The Town FilesPerry, Kansas
City in Jefferson County · population 852 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,000
- Household income
- $82,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 45.2
Perry is a city of 852 people in Jefferson County, Kansas. The median home is worth $174,000, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks quieter than 99% of Kansas towns, easier by car than 84% of Kansas towns, better for families than 83% of Kansas towns.
How Perry ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Perry is worth $174,000, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $82,375, which is more affordable than 52% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $798 a month. 79.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Perry | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,000 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $798 | $815 |
| Median household income | $82,375 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 79.3% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Perry
| People | Perry | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.2 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Perry
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 18.2°F. About 39.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.1 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Perry since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 19, 1981 about 9.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 37 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 21, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 154 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 8, 1990.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| May 28, 2019 | Severe Storm | EM-3412: Tornadoes And Flooding |
| July 20, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4230: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 3,862 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,468 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Perry itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Perry
2 public schools with 500 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry Lecompton High | 9-12 | 271 | 15.9 |
| Perry-Lecompton Middle | 5-8 | 229 | 14.3 |
Towns near Perry
- Lecompton, KS2.3 mi · 588 people · home $203,800
- Lawrence, KS10.3 mi · 94,934 people · home $292,700
- Oskaloosa, KS10.6 mi · 1,110 people · home $183,100
- Tecumseh, KS10.7 mi · 696 people · home $200,400
- Ozawkie, KS11.9 mi · 638 people · home $214,300
- Meriden, KS12.6 mi · 744 people · home $176,400
- McLouth, KS12.8 mi · 859 people · home $202,500
- Tonganoxie, KS16.7 mi · 5,573 people · home $261,700
Perry questions
Is Perry, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Perry scores better for retirees than 53% of Kansas towns and quieter than 99%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.2).
How much does a house cost in Perry?
The median owner-occupied home in Perry is valued at $174,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,375, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $798 a month.
What is the weather like in Perry?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 18.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.2 inches of precipitation a year and 14.1 inches of snow.
Does Perry get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Perry since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 19, 1981. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)