Compare towns
Sunderland vs Sutton 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Sutton | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,641Lowest |
9,452Highest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
| Sutton 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton 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% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,100±$52kLowest 19% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
| Sutton 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 |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% 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 | $5,611 6% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Sutton 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% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 41% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Ayer 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sunderland | Sutton | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.