Jobs, pay and daily life in Perry, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Perry is a city in Iowa with 7,985 residents. The median household earns $68,910 a year and the median rent is $931 a month, which is 16.2% of the median household income. It is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 404,130 jobs.
How Perry compares. Among the 60 largest places in Iowa, Perry is #50 by population, #60 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #59 for college degrees (#1 = most), #41 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Dallas County, is #1 of 99 counties for average pay ($76,316).
Perry has 7,985 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Iowa. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,378 people per square mile. The median age is 39.0, about the same as the state median (39.0 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $931 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% below the state median ($931 against $972). Over a year that is 16.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $121,400, which is 1.8 times the median household income ($68,910); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 64.2% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (64.2% against 71.7%).
The Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area has 404,130 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,820 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,820 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (49,810 jobs, median $48,790); sales and related (38,890 jobs, median $37,570); business and financial operations (35,200 jobs, median $80,390). The area is most specialised in business and financial operations (1.3 times) and computer and mathematical (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($120,120) and computer and mathematical ($101,550). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Dallas County was 3.0%. 74.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Dallas County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.6% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 2.2% walk, 7.9% work from home. 24.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 195% above the state average (24.3% against 8.2%).
17.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46% below the state share (17.0% against 31.4%). 20.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 244% above the state share (20.4% against 5.9%). The poverty rate is 8.9%, 20% below the state rate (8.9% against 11.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 20°F (-6.4°C). About 839 mm (33 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (124 mm) and Jan the driest (20 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Boone (18 miles, rent 11% lower); Grimes (19 miles, rent 34% higher); Waukee (20 miles, rent 49% higher); Urbandale (21 miles, rent 30% higher). Rent differences are against Perry; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Iowa (226) →State guide: IowaCountry guideDallas CountyIowa rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 226 federal postings open in Iowa (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representatives | 12,070 | 1.79 | $48,880 | $35,920 | $66,240 | +9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 11,000 | 1.09 | $33,430 | $27,630 | $46,780 | -6% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 10,060 | 1.00 | $29,140 | $21,870 | $36,400 | -7% |
| Cashiers | 8,720 | 1.09 | $29,640 | $24,140 | $37,610 | -10% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,370 | 0.92 | $98,780 | $46,950 | $208,630 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 8,130 | 0.93 | $78,630 | $64,680 | $100,500 | -19% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 7,840 | 1.46 | $60,720 | $43,950 | $79,240 | +4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 7,430 | 1.01 | $36,800 | $29,090 | $48,480 | -1% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 7,000 | 0.91 | $46,370 | $33,580 | $55,770 | +15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 6,250 | 1.06 | $20,410 | $15,080 | $48,760 | -42% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 6,210 | 0.55 | $36,350 | $30,800 | $44,520 | +2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,010 | 0.94 | $46,540 | $31,600 | $62,180 | +3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,720 | 1.00 | $35,000 | $29,570 | $46,850 | -5% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 5,140 | 1.39 | $34,620 | $23,740 | $38,340 | -6% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 5,130 | 1.82 | $86,540 | $55,890 | $138,850 | +4% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 4,900 | 1.52 | $67,040 | $42,820 | $128,190 | -7% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 4,850 | 1.29 | $79,290 | $56,390 | $128,130 | -5% |
| Nursing Assistants | 4,660 | 1.24 | $43,940 | $35,420 | $50,630 | +4% |
| Software Developers | 4,240 | 0.97 | $126,460 | $79,170 | $168,180 | -7% |
| Financial Managers | 3,800 | 1.74 | $154,140 | $94,230 | $263,790 | -7% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 1,230 | 2.31 | $290,870 | $96,550 | $390,260 | +36% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 2,050 | 1.17 | $164,840 | $111,990 | $215,440 | -6% |
| Financial Managers | 3,800 | 1.74 | $154,140 | $94,230 | $263,790 | -7% |
