What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derry has the most expensive homes ($432k median).

Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

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	Hartford
People
Population	34,116Highest	10,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S.	43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S.
	Hartford and Derry 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%	18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Derry and Hartford 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%	22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Derry and Hartford 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.	$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$432,000±$17kHighest 30% above U.S.	$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,547±$138Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,103Highest 160% above U.S.	$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Derry and Hartford 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%	11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	18 minLowest 30% below U.S.
Work from home	16%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Derry and Hartford 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	#34 of 70 in VT
School district	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District	Hartford School District
High school in town	Pinkerton Academy	Hartford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.9Highest	9.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.