Compare towns
Sunderland vs Dedham vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sunderland has the most renters (58% rent).
Dedham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Hadley has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Sunderland | Dedham | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,641Lowest |
25,237Highest |
5,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
| Hadley and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Sunderland and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
| Dedham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,100±$52kLowest 19% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,672±$151 5% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,611 6% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 41% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
20 min 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Hadley and Dedham 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 | #220 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sunderland | — | Hadley |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.3 |
| 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.