Compare towns
Deerfield vs Rowley vs Upton 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).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Rowley | Upton | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,158 |
6,251 |
8,189Highest |
3,641Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
50±6.3 25% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
| Deerfield and Rowley 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% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Deerfield and Rowley 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% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
62.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$458,100±$52k 19% below MA |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,672±$151Highest 5% below MA |
| Sunderland and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,611Lowest 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 40% below MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #220 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sunderland |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.