Compare towns
Lee vs Sunderland vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Sunderland has the most renters (58% rent).
Deerfield has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Lee | Sunderland | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,719Highest |
3,641Lowest |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$458,100±$52kHighest 19% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
| Sunderland and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,672±$151Highest 5% below MA |
$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
| Sunderland and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,611 6% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1% MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minHighest 38% below MA |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
18 min 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Sunderland 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #220 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lee | Sunderland | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | None in town | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 20 photos → | 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.