What it's like to live in Derby
Derby is a small city in Connecticut with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Derby deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold winters, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Derby compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Derby
Based on Derby's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,904
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $58,080 a year
- 53% of Derby renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$51,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,670
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,452/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,452 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $256,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $256,700 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 14% above US
4.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 60% below US
130 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2173/100k · Derby Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 20°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Weir Farm National Historical Park (20 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Derby's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,452/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Derby
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