Compare towns
Derry vs Derry vs Nelson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Derry has the most renters (40.9% rent).
Derry has the most expensive homes ($432k median).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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.
| Measure | Derry | Derry | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,339 |
34,116Highest |
648Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41±3 5% below NH |
40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
42.3±11.7Highest about the NH average |
| Nelson and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.4% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5 NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Derry and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,673±$11kLowest 7% below NH |
$108,944±$7kHighest 10% above NH |
$99,792±$23k about the NH average |
| Derry and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $391,200±$23k about the NH average |
$432,000±$17kHighest 7% above NH |
$340,900±$49kLowest 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$137Highest 4% above NH |
$1,547±$138 4% above NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
| Derry and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,278 9% above NH |
$8,103Highest 22% above NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±9.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
70.2% NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.2%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #60 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Nelson School District |
| High school in town | — | Pinkerton Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.