Compare towns
Deerfield vs Chilmark vs Sunderland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the most affordable homes ($415k median).
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
Sunderland has the most renters (58% rent).
Sunderland is a college town. 25.5% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Deerfield | Chilmark | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Highest |
1,578Lowest |
3,641 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
| Chilmark and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chilmark and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$458,100±$52k 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,672±$151 5% below MA |
| Chilmark and Sunderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest about the MA average |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,611 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9 MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
4.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 40% below MA |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Chilmark and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #156 of 282 in MA | — | #220 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Up-Island Regional | Sunderland |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.