Compare towns
Surry vs Fall River vs Gilsum
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Surry | Fall River | Gilsum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,052 |
94,082Highest |
716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.8±8.1Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Gilsum and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Surry and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry 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 | $110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$80,417±$7k about the U.S. average |
| Surry and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $331,400±$23k about the U.S. average |
$395,500±$11kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$241,500±$32kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,575±$894 11% above U.S. |
| Surry and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,579 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.5%±55.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gilsum and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Surry 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 | — |
| School district | — | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.