Sunderland is home to Mount Toby State Forest, a favorite hiking, biking and trail-riding spot. The Connecticut River provides the town's border to the west. The college town of Amherst is the town's most populous near neighbor and is in large part responsible for the high number of rental units in the town. Statistics indicate that Sunderland has the highest number of rental units per capita, outside of the City of Boston, than any other municipality in Massachusetts. Three large apartment complexes have provided housing for a somewhat transient population-primarily students and staff from the University of Massachusetts.

In the last several years, young families from urban communities to the south have been moving to these apartment complexes, diversifying the community and requiring new services from the school and town government. One of the first towns in the region to construct a new elementary school, the community is proud of this beautiful building that has received architectural awards and favorable comments.

Sunderland Mass is located in West central Massachusetts, bordered by Montague on the north, Leverett on the east, Amherst on the south-east, and Hadley on the south. The Connecticut River forms the western border of the town, separating it from Whately and Deerfield. Sunderland is 8 miles north of Amherst, 85 miles west of Boston.