What it's like to live in Perry
Perry is a small city in Georgia with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Perry deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, hot summers, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Perry compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Perry
Based on Perry's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,264
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,280 a year
- 49% of Perry renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$45,060
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,530
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 20% below US
$1,132/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,132 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $225,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $225,300 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Houston County is 3.0%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Houston County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 55% below US
147 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1210/100k · Perry Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 15% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 20% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park (26 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Perry's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and hot summers. A year of median rent ($1,132/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Perry
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