Compare towns

Leverett vs Dedham vs Sunderland

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Leverett has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Dedham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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.

MeasureLeverettDedhamSunderland
People
Population
1,608Lowest
25,237Highest
3,641
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.8%
MA: +7.4%
+2.6%Highest
MA: +7.4%
-0.6%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
56±6.4Highest
40% above MA
44.6±1.6
12% above MA
35.1±1.9Lowest
12% below MA
Kids under 18
13.7%±2.4
MA: 19.4%
18.6%±1.9Highest
MA: 19.4%
9%±3.3Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Age 65+
34.8%±4.4Highest
MA: 17.9%
21.9%±2
MA: 17.9%
16.4%±4.1Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
67.4%Highest
MA: 47.3%
55%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
62.8%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.1%±1Lowest
MA: 7.9%
5.6%±1
MA: 7.9%
25.5%±9.4Highest
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$104,688±$18k
about the MA average
$128,955±$10kHighest
24% above MA
$68,083±$3kLowest
35% below MA
Dedham and Leverett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$435,500±$35kLowest
23% below MA
$661,800±$16kHighest
18% above MA
$458,100±$52k
19% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,389±$135Lowest
21% below MA
$2,042±$182Highest
16% above MA
$1,672±$151
5% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,779
13% above MA
$7,918Highest
32% above MA
$5,611Lowest
6% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
73.3%±6.3Highest
MA: 51.8%
56.4%±10Lowest
MA: 51.8%
72.1%±12.5
MA: 51.8%
Leverett and Sunderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
10%
MA: 10%
5.6%Lowest
MA: 10%
14.3%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.2%Highest
MA: 62.5%
73.4%
MA: 62.5%
42%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973
9 yrs newer than MA
1956Lowest
8 yrs older than MA
1979Highest
15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
9% below MA
29 minHighest
about the MA average
17 minLowest
41% below MA
Work from home
28.5%±5Highest
MA: 18.6%
20%±2.7
MA: 18.6%
16.6%±4.7Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #119 of 282 in MA #220 of 282 in MA
School district Leverett Dedham Sunderland
High school in town None in town Dedham High None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.4
—
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.