What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Derry has the most homeowners (70.2%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boston	Derry
People
Population	666,442Highest	34,116Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S.	40.3±1.6Highest 4% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	15.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	37.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S.	$108,944±$7kHighest 35% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$731,700±$10kHighest 120% above U.S.	$432,000±$17kLowest 30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S.	$1,547±$138Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,456Lowest 43% above U.S.	$8,103Highest 160% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.6%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Derry and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	70.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 15% above U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	21.3%±0.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#258 of 282 in MA	#60 of 120 in NH
School district	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District
High school in town	Boston Latin School	Pinkerton Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	18.7Highest	13.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.