Compare towns
Sunderland vs Hadley vs Ayer
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).
Hadley has the highest household income ($119k).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Hadley | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,641Lowest |
5,306 |
8,645Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
| Hadley and Ayer 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% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Sunderland 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% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
| Hadley and Ayer 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 |
$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
| Hadley and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,672±$151Highest 5% below MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,415±$180 20% below MA |
| Sunderland and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,611Highest 6% below MA |
$5,271 12% below MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 41% below MA |
20 min 33% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Hadley 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sunderland | Hadley | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hopkins Academy | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.