What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).

Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).

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	Derry	Dalton
People
Population	34,116Highest	6,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S.	49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%	20.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Derry and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,944±$7kHighest 35% above U.S.	$79,438±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$432,000±$17kHighest 30% above U.S.	$295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,547±$138Highest 9% above U.S.	$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,103Highest 160% above U.S.	$4,276Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.2%±19Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Derry and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.
Work from home	16%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Derry and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#60 of 120 in NH	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District	Central Berkshire
High school in town	Pinkerton Academy	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.9Highest	10.9Lowest
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.