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Living in
Derby.
About
Life in Derby
Derby is a community of 12,359 people in Connecticut. The median household income is $79,500, median rent runs about $1,453 per month, and median home values are around $256,700. The average commute is 27.4 minutes.
Derby at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
46.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.8%
Foreign-Born
14.5%
Broadband Internet
90.2%
of households
Population Growth
+4.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.5% foreign-born, most often from Ecuador
Who lives in Derby: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Derby, the largest foreign-born group is from Ecuador (20.5%), and 15.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
14.6%
of residents
65 and Older
21.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.9%
of households
Married Couples
33.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.11
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for CT
Rent, home values, and income in Derby
In Derby, home values are 30% below the CT average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
99.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,510
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $342,291 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above CT average
Unemployment in Derby
Unemployment in Derby is 0.9 percentage points higher than the CT average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Derby Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute26.9 min avg
How Derby residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Derby, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 65% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN)
Small hub738k passengers boarded in 2025
- 47 mi
Bradley International Airport (BDL)
Medium hub3.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 55 mi
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 60% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Derby runs 60% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
130.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,172.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Derby Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
In New Haven County, which includes Derby, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $80,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $469,000 |
| 2023 | 12 | Flash Flood | $19,000 |
| 2022 | 13 | Winter Weather | $36,000 |
| 2021 | 14 | Flash Flood | $309,000 |
| 2020 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $21.1M |
| 2019 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $176,000 |
| 2018 | 21 | Winter Weather | $588,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
New Haven County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in New Haven County, which includes Derby, is typically good — 245 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
245
per year
Moderate Days
107
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
New Haven County, county-wide
Climate80°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Derby has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
38°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.0"
Annual Snowfall
33.6"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
130
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
106
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 18°F | 3.95" |
| Feb | 38°F | 19°F | 3.62" |
| Mar | 47°F | 27°F | 4.72" |
| Apr | 58°F | 38°F | 4.72" |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 4.04" |
| Jun | 77°F | 58°F | 3.93" |
| Jul | 82°F | 63°F | 4.30" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.56" |
| Sep | 75°F | 54°F | 4.38" |
| Oct | 63°F | 41°F | 5.00" |
| Nov | 52°F | 32°F | 4.24" |
| Dec | 41°F | 23°F | 4.57" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Derby
Derby has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Griffin Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
West Haven VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 7.1 mi away · West Haven
Connecticut Mental Health Center
Psychiatric · 7.8 mi away · New Haven
Yale-new Haven Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.8 mi away · New Haven
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Derby
Derby's student/teacher ratio is 10.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 35.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
35.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Derby (within 15 miles)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 13,603 students · in-state tuition $16,499 · 18% graduate · median earnings $44,639 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,758 students · in-state tuition $69,900 · 98% graduate · median earnings $118,356 (10 yrs after entry)
Southern Connecticut State University
7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 6,295 students · in-state tuition $13,438 · 57% graduate · median earnings $59,695 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,841 students · in-state tuition $49,320 · 63% graduate · median earnings $69,320 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,534 students · in-state tuition $35,760 · 60% graduate · median earnings $56,082 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 991 students · in-state tuition $43,118 · 55% graduate · median earnings $62,459 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Weir Farm National Historical Park, 20 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Derby
Derby has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Weir Farm National Historical Park (20 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Weir Farm National Historical Park
National Historical Park
20 mi awaySagamore Hill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
37 mi awayFire Island National Seashore
National Seashore
44 mi awaySaint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
49 mi awayEleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
National Historic Site
52 mi awayHome Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site
National Historic Site
53 mi awayVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
National Historic Site
55 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
57 mi awayPublic Libraries in Derby
Derby Neck Library
307 Hawthorne Avenue, Derby
Derby Public Library
313 Elizabeth St., Derby
Cities Near Derby
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Derby?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Derby FAQ
Is Derby, Connecticut affordable?⌄
Derby's median rent is $1,452/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $79,500/year. Median home value is $256,700.
Is Derby, Connecticut safe?⌄
Derby's violent crime rate was 130 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2173 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Derby, Connecticut?⌄
Derby has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Derby, Connecticut?⌄
The cost of living in Derby is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,452/month and median household income is $79,500/year. The median home value is $256,700. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Derby, Connecticut?⌄
The average commute in Derby is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from