The Town FilesPerryville, Missouri
City in Perry County · population 8,555 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $179,700
- Household income
- $51,897
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 38.6
Perryville is a city of 8,555 people in Perry County, Missouri. The median home is worth $179,700, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 93% of Missouri towns, more walkable than 74% of Missouri towns, more vibrant than 70% of Missouri towns.
How Perryville ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Perryville is worth $179,700, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $51,897, which is more affordable than 19% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $944 a month. 62.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Perryville | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $179,700 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $944 | $855 |
| Median household income | $51,897 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 62.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Perryville
| People | Perryville | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.0% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 88.7% |
Weather in Perryville
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 21.3°F. About 46.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.7 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 114 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Perryville since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on February 28, 2017 about 2.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 48 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 6, 2003.
Severe weather in Perry County since 1996
Perry County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4867: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| September 21, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4741: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| July 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Perry County
Perry County had 9,542 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,010 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Perryville itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Perryville
5 public schools with 2,077 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PERRYVILLE SR. HIGH | 9-12 | 753 | 17.9 |
| PERRYVILLE PRIMARY CENTER | PK-2 | 474 | 11.3 |
| PERRY CO. MIDDLE | 6-8 | 439 | 12.9 |
| PERRYVILLE ELEM. | 3-5 | 411 | 11.7 |
| PERRYVILLE AREA CAR TECH CTR | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Perryville
- Chester, IL14.0 mi · 6,814 people · home $111,700
- Ste. Genevieve, MO19.6 mi · 4,999 people · home $172,400
- Fredericktown, MO25.9 mi · 4,429 people · home $136,100
- Jackson, MO26.9 mi · 15,481 people · home $240,000
- Sparta, IL29.6 mi · 4,095 people · home $111,200
- Murphysboro, IL29.9 mi · 7,093 people · home $85,900
Perryville questions
Is Perryville, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Perryville scores better for retirees than 56% of Missouri towns and quieter than 27%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Perryville?
The median owner-occupied home in Perryville is valued at $179,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,897, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $944 a month.
What is the weather like in Perryville?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 21.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.2 inches of precipitation a year and 4.7 inches of snow.
Does Perryville get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Perryville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on February 28, 2017. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- 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)