Compare towns
Fall River vs Gilsum vs Somerset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Somerset has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Fall River | Gilsum | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
716Lowest |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.8±8.1 15% above U.S. |
47±2.2Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Fall River and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$80,417±$7k about the U.S. average |
$112,677±$6kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$241,500±$32kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$418,800±$18kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,575±$894Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,271±$93 10% below U.S. |
| Gilsum and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,579Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,977 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.5%±55.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gilsum and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Somerset and Gilsum 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | — | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Monadnock Regional School District | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.