Best Web Design in Perry, MI (2026)

Web Design for Perry, Michigan

Perry is a small city of about 2,091 people (2020 census) in southeastern Shiawassee County, roughly 22 miles from Lansing along I-69. Born as a 19th-century railroad village named for a War of 1812 naval hero, it rebuilt itself after a downtown-leveling 1913 fire and today functions largely as a quiet bedroom community for the state capital.

AppWT serves Perry and the surrounding Michigan area from Livonia, Michigan.

About Perry

Also known as. No traditional nickname is documented; the city markets itself with the slogan "Close to everywhere but out of the hustle and bustle.".

History. First settled in the fall of 1836 by Josiah Purdy, who built the first log cabin in what became Perry Township; the village grew on land originally owned by Horace Green and Dr. Joseph P. Roberts. William Laing opened the settlement's first store in 1850 and became its first postmaster on January 17, 1850. Named after Oliver Hazard Perry, the American naval commander famous for the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. When the Grand Trunk Railroad arrived in 1876 about a half-mile south of the original town, the village was physically moved next to the tracks; the post office kept the name Perry throughout. Incorporated as a village in 1893 and reincorporated as a city in 1964. A fire on July 6, 1913 (thought to have been started by sparks from a passing train) destroyed nearly the entire downtown, which was afterward rebuilt.

Local economy. Functions largely as a commuter/bedroom community for Lansing (about 22 miles southwest) with I-69 access toward Flint and Detroit. Early industry included the Perry Mitten & Glove Company, associated with inventor Isaac Lamb, plus early businesses such as Hick's Hotel. Local services within city limits include medical, dental and vision offices, restaurants, and an assisted-living community.

Culture and community. Perry Public Schools athletic teams are the Ramblers. City parks host community programming such as concerts in the park and yoga on the lawn. The Community District Library anchors the downtown; Jubilee Park and Veterans Memorial Park are among the city's green spaces.

What makes Perry distinct. The City of Perry is completely surrounded by Perry Township, yet the two are governed autonomously as separate entities. In the 2020 census, 100% of Perry's residents were classified as living in a rural area. Perry fielded its own baseball team back in the 1890s. Alva M. Cummins (1869-1946), a Perry lawyer, was the 1922 Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan.

Small city in southern Shiawassee County along Interstate 69, roughly midway between Lansing and Flint, entirely surrounded by but administered separately from Perry Township, with a 2020 census population of 2,091

Notable. Named for Oliver Hazard Perry, the U.S. naval commander in the War of 1812.

Perry Landmarks and Local Life

• Calkins-MacQueen Museum (Charles H. Calkins House) - Italianate house built in 1870 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1978; located at 127 East First Street and preserved as a local history museum by the Perry Historical Society
• Perry City Hall (former Lamb Glove and Mitten Company) - Former glove and mitten factory founded by Reverend Isaac Lamb that has housed the city's municipal offices at 203 West Polly Street since 1997
• Bentley Memorial Library - Perry's public library at 135 South Main Street downtown, part of the Community District Library system since 2008
• Jubilee Park - City park featuring the George Dunn Fitness Loop, a marked grass path about one-third of a mile long with five exercise stations and benches
• Veterans Memorial Park - City park with a sledding hill known as Mudge Knob and a free sled library that lets residents borrow sleds

Perry at a Glance

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023.

• Median household income: $73,468
• Adults with a bachelor degree or higher: 19.6%
• Housing: 63.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied
• Housing: 74.6% of housing units are single-family detached homes