Perry County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 19,170. The county seat is Tell City. It is the hilliest county as well as one of the most forested counties in Indiana as it features more than of Hoosier National Forest. The Ohio River Scenic Byway along Indiana State Road 66 runs along the southern border of the county while Interstate 64 traverses the northern portion of the county. Connecting the two is Indiana State Road 37.

The county features three incorporated communities: Tell City (2009 population 7,473), Cannelton (2009 population 1,130) and Troy (2009 population 379). Each is located in Troy Township which is situated along the south western corner of the county.

Coordinated efforts with County officials led to the acquisition of an abandoned rail line that has since been reactivated as the County-owned Hoosier Southern Rail Road. Managed by the Perry County Port Authority, the short-line rail road connects the Perry County River Port with the Norfolk Southern Rail Road.

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Tell City have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1985, and a record high of was recorded in September 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in October to in May.

Board of Commissioners: The executive and legislative body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.

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Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 98.82%) is land and (or 1.18%) is water. The Ohio River made Perry County a focal point and settlers were drawn here due to plentiful supplies of natural resources and the area's scenic beauty.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Perry County, Indiana – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>

!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|-

|White alone (NH)

|19,223

|18,773

|18,345

|18,428

|style='background: #ffffe6; |17,853

|99.36%

|98.25%

|97.07%

|95.29%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |93.13%

|-

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|12

|202

|272

|469

|style='background: #ffffe6; |397

|0.06%

|1.06%

|1.44%

|2.43%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.07%

|-

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|24

|32

|32

|34

|style='background: #ffffe6; |33

|0.12%

|0.17%

|0.17%

|0.18%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%

|-

|Asian alone (NH)

|26

|32

|22

|69

|style='background: #ffffe6; |99

|0.13%

|0.17%

|0.12%

|0.36%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.52%

|-

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|x

|x

|3

|4

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3

|x

|x

|0.02%

|0.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|-

|Other race alone (NH)

|9

|2

|5

|11

|style='background: #ffffe6; |46

|0.05%

|0.01%

|0.03%

|0.06%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%

|-

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|x

|x

|87

|131

|style='background: #ffffe6; |519

|x

|x

|0.46%

|0.68%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.71%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|52

|66

|133

|192

|style='background: #ffffe6; |220

|0.27%

|0.35%

|0.70%

|0.99%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.15%

|-

|Total

|19,346

|19,107

|18,899

|19,338

|style='background: #ffffe6; |19,170

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

|}

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 19,170. The median age was 42.1 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 115.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 116.5 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.5% White, 2.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.1% of the population.

There were 7,559 households in the county, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.2% were married-couple households, 19.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The population density was . There were 8,495 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.0% white, 2.4% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.

Of the 7,476&nbsp;households, 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.9% were non-families, and 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 40.4 years.

Cities, towns, and unincorporated communities

Cities and towns

  • Cannelton
  • Tell City
  • Troy

Unincorporated communities

  • Adyeville
  • Apalona
  • Bandon
  • Branchville
  • Bristow
  • Celina
  • Derby
  • Dexter
  • Dodd
  • Doolittle Mills
  • Fosters Ridge
  • Gatchel
  • Gerald
  • Hardingrove
  • Kitterman Corners
  • Leopold
  • Lilly Dale
  • Magnet
  • Mount Pleasant
  • Oriole
  • Ranger
  • Rome
  • Saint Croix
  • Sassafras
  • Siberia
  • Tobinsport
  • Uniontown

Townships

  • Anderson
  • Clark
  • Leopold
  • Oil
  • Tobin
  • Troy
  • Union

Education

School districts include:

  • Cannelton City Schools
  • Perry Central Community School Corporation
  • Tell City-Troy Township School Corporation

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Perry County, Indiana

References

  • Perry County Development Corporation
  • Perry County Chamber of Commerce
  • Perry County News

Further reading

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