What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derry has the highest household income ($109k).

Laconia has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).

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	Laconia
People
Population	34,116Highest	17,085Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH	45.3±3.9Highest 5% above NH
	Laconia 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 NH: 18.2%	18.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Derry and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1%	22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.4%Highest NH: 40.6%	27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6%	3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,944±$7kHighest 10% above NH	$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$432,000±$17kHighest 7% above NH	$340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,547±$138Highest 4% above NH	$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,103Highest 22% above NH	$4,484Lowest 33% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±9Lowest NH: 48.2%	54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Laconia and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	12.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.2%Highest NH: 72.8%	64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above NH	17 minLowest 36% below NH
Work from home	16%±2.8Highest NH: 16.8%	13.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Derry and Laconia 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	#105 of 120 in NH
School district	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District	Laconia School District
High school in town	Pinkerton Academy	Laconia High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.9Highest	10.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.