The Town Files

Derry, New Hampshire

Town in Rockingham County · population 34,317 (2020 Census)

Map: where Derry is in New HampshireDerry
Median home
$432,000
Household income
$108,944
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 82°
Snow a year
76 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
8
Median age
40.3

Derry is a town of 34,317 people in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $432,000, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of New Hampshire towns, more vibrant than 88% of New Hampshire towns, more walkable than 87% of New Hampshire towns.

How Derry ranks

Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.

Derry lifestyle rankings vs other New Hampshire townsRetirement5th pctFamilies32nd pctQuiet4th pctWalkability87th pctFirst-time buyers65th pctYoung professionals74th pctVibrancy88th pctHip & trendy34th pctCollege town89th pctUpscale55th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling73rd pctTransit79th pctDriving24th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Derry is worth $432,000, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $108,944, which is more affordable than 39% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,547 a month. 70.2% of households own their home.

Derry vs Rockingham County vs typical New Hampshire townDerryRockingham CountyTypical New Hampshire townHome value$432,000$497,500$357,650Household income$108,944$118,331$94,107Monthly rent$1,547$1,687$1,285
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Hampshire towns with 500+ people.
HousingDerryTypical New Hampshire town
Median home value$432,000$357,650
Median rent$1,547$1,285
Median household income$108,944$94,107
Home value ÷ income4.0×3.8×
Homeownership70.2%82.1%
Median year built19831978
Seasonal / vacation homes1.6%—

Who lives in Derry

PeopleDerryTypical New Hampshire town
Median age40.346.3
Age 65 and over15.2%22.3%
Under 1820.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher37.4%36.8%
Below the poverty line4.0%7.2%
Veterans8.0%—
Born outside the U.S.4.8%—
Work from home16.0%14.2%
Average commute30.9 min27.1 min
Homes with broadband94.4%92.5%

Weather in Derry

July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 14.7°F. About 46.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.5 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.

Derry monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°15°Jan37°16°Feb45°24°Mar57°34°Apr68°44°May76°54°Jun82°60°Jul80°58°Aug73°51°Sep61°39°Oct49°30°Nov39°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.017.53.321.94.214.34.12.74.04.03.63.74.04.90.93.72.14.216.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the W Hampstead station (4.3 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Derry since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 9, 1963 about 6.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 19, 1968.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Derry by decade21950s61960s01970s01980s01990s02000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 15, 2024.

Severe weather in Rockingham County since 1996

Storm events in Rockingham County since 1996 by typeHail162Flood28Drought46High Wind47Lightning56Heavy Snow197Strong Wind64Winter Storm53
NOAA Storm Events Database, Rockingham County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Rockingham County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
July 10, 2024Winter StormDR-4799: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding
April 19, 2024Severe StormDR-4771: Severe Storms And Flooding
September 14, 2023FloodDR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding
April 3, 2020BiologicalDR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3445: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Rockingham County

Rockingham County had 157,028 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,537 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Derry itself the ACS puts it at 4%.

Largest industries in Rockingham CountyRetail24,289 jobs · $44,546Health care & social assistan…18,810 jobs · $69,748Manufacturing16,214 jobs · $89,913Hotels & restaurants16,080 jobs · $31,039Professional & technical serv…11,299 jobs · $118,584Administrative & support9,050 jobs · $77,950
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Rockingham County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Rockingham 2.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Derry

10 public schools with 6,218 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Pinkerton Academy9-133,05713.9
Ernest P. Barka Elementary SchoolK-554814.4
Gilbert H. Hood Middle School6-851912.1
West Running Brook Middle School6-851811.8
Derry Village SchoolK-537713.5
South Range Elementary SchoolK-533512.4
East Derry Memorial Elementary SchoolK-533511.2
Grinnell SchoolK-532410.1
Derry Early Education ProgramPK-PK13132.8
Next Charter School (charter)9-12749.3

Towns near Derry

Derry questions

Is Derry, New Hampshire a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Derry scores better for retirees than 5% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 4%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).

How much does a house cost in Derry?

The median owner-occupied home in Derry is valued at $432,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,944, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,547 a month.

What is the weather like in Derry?

July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 14.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.7 inches of precipitation a year and 75.5 inches of snow.

Does Derry get tornadoes?

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Derry since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 9, 1963. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Derry's Census boundary (GEOID 3301517940). Comparisons use the median of New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.