The Town FilesDerby, Colorado
Community in Adams County · population 8,407 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $353,000
- Household income
- $82,138
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 48
- Median age
- 33.1
Derby is a community of 8,407 people in Adams County, Colorado. The median home is worth $353,000, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more walkable than 92% of Colorado towns, better transit than 91% of Colorado towns, easier by car than 84% of Colorado towns.
How Derby ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Derby is worth $353,000, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $82,138, which is more affordable than 74% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,689 a month. 70.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Derby | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $353,000 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,689 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $82,138 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 70.9% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Derby
| People | Derby | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.3% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 30.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.7% | 92.9% |
Weather in Derby
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.0 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 42 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
48 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Derby since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 15, 1988 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 439 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on August 5, 1983.
Severe weather in Adams County since 1996
Adams County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| July 16, 2015 | Flood | DR-4229: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 12, 2013 | Flood | EM-3365: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Adams County
Adams County had 249,299 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,817 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Derby itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Towns near Derby
- Welby, CO2.6 mi · 15,553 people · home $385,000
- Sherrelwood, CO4.6 mi · 19,228 people · home $432,200
- Twin Lakes, CO4.8 mi · 8,226 people · home $587,500
- Federal Heights, CO5.5 mi · 14,382 people · home $95,300
- Thornton, CO5.7 mi · 141,867 people · home $517,500
- Denver, CO5.8 mi · 715,522 people · home $616,000
- Northglenn, CO6.0 mi · 38,131 people · home $462,100
- Berkley, CO6.4 mi · 12,536 people · home $468,100
Derby questions
Is Derby, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Derby scores better for retirees than 4% of Colorado towns and quieter than 16%. 7.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.1).
How much does a house cost in Derby?
The median owner-occupied home in Derby is valued at $353,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,138, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,689 a month.
What is the weather like in Derby?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 49.0 inches of snow.
Does Derby get tornadoes?
48 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Derby since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 15, 1988. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)