Compare towns
Whately vs Needham vs Sunderland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has the oldest population (median age 49.3).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Sunderland has the most renters (58% rent).
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 | Whately | Needham | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,499Lowest |
32,459Highest |
3,641 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
| Whately and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest 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+ | 47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$458,100±$52k 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,672±$151 5% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,611 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest 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 | 5.4% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 21% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #220 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whately | Needham | Sunderland |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.