Perry is a small, rural community in Northeast Missouri reflective of all the charm and friendliness associated with the rural Midwest. Although it has a population of less than 700, Perry provides services equal to those found in much larger towns, with a healthy mix of retail, commercial, and industrial businesses. Only minutes away from Mark Twain Lake in Northeast Missouri, Perry is regarded as the Southern Gateway to the lake. Each year, nearly 2 million people visit the lake recreation areas to camp, boat, fish, and enjoy a nearly endless variety of outdoor activities. In recent years, Perry has adapted to take advantage of opportunities created by the nearby 18,600-acre recreational lake. The downtown area has been restored to its former glory, with many of the buildings now housing antique, specialty and re-sale shops. Most downtown shops are open Tuesday thru Sunday.

Perry also serves those who are enjoying a nearby campground and Mark Twain Lake.  Perry offers a full-line grocery store, the lake’s largest sporting goods store, bank and ATM, bait and tackle, restaurants and convenience stores.

The area is rich in history. Less than 15 minutes away in tiny Florida, the Mark Twain Birthplace Museum and Historic Site honors the region’s most famous citizen, Samuel Clemens, who used many of his childhood friends as the basis for characters in his books. Historic Hannibal, where Clemens lived as a boy, is only 30 minutes from Perry.