Compare towns
Sunderland vs Sutton vs Upton 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).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Hadley has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
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 | Upton | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,641Lowest |
9,452Highest |
8,189 |
5,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
| Upton and Hadley 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Upton 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton 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 |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
| Upton and Sutton 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±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
| Sunderland and Hadley 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 |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Upton 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 41% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
20 min 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sunderland | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hadley |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
11.2 |
7.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.