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Newbury
Newbury is a coastal town of about 6,716 residents in Essex County, roughly 33 miles north of Boston on the northern edge of the North Shore. It is one of the oldest towns in New England, settled in 1635, and today it is organized around three villages, each with its own character: Old Town and Newbury Center, rural Byfield, and Plum Island, the 11-mile barrier island Newbury shares with Newburyport.
What Newbury gives up in downtown bustle it returns in open space and light. The Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in New England, laps at the town's edges; Parker River National Wildlife Refuge protects the wild southern three-quarters of Plum Island; and the c. 1678 Coffin House and the c. 1690 Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm make the town's 17th-century past a daily part of the landscape. Newburyport, with its shops, restaurants, waterfront, and commuter rail station, sits minutes north.
The result is a town that is hard to sum up in one phrase: part colonial village, part beach community, part marsh-and-farm quiet. Buyers tend to find a Newbury that fits a particular life, the historic green, the island cottage, the Byfield farmhouse, and that fit is usually the deciding factor. It is not for everyone, and that is exactly why it works for the people who land here.
Plum Island
An 11-mile barrier island shared with Newburyport
The Great Marsh
New England's largest salt marsh at the town's edge
First Period Houses
The Coffin House, the Short House, and Old Newbury
Rail Minutes Away
Newburyport and Rowley stations on the Newburyport line
Newbury
The numbers that frame the town, in one glance.
| County | Essex County |
|---|---|
| Region | Boston's Coastal North Shore |
| Residents | Approximately 6,716 (2020 Census) |
| Distance to Boston | About 33 miles north |
| ZIP Codes | 01951 (Newbury), 01922 (Byfield) |
| Settled | 1635 |
| Government | Open Town Meeting, Select Board |
| Known For | Plum Island, the Great Marsh, Parker River NWR |
Newbury
Daily life in Newbury follows the villages. Old Town and Newbury Center, around the 17th-century green at High Road and School Street, hold town offices, the elementary school, and enough history to fill a museum, which is part of the point. Byfield, on the Parker River, feels like a separate town with its own ZIP code, anchored by The Governor's Academy and the Triton regional school campus. Plum Island is the summer side: ocean air, beach days, and a small commercial cluster at the turnpike that comes alive in warm weather.
Amenities are a short drive rather than a walk. Newburyport's downtown, waterfront, and restaurants are minutes north on Route 1, and the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line picks up at Newburyport and Rowley stations. Many Newbury routines, the grocery run, dinner out, the train to Boston, actually happen at the town's edges, which keeps Newbury itself remarkably quiet.
The year has a rhythm tied to the island and the marsh. Summer brings beach traffic and visitor crowds to Plum Island, and the refuge and marsh fill with birds and paddlers. Coastal storms and high tides are part of island and marsh-edge life, and flood-zone rules, insurance, and the single access road on and off Plum Island are honest parts of the buying conversation, not surprises to discover later.
Commuting is workable: Routes 1 and 95 connect to Greater Boston, and the commuter rail stations at Newburyport and Rowley put Boston's North Station about an hour away. If this quieter, more open version of the coast sounds right, my answer on living in Newburyport covers the city at Newbury's door, and the commuter rail guide compares every station town on the line.
Newbury
Newbury is really three towns in one: a colonial village, a rural interior, and a barrier island. The areas feel genuinely different, and which one you land in will shape your Newbury more than almost anything else. It is the first thing I ask about in a conversation about living here.
The original 1635 settlement around the upper green at High Road and School Street. The Newbury Historic District wraps the green with 17th-century First Period houses, the Short House, town offices, and Newbury Elementary School. It is the quiet, deeply historic heart of town and where the town's story is easiest to read.
The western village on the Parker River, home of The Governor's Academy, founded in 1763, and the Triton Regional middle and high school campus. Older farmhouses, suburban streets, and open fields mix here, and 'Byfield' is itself a ZIP code, 01922. It is the most inland, residential side of Newbury.
An 11-mile barrier island split between Newbury and Newburyport, facing the open Atlantic. The Newbury side runs from the small commercial cluster at the Plum Island Turnpike and the year-round homes of Northern Boulevard south into the wild, undeveloped three-quarters of the island inside Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Coastal cottages, raised newer homes, and ocean views all live on the island.
Low-lying coastal neighborhoods along Newman and Pine Island roads, where homes face the Great Marsh, the Parker River, and Plum Island Sound. Marsh views and open water are the draw; tidal flooding and flood-zone rules are part of the honest conversation on any property this close to the marsh.
Farmsteads and historic stone-and-wood houses along High Road and Route 1A, including the c. 1690 Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm on the Merrimack shore of town. This is the quietest, least coastal Newbury: bigger lots, barns, fields, and the rural feel of the original settlement.
Newbury
Newbury's waterfront is the island and the marsh: the developed beach along Plum Island's Northern Boulevard, miles of undeveloped refuge shore to the south, and the Great Marsh behind it all. Access rules vary by lot and season, so confirm current rules with the Town of Newbury and the Parker River refuge before you go.
