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Gilsum, NH

Community Contact Town of Gilsum
Robin L. Cantara, Town Clerk/Tax Collector
650 Route 10, PO Box 67
Gilsum, NH 03448
 
Telephone (603) 357-0320
Fax (603) 352-0845
E-mail not available
Web Site www.keenenh.com/gilsum
 
Municipal Office Hours Town Clerk: Tuesday, 6 pm - 8 pm, and Wednesday, 8 am - 12 noon; Tax Collector: Thursday, 8 am - 12 noon
 
County Cheshire
Labor Market Area Keene NH Micro-NECTA
Tourism Region Monadnock
Planning Commission Southwest Region
Regional Development Monadnock Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts  
US Congress
 District 2
Executive Council
 District 2
State Senate
 District 8
State Representative
 Cheshire County District 1
Incorporated: 1763
 
Origin: First granted by the New Hampshire proprietors in 1752, the town was given the name Boyle, after Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington and a distinguished architect. No claims were settled within the prescribed time because of danger from Indian attacks. A new charter was issued in 1763 to Benjamin Sumner, who surveyed the area and established a settlement along with several relatives from Connecticut. One of those settlers was Captain Samuel Gilbert, who became the first moderator. The name Gilsum was adopted in their honor. Gilsum's Lower Village is the site of the much-photographed Stone Arch over the Ashuelot River.
 
Villages and Place Names: Lower Village, Roundys Corner
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 298 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Gilsum totaled 201 over 50 years, from 578 in 1950 to 779 in 2000. The largest decennial percent increase was a 17 percent increase between 1990 and 2000, accounting for over half of the total 50-year numeric increase. The 2008 Census estimate for Gilsum was 809 residents, which ranked 198th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
 
Population Density, 2008: 48.6 persons per square mile of land area. Gilsum contains 16.7 square miles of land area and 0.02 square miles of inland water area.
 
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2009 $515,624
Budget: School Appropriations, not available
Zoning Ordinance 1956/06
Master Plan 2001
Capital Improvement Plan No
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectmen; Budget; Trust Funds; Cemetary; Library; Checklist
Appointed:
 Planning; Zoning; Recreation; Conservation

Public Library Gilsum Public

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Cheshire County Sheriff & part-time
Fire Department Volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene 8 miles 146
     
     

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Private wells

Sanitation Private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant No
Solid Waste Disposal  
Curbside Trash Pickup
 none
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
 Yes
Recycling
 Voluntary

Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Limited
Cable Television Access Limited
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 Limited
Residential
 Limited

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2008 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $26.28
2008 Equalization Ratio 84.1
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $22.16

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 91.4%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 4.5%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 4.1%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 367
   
2008 Single-Family Units 317
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 1
2008 Multi-Family Units 20
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 30
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 809 77,170
2000 779 73,993
1990 667 70,223
1980 652 62,116
1970 570 52,364

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 385
Female
 392

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 35
Age 5 to 19
 153
Age 20 to 34
 118
Age 35 to 54
 302
Age 55 to 64
 85
Age 65 and over
 84
Median Age
 41 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 82.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 18.8%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $20,956
Median 4-person family income $50,469
Median household income $43,359

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $35,150
Female
 $24,205

Families below the poverty level 1.9%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
 418 430
Employed
 401 416
Unemployed
 17 14
Unemployment Rate
 4.1% 3.3%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries    
Average Employment
 69 64
Average Weekly Wage
 $537 $662
     
Service Providing Industries    
Average Employment
 44 46
Average Weekly Wage
 $410 $489
     
Total Private Industry    
Average Employment
 112 110
Average Weekly Wage
 $487 $589
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)    
Average Employment
 22 25
Average Weekly Wage
 $552 $740
     
Total, Private plus Government    
Average Employment
 135 134
Average Weekly Wage
 $498 $617
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES (NH Dept. of Education)
Schools students attend: Grades K-12 are part of Monadnock Regional Cooperative (Fitzwilliam, Gilsum, Richmond, Roxbury, Sullivan, Surry, Swanzey, Troy) District: SAU 38
Career Technology Center(s): Cheshire Center of Applied Science, Keene; Fall Mountain High School, Langdon Region: 13
 
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
 2      
Grade Levels
 K 3-6      
Total Enrollment
 54      
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 0 Total Capacity: 0
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; Antioch New England; New England

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
W.S. Badger Co., Inc. Hand lotion, balm 15+ 1996
RJ Sports Fabricated textile products 10+ 1985
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes  
  State Routes 10
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91 (VT), Exit 3 or 5
         Distance 25 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Dillant-Hopkins, Keene
Runway
 6,201 ft. asphalt
Lighted?
 Yes  Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 54 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 1

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 64 miles
Portland, ME
 153 miles
Boston, MA
 102 miles
New York City, NY
 229 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 235 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 83.2%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 11.5%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 2.6%
Other Means
 1.0%
Worked at home
 1.8%
Mean Travel Time to Work 26 minutes
   
Percent of Working Residents:  
Working in community of residence
 14%
Commuting to another NH community
 79%
Commuting out-of-state
 8%
   
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
  YMCA/YWCA
  Boys Club/Girls Club
  Golf Courses
  Swimming: Indoor Facility
  Swimming: Outdoor Facility
  Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
  Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
  Bowling Facilities
  Museums
  Cinemas
  Performing Arts Facilities
  Tourists Attractions
  Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
  Youth Sports: Football
  Youth Sports: Basketball
  Youth Sports: Hockey
  Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
  Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
  Bicycle Trails
  Cross Country Skiing
  Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
  Overnight or Day Camps
   
  Nearest Ski Area(s): Stratton
   
  Other: Gilsum Rock Swap; Old Home Day; Natural Bear Dens

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2009. Community Response Received 10/05/09

All information regarding the communities is from sources deemed reliable and is submitted subject to errors, omissions, modifications, and withdrawals without notice. No warranty or representation is made as to the accuracy of the information contained herein. Specific questions regarding individual cities and towns should be directed to the community contact.