What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derry has the most homeowners (70.2%).

Nashua has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).

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	Nashua
People
Population	34,116Lowest	91,294Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.6%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	40.3±1.6Highest 7% below NH	40±1.3Lowest 8% below NH
	Derry and Nashua 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%	18.6%±1.2Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Derry and Nashua 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%	16.9%±1Highest NH: 20.1%
	Nashua 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%Lowest NH: 40.6%	41.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6%	5%±0.6Lowest NH: 6%
	Derry and Nashua 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 10% above NH	$96,326±$5kLowest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$432,000±$17kHighest 7% above NH	$403,900±$11kLowest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH	$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,103Highest 22% above NH	$6,799Lowest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2%	45.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Derry and Nashua 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%	7.8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.2%Highest NH: 72.8%	55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above NH	26 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	17.4%±1.6Highest NH: 16.8%
	Nashua and Derry 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	#67 of 120 in NH
School district	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District	Nashua School District
High school in town	Pinkerton Academy	Nashua High School South
Students per teacherat that high school	13.9Highest	12.8Lowest
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.