Compare towns
Derry vs Nashua vs Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Derry has the highest household income ($109k).
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
Milford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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.
| Measure | Derry | Nashua | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 34,116 |
91,294Highest |
16,337Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6Highest 7% below NH |
40±1.3 8% below NH |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% 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%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±1.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest 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% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Derry and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,000±$17kHighest 7% above NH |
$403,900±$11k about the NH average |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH |
$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
| Nashua and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103Highest 22% above NH |
$6,799Lowest about the NH average |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest 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 | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Nashua School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | Nashua High School South | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9Highest |
12.8 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.