The beach for most Newbury days, and it is two beaches in one: the developed stretch along Northern Boulevard with town-managed parking, and miles of dune-backed sand to the south inside the refuge. Newbury's town lots run on resident beach permits in summer, issued by the Town of Newbury parking clerk, so non-residents should plan around the refuge day pass or Newburyport's north-end lots.
The wild side of Plum Island: several miles of undeveloped ocean beach inside a 4,662-acre national wildlife refuge established in 1942. A day-use pass of about $5 per vehicle covers the beach and trails, walk-ins and bicycles are free, and there are no lifeguards. Shorebird nesting closes some sections in season, so check the Parker River NWR visit information before heading out.
The largest salt marsh in New England runs from Cape Ann to the New Hampshire border, and Newbury sits at its northern heart, within the Great Marsh Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The marsh is the town's great open space: tidewater creeks, mudflats, and marsh grass under big sky. The best views over it are from Old Town Hill and along Newman Road.
Newbury's riverine waterfront: the Parker River crosses the town from Byfield to the marsh, joined by the Little River at its edges. The Newbury Town Landing off Route 1A, just north of the Parker River bridge, offers a resident-permitted boat ramp for kayak and small-boat put-ins, and the low riverbanks flood widely during big storms.
The calm water between the island and the mainland, where the Parker River meets Plum Island Sound. Paddlers find miles of protected creeks and thoroughfares through the marsh, with herons, egrets, and osprey the usual company. It is the quietest way to see the marsh from the water, within the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.
Important: Beach Access Varies
Plum Island beach parking is not one system. Newbury's town lots along Northern Boulevard and at the Plum Island Center run on resident beach permits in summer, issued by the town parking clerk. The refuge beach south of the developed end takes a day-use pass of about $5 per vehicle, with walk-ins and bicycles free. There are no lifeguards on the refuge beach, and piping plover closures can close sections in season. Verify today's rules on the Town of Newbury site and the refuge visit page before visiting.
Newbury
A remarkable share of Newbury is open space: the federal refuge, the Trustees' hilltop preserve, the ACEC-designated marsh, and the riverbanks in between. Between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Trustees, and the town, you are never far from a trailhead or a marsh view.
A 4,662-acre federal refuge on the southern three-quarters of Plum Island, established in 1942 and one of the top birding destinations in Massachusetts on the Atlantic Flyway. The Parker River NWR preserves miles of dune-backed beach, bog, swamp, and salt marsh with trails and boardwalks open sunrise to sunset. Visit the refuge to check current passes, hours, and shorebird closures.
The Trustees' 531-acre preserve on a 168-foot coastal hill off Newman Road, with a three-mile trail network over open fields and through woodlands to a summit with sweeping views of the Great Marsh, the Parker River, Plum Island Sound, and the Isles of Shoals to the northeast. One of the great short hikes on the North Shore.
Designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and an Important Bird Area, the Great Marsh is the largest salt marsh in New England, spanning about 25,000 acres from Cape Ann to New Hampshire with Newbury at its center. The refuge and the Trustees are among its major owners, which keeps the horizon open and the wildlife close.
A public boat launch off Route 1A just north of the Parker River crossing, with parking restricted to permit holders. The ramp puts kayaks and small boats on the river toward the marsh, and the riverbanks themselves are some of the best places in town to watch the tide move.
Beach walking, swimming on the refuge shore, and dune trails are year-round recreation on the island. Summer brings shorebird and plover restrictions in places, and the north-end developed beach has its own parking rules, but the island remains the reason most people find Newbury. See The Trustees on the coast for the conservation side of the island.
Newbury
Newbury's history is not in a museum, it is on the street: First Period houses around the green, a stone manor on the river, and a 1763 school campus. Walking Old Town is walking through the 17th century with four centuries of additions.
Newbury was settled in 1635 by Massachusetts Bay colonists and is one of the oldest towns in New England. For more than a century it included today's Newburyport: in 1764 the merchants, shipbuilders, and sea captains at the mouth of the Merrimack split off to incorporate Newburyport, and Newbury remained the quieter rural neighbor it is today.
A First Period house built around 1678 by Tristram Coffin Jr., occupied by six generations of the same Coffin line until 1929, and now the Coffin House, Historic New England's property at 14 High Road with seasonal tours. Dendrochronology dates its earliest wing to 1678, making it one of the most authentically preserved 17th-century houses in the country.
A rare c. 1690 stone manor house on a 230-acre site beside the Merrimack River and Plum Island Sound, a National Historic Landmark since 1968 and now Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Historic New England's farm property. It served as the country seat of wealthy Newburyport merchants and later as a working farm, and its grounds and stone manor are open to visitors.
Founded in Byfield in 1763 by bequest of Lieutenant Governor William Dummer, The Governor's Academy is the oldest continuously operating boarding school in the United States. Its 456-acre campus includes the original Little Red Schoolhouse, and Samuel Adams and John Hancock signed its 1782 incorporation charter.
