Compare towns
Deerfield vs Reading vs Sunderland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the highest household income ($106k).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Reading | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Highest |
699Lowest |
3,641 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
35.1±1.9Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
25.5%±9.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$68,083±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 25% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$458,100±$52kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Sunderland and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 6% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,672±$151Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Sunderland and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,611Lowest 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sunderland and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 33% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | 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 |
U.S. 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.