Compare towns
Sunderland vs Needham vs Whately
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Whately has the oldest population (median age 49.3).
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 | Needham | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,641 |
32,459Highest |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.8% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,100±$52k 19% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,672±$151 5% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,611 6% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 41% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #220 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Sunderland | — | Whately |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.