The c. 1715-1725 Short House at 39 High Road is one of Newbury's most celebrated and most-published domestic buildings and the anchor of the Newbury Historic District. The Historical Society of Old Newbury documents and preserves the town's houses, grounds, and stories, and historic-house tours run seasonally with Historic New England.
Newbury
Newbury keeps its fun authentic: the island and the refuge, the marsh view, the old houses, and the small cluster of local stops on the way to Plum Island. Restaurants and seasonal businesses change over time, so confirm a place is currently operating before visiting. Links go to official websites.
A full day on the island: beach walk in the morning, refuge trails and boardwalks at midday, marsh light in the afternoon. Bring a day-use pass for the car, and check shorebird closures before you go.
Hike the Trustees' three-mile network to the summit view over the Great Marsh, Parker River, and Plum Island Sound. The short climb rewards with one of the best panoramas on the North Shore.
A Plum Island institution at 51 Northern Boulevard: coffee, baked goods, and island breakfasts a short walk from the beach. The morning hub of the island.
Lobster rolls, seafood, and ice cream at 49 Plum Island Turnpike, the classic stop on the way to the island. Takeout-friendly and loved by locals.
A neighborhood bar at 4 Old Point Road at the island turnout, known for being on the water with a loyal local crowd. A proper Plum Island sunset stop.
Casual food and drinks at 23 Plum Island Turnpike, between the turnpike and the island. Easy, dependable, and close to everything.
Two grab-and-go stops at 29 Plum Island Turnpike: Pizza Factory Plum Island for pies and slices, and Plum Island Provisions next door for deli sandwiches and island staples. Pick up lunch for the beach.
The Coffin House and Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm are the region's great surviving 17th-century houses, with seasonal tours and grounds open to the public. Historic New England and the Historical Society of Old Newbury run connected tours through the old settlement.
Newbury
Official August 2026 market report data from the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) and MLS PIN for Newbury, Massachusetts.
18
Homes For Sale (Aug 2025: 25)
$1,485,000
Median Sales Price (Sold)
39
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale
2
Closed Sales (August)
5
Pending Sales
2.6
Months Supply of Inventory
Eighteen single-family homes were on the market in August, down from 25 a year earlier. The median sold price was $1,485,000 for the month, up from $950,000 in August 2025, while the year-to-date median runs $920,000. Two homes closed in August, with 5 pending. Homes took about 39 cumulative days from listing to sale, and inventory sat at 2.6 months of supply.
Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
7
Homes For Sale
$985,000
Median Sales Price (Sold)
84
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale
1
Closed Sales (August)
7.0
Months Supply of Inventory
Seven condominiums were on the market in August. The median sold price was $985,000, down from $1,042,500 in August 2025. One condo closed in August, condos averaged 84 cumulative days on market, and inventory sat at 7.0 months of supply.
Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
Kathleen's Take on the Newbury Market
In a town the size of Newbury, one month never tells the whole story. August's single-family median of $1,485,000 looks dramatic next to $950,000 a year earlier, but it sits on just two closed sales, so a small number of high-end closings carried the number. The $920,000 year-to-date median is the steadier read on what the market actually is, and the one I would anchor to.
Eighteen single-family homes on the market, 2 closed sales and 5 pending in August: the buyer pool here is real but thin, and one or two transactions can move the month. Monthly medians in a small town swing with the mix of homes that close, which is exactly what the report's caution about small sample sizes is describing. Pricing precision and presentation matter more here than they do in a busier market.
I watch the $920,000 year-to-date single-family median, because it smooths out the high-end closings that pushed August to $1,485,000. Pending sales at 5 say the pipeline is moving, and 2.6 months of supply keeps the single-family side balanced. I read direction over a single print, and that is what I track month to month.
Thinking about making a move on the North Shore? Ask Kathleen, or book a call, and she will walk you through what is happening in Newbury right now.
Newbury
Newbury carries real coastal flood exposure, and it is concentrated in the most desirable places. Much of Plum Island is a developed barrier beach facing the open Atlantic, and most island properties sit in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas, some in high-hazard VE (velocity) zones that carry the strictest construction standards in the state's building code. The Plum Island Turnpike is the only road on and off the island, so a big storm can flood or cut access entirely.
Away from the island, the low-lying edges of the Parker and Little Rivers and the marsh-side roads like Newman and Pine Island flood widely during storms, and sea-level rise is pushing tidal flooding farther up those roads over time. Buyers financing a home in a Special Flood Hazard Area will typically need flood insurance, and its cost can be significant in the highest zones. Flood risk here is property-specific, depending on elevation, exact map designation, and distance from the water, so a beautiful marsh view and a dry foundation are two separate questions.
This information is educational, not legal or insurance advice. Consult qualified professionals and review the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for property-specific flood information. For a deeper look, see our North Shore flood zones buyer's guide.
Newbury
After more than two decades helping North Shore buyers and sellers, here's what I know about living in Newbury.
Kathleen Militello, Realtor with eXp Realty serving Newbury, Massachusetts
"Newbury keeps its promises quietly. The green in Old Town is four centuries old and still the center of town, the island is a genuine beach community, not a resort, and the