What it's like to live in Derby
Derby is a small city in Kansas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Derby deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
- 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
$2,272
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,440 a year
- 43% of Derby renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,380
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,690
- Homes cost 2.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 20% below US
$1,136/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,136 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $236,900. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $236,900 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 43% below US
228 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 2189/100k · Derby Police Department · 2022 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence.
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
38% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 38% 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
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (71 miles away).
Bottom line
Derby's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,136/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Derby
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