What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rye has the oldest population (median age 55.1).

Sudbury has the highest household income ($236k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rye	Sudbury
People
Population	5,611Lowest	19,306Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S.	42.3±2.1Lowest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	28.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	83.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sudbury and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,655±$39kLowest 74% above U.S.	$236,250±$17kHighest 193% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S.	$988,900±$42kLowest 197% above U.S.
	Rye and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S.	$1,445±$895Lowest about the U.S. average
	Rye and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,519Lowest 141% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.3%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	44.8%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Sudbury and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 9% above U.S.	35 minHighest 31% above U.S.
Work from home	30.9%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sudbury and Rye 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	#2 of 120 in NH	#15 of 282 in MA
School district	Rye School District	Lincoln-Sudbury · Sudbury
High school in town	None in town	Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.3
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.