| Pharmacists | 850 | 1.01 | $141,110 | $123,510 | $164,900 | +0% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,420 | 0.88 | $139,110 | $74,050 | $234,030 | -2% |
| Human Resources Managers | 520 | 0.91 | $138,140 | $91,450 | $233,690 | -7% |
| Sales Managers | 1,200 | 0.73 | $136,570 | $75,420 | $223,300 | -8% |
| Marketing Managers | 950 | 0.93 | $135,140 | $81,220 | $214,220 | -19% |
| Lawyers | 1,760 | 0.90 | $134,560 | $65,830 | $292,020 | -16% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 820 | 0.97 | $132,230 | $113,470 | $166,960 | -0% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 1,010 | 1.36 | $126,830 | $62,070 | $197,770 | +21% |
| Software Developers | 4,240 | 0.97 | $126,460 | $79,170 | $168,180 | -7% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 630 | 0.92 | $126,190 | $76,680 | $172,400 | +11% |
| Information Security Analysts | 720 | 1.46 | $123,740 | $73,200 | $167,610 | -4% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 850 | 0.99 | $117,980 | $79,840 | $153,260 | +11% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 1,770 | 1.57 | $109,490 | $50,840 | $163,770 | -6% |
| Computer Network Architects | 640 | 1.38 | $108,280 | $66,870 | $160,320 | -19% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 510 | 0.79 | $107,550 | $74,710 | $177,960 | -15% |
| Construction Managers | 1,020 | 1.03 | $103,920 | $65,560 | $201,450 | -10% |
| Data Scientists | 1,240 | 1.82 | $103,030 | $65,480 | $150,190 | -14% |
These figures are for the whole Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,820 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.5% |
| Manufacturing | 19.4% |
| Retail trade | 11.8% |
| Construction | 9.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 8.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.2% |
| Other services | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 3.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.6% |
| Public administration | 1.5% |
| Information | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Perry lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County | 107,968 | $11,107 million | $102,869 | 55,258 | 3,600 | $76,316 | +4.7% | 3.0% | 65,418 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | 16,713 | 33.9% | $122,978 | 7.45 |
| Retail trade | 7,365 | 14.9% | $33,974 | 1.33 |
| Health care and social assistance | 6,021 | 12.2% | $70,191 | 0.76 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,597 | 9.3% | $25,990 | 0.91 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,102 | 4.3% | $92,824 | 0.55 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,964 | 4.0% | $53,736 | 0.60 |
| Construction | 1,832 | 3.7% | $64,797 | 0.63 |
| Manufacturing | 1,578 | 3.2% | $72,488 | 0.35 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,294 | 2.6% | $22,916 | 1.39 |
| Information | 1,011 | 2.0% | $105,466 | 0.98 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,001 | 2.0% | $103,998 | 0.46 |
| Educational services | 948 | 1.9% | $54,920 | 0.83 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 945 | 1.9% | $84,011 | 0.40 |
| Real estate and rental | 810 | 1.6% | $88,765 | 0.94 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 782 | 1.6% | $42,458 | 0.47 |
| Management of companies | 213 | 0.4% | $126,289 | 0.23 |
| Utilities | 164 | 0.3% | $125,401 | 0.78 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 71.6% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 2.2% |
| Work from home | 7.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 24.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,910 |
| Income per person | $33,832 |
| Median gross rent per month | $931 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.2% |
| Median home value | $121,400 |
| Homeowners | 64.2% |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $51,820 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.80%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 85.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.0% |
| Born abroad | 20.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 74.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6.4 | 20 | 20 |
| Feb | -4.8 | 23 | 28 |
| Mar | 2.6 | 37 | 44 |
| Apr | 9.8 | 50 | 86 |
| May | 16.0 | 61 | 117 |
| Jun | 21.9 | 71 | 124 |
| Jul | 24.4 | 76 | 89 |
| Aug | 23.0 | 73 | 109 |
| Sep | 18.6 | 65 | 82 |
| Oct | 10.2 | 50 | 67 |
| Nov | 3.1 | 38 | 37 |
| Dec | -3.7 | 25 | 36 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone | IA | 18 mi | 12,424 | $69,222 | $831 |
| Grimes | IA | 19 mi | 16,366 | $120,037 | $1,251 |
| Waukee | IA | 20 mi | 29,236 | $101,029 | $1,383 |
| Urbandale | IA | 21 mi | 46,595 | $112,795 | $1,211 |
| Johnston | IA | 22 mi | 24,384 | $106,551 | $1,338 |
| Clive | IA | 22 mi | 19,012 | $132,121 | $1,073 |
| West Des Moines | IA | 26 mi | 71,083 | $86,594 | $1,237 |
| Ankeny | IA | 26 mi | 72,615 | $108,198 | $1,319 |
| Ames | IA | 28 mi | 67,669 | $60,991 | $1,023 |
| Des Moines | IA | 31 mi | 212,421 | $65,932 | $1,090 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
7,985 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$931 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.2% of the median household income.
$68,910 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.0% (BLS county, Dallas County (latest month 2026M09)).
Iowa. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.