The Town Files

Derby Line, Vermont

Village in Orleans County · population 687 (2020 Census)

Map: where Derby Line is in VermontDerby Line
Median home
$201,000
Household income
$71,518
Jan low / Jul high
4° / 78°
Snow a year
99 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
46.7

Derby Line is a village of 687 people in Orleans County, Vermont. The median home is worth $201,000, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Vermont towns, better for cycling than 90% of Vermont towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Vermont towns.

How Derby Line ranks

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

Derby Line lifestyle rankings vs other Vermont townsRetirement21st pctFamilies56th pctQuiet25th pctWalkability64th pctFirst-time buyers87th pctYoung professionals14th pctVibrancy70th pctHip & trendy9th pctCollege town92nd pctUpscale43rd pctVacation homes56th pctSeaside characterbottomCycling90th pctTransitbottomDriving40th 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 Derby Line is worth $201,000, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $71,518, which is more affordable than 92% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $835 a month. 83.0% of households own their home.

Derby Line vs Orleans County vs typical Vermont townDerby LineOrleans CountyTypical Vermont townHome value$201,000$223,400$278,700Household income$71,518$70,103$76,895Monthly rent$835$892$1,117
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Vermont towns with 500+ people.
HousingDerby LineTypical Vermont town
Median home value$201,000$278,700
Median rent$835$1,117
Median household income$71,518$76,895
Home value ÷ income2.8×3.6×
Homeownership83.0%81.6%
Median year built19561976
Seasonal / vacation homes3.6%—

Who lives in Derby Line

PeopleDerby LineTypical Vermont town
Median age46.745.7
Age 65 and over24.9%22.2%
Under 1822.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher35.2%38.9%
Below the poverty line7.3%8.6%
Veterans9.1%—
Born outside the U.S.7.2%—
Work from home13.5%14.9%
Average commute24.3 min25.2 min
Homes with broadband93.4%89.3%

Weather in Derby Line

July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 3.9°F. About 43.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 98.6 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.

Derby Line monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing23°4°Jan27°5°Feb37°15°Mar51°29°Apr65°42°May73°52°Jun78°57°Jul76°55°Aug69°47°Sep55°36°Oct41°25°Nov29°14°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.821.52.420.22.819.43.34.53.94.54.54.43.94.30.83.47.03.425.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Newport station (5.3 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Derby Line since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 10, 2007.

Severe weather in Orleans County since 1996

Storm events in Orleans County since 1996 by typeHail45Flood29High Wind16Lightning9Heavy Snow9Flash Flood30Strong Wind27Winter Storm146
NOAA Storm Events Database, Orleans County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 3 deaths recorded.

Orleans County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 26, 2024FloodDR-4826: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
August 20, 2024Severe StormDR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
August 8, 2024Tropical StormEM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby
April 19, 2024Severe StormDR-4770: Severe Winter Storm
March 2, 2024Severe StormDR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Orleans County

Orleans County had 10,532 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,363 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Derby Line itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.

Largest industries in Orleans CountyRetail1,562 jobs · $37,712Health care & social assistan…1,556 jobs · $62,839Hotels & restaurants1,310 jobs · $29,443Manufacturing1,203 jobs · $53,481Construction671 jobs · $62,863Transportation & warehousing306 jobs · $55,718
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Orleans County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Orleans 3.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Derby Line

1 public school with 508 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Derby Elementary SchoolPK-650812.4

Towns near Derby Line

Derby Line questions

Is Derby Line, Vermont a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Derby Line scores better for retirees than 21% of Vermont towns and quieter than 25%. 24.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.7).

How much does a house cost in Derby Line?

The median owner-occupied home in Derby Line is valued at $201,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,518, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $835 a month.

What is the weather like in Derby Line?

July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 3.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.8 inches of precipitation a year and 98.6 inches of snow.

Does Derby Line get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Derby Line in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Derby Line's Census boundary (GEOID 5017500). Comparisons use the median of Vermont 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.