New mills is a traditional market town in the High Peak District of Derbyshire with a population of just under 10,000. Local authority services are provided by Derbyshire County, High Peak Borough and New Mills Town Councils and parts of the town's 2000 hectares (5000 acres) are within the Peak District National Park.

New Mills lies where the rivers Sett and Goyt join to become one of the principal tributaries of the River Mersey. The rivers flow though the town in a spectacular gorge, the Torrs, which is now home to the Millennium Walkway. The Peak Forest Canal also passes through the town with a well established marina at Newtown. Much of the district is rural with large parts in agriculture, mainly cattle and sheep.

Areas around Rowarth and Ollerset Moor are within the Peak District National Park with excellent footpath links and some open access land. Its rural hinterland and gateway to the Peak District, and proximity to the Manchester conurbation makes New Mills a popular place for walkers. The town is particularly well connected by rail to Manchester, Stockport and Sheffield.

Considerable industrial activity still takes place in the New Mills area, with companies involved in confectionery, engineering, quarrying, textiles and design and ICT development.