Peru, IN

Nestled along the Wabash River about 75 miles north of Indianapolis, Peru is a friendly small town of around 11,000 residents in north-central Indiana. Famous as the birthplace of composer Cole Porter and the historic winter headquarters for legendary traveling circuses, Peru blends rich midwestern history with an easygoing, affordable pace of life. It serves as the county seat of Miami County, offering quiet tree-lined neighborhoods, historic architecture, and a walkable downtown centered around the classic county courthouse.

ATTRAntony-22 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Peru truly embraces its heritage as the Circus Capital of the World, especially each July during the weeklong Circus City Festival, where local youth train and perform authentic trapeze and acrobatic acts under the big top. For daily living, residents enjoy scenic parks along the river, local schools, and a straightforward commute to Kokomo, Logansport, and Wabash via U.S. 31 and U.S. 24. It is a welcoming, down-to-earth community that gives you peaceful small-town living while keeping larger regional amenities within easy reach.