What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k 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	Fair Haven
People
Population	34,116Highest	2,724Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±1.6Highest 4% above U.S.	39.2±7.6Lowest about the U.S. average
	Derry and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Derry and Fair Haven 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%	18.4%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Fair Haven and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Derry and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,944±$7kHighest 35% above U.S.	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$432,000±$17kHighest 30% above U.S.	$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,547±$138Highest 9% above U.S.	$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,103Highest 160% above U.S.	$3,865Lowest 24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Derry and Fair Haven 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%	18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 min 17% above U.S.	31 min 17% above U.S.
Work from home	16%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#60 of 120 in NH	#66 of 70 in VT
School district	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
High school in town	Pinkerton Academy	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.9Highest	12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	12 photos →

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.