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Perry, Iowa
Perry Iowa 20090607 Sign.JPG
Motto(s): 
Make yourself at home!
Location of Perry, Iowa
Location of Perry, Iowa
Country  United States
State  Iowa
County Dallas
Area
 • Total 5.49 sq mi (14.22 km2)
 • Land 5.49 sq mi (14.21 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
954 ft (291 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 7,836
 • Density 1,428.36/sq mi (551.47/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
50220
Area code(s) 515
FIPS code 19-62355
GNIS feature ID 2396183

Perry is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States, along the North Raccoon River. The population was 7,836 at the time of the 2020 Census. It is part of the Des MoinesWest Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Perry was laid out as a town in 1869. The original townsite was bounded by Estella Street on the south, 8th Street on the east, 3rd Street on the west, & Dewey Avenue on the north.

Geography

Perry is located at 41°50′24″N 94°6′0″W / 41.84000°N 94.10000°W / 41.84000; -94.10000 (41.840107, -94.099978).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.18 square miles (10.83 km2), of which, 4.17 square miles (10.80 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Perry has a hot-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.

Climate data for Perry, Iowa, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 67
(19)
76
(24)
89
(32)
95
(35)
105
(41)
105
(41)
110
(43)
111
(44)
104
(40)
95
(35)
83
(28)
73
(23)
111
(44)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 51.7
(10.9)
56.9
(13.8)
72.4
(22.4)
83.3
(28.5)
89.2
(31.8)
93.1
(33.9)
95.0
(35.0)
93.8
(34.3)
90.7
(32.6)
84.3
(29.1)
69.9
(21.1)
56.1
(13.4)
96.9
(36.1)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 29.5
(−1.4)
34.0
(1.1)
47.5
(8.6)
61.3
(16.3)
71.9
(22.2)
81.9
(27.7)
85.4
(29.7)
83.3
(28.5)
77.1
(25.1)
64.0
(17.8)
47.8
(8.8)
35.0
(1.7)
59.9
(15.5)
Daily mean °F (°C) 19.8
(−6.8)
24.1
(−4.4)
36.6
(2.6)
49.0
(9.4)
60.5
(15.8)
70.9
(21.6)
74.5
(23.6)
72.1
(22.3)
64.3
(17.9)
51.5
(10.8)
37.3
(2.9)
25.7
(−3.5)
48.9
(9.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 10.2
(−12.1)
14.1
(−9.9)
25.8
(−3.4)
36.7
(2.6)
49.0
(9.4)
59.8
(15.4)
63.5
(17.5)
60.8
(16.0)
51.5
(10.8)
39.1
(3.9)
26.8
(−2.9)
16.5
(−8.6)
37.8
(3.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −11.8
(−24.3)
−7.0
(−21.7)
5.7
(−14.6)
21.8
(−5.7)
34.9
(1.6)
47.3
(8.5)
52.9
(11.6)
50.9
(10.5)
36.0
(2.2)
23.8
(−4.6)
10.2
(−12.1)
−3.6
(−19.8)
−15.6
(−26.4)
Record low °F (°C) −32
(−36)
−33
(−36)
−30
(−34)
6
(−14)
20
(−7)
34
(1)
42
(6)
34
(1)
22
(−6)
−8
(−22)
−13
(−25)
−34
(−37)
−34
(−37)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.95
(24)
1.14
(29)
1.96
(50)
4.10
(104)
5.15
(131)
4.88
(124)
4.42
(112)
4.14
(105)
3.44
(87)
2.70
(69)
1.86
(47)
1.38
(35)
36.12
(917)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 4.6
(12)
5.1
(13)
3.8
(9.7)
0.9
(2.3)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.1
(0.25)
1.8
(4.6)
7.2
(18)
23.5
(59.85)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 7.1 7.5 8.5 11.7 13.7 12.3 9.6 10.3 9.0 9.3 7.1 8.0 114.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.1 2.9 1.5 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 3.7 12.4
Source 1: NOAA (average snowfall, snow days 1981–2010)
Source 2: National Weather Service

Demographics

Historical populations
Year Pop. ±%
1880 952 —    
1890 2,880 +202.5%
1900 3,986 +38.4%
1910 4,630 +16.2%
1920 5,642 +21.9%
1930 5,881 +4.2%
1940 5,977 +1.6%
1950 6,174 +3.3%
1960 6,442 +4.3%
1970 6,906 +7.2%
1980 7,053 +2.1%
1990 6,652 −5.7%
2000 7,633 +14.7%
2010 7,702 +0.9%
2020 7,836 +1.7%
Source: and Iowa Data Center
Source: U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Perry, Iowa – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 5,561 4,709 4,348 72.85% 61.14% 55.49%
Black or African American alone (NH) 65 120 258 0.85% 1.56% 3.29%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 14 18 11 0.18% 0.23% 0.14%
Asian alone (NH) 55 60 84 0.72% 0.78% 1.07%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 2 10 4 0.03% 0.13% 0.05%
Other race alone (NH) 12 12 21 0.16% 0.16% 0.27%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 51 81 208 0.67% 1.05% 2.65%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,873 2,692 2,902 24.54% 34.95% 37.03%
Total 7,633 7,702 7,836 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 7,702 people, 2,792 households, and 1,920 families living in the city. The population density was 1,847.0 inhabitants per square mile (713.1/km2). There were 3,180 housing units at an average density of 762.6 per square mile (294.4/km2). The racial makup of the city was 79.1% White, 1.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 14.1% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 40.0%.

Perry Iowa 20090607 High School
Perry High School

Of the 2,792 households 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.2% of households were one person and 13.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.29.

The median age was 33.3 years. 29.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 22.3% were from 45 to 64; and 13.8% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

Economy

In April 2018, a video showcasing Perry's economy in 1979 and 1980 was released by Iowa State University.

The primary employer in Perry was the Tyson Foods pork plant. In March 2024, due to budgetary reasons, Tyson announced the closing of the facility for June of that year, which laid off an estimated 1,200 jobs.

Education

The Perry Community School District operates local area public schools.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines operates St. Patrick School in Perry. The school was dedicated on February 21, 1921. The local Catholic high school is Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines.

Media

  • KDLS-FM
  • KDLS (AM)
  • KICG

Notable people

  • William Bell (1902–1971), premier American tuba player and teacher
  • Sam Brinton (born c. 1988), nuclear engineer and LGBTQ+ activist
  • George W. Clarke (1906–2006), Washington State Legislator
  • Gertrude Mary Cox (1900–1978), influential American statistician
  • Dan Grimm (1941–2018), American football offensive lineman in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Colts, and Washington Redskins
  • V. T. Hamlin (1900–1993), cartoonist and creator of Alley Oop
  • Dwight D. Opperman (1923–2013), CEO of West Publishing, later known as Thomson Reuters
  • Jessica Reznicek (born 1981), Catholic Worker Movement and environmental activist

See also

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