and a combined junior/senior high school for grades seven through 12. Peru High School has an 86% graduation rate and a 17:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
Peru High School receives an overall Niche grade of B-.
Elmwood Primary Learning Center receives an overall Niche grade of A-.
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Tornados and flooding are risks in Peru
As is common throughout the state of Indiana, Peru does experience its share of tornados. While not as frequent or intense as storms in Tornado Alley, they do occur here. Slack says that its her perception that the southside of the county seems to experience more tornados than Peru. There's also flood risk here. While the construction of the Mississinewa Dam has substantially mitigated the problem, the city's still at risk because of its proximity to the Wabash River. Recent crime data is not readily available for Peru.
Written By
Tanner Harding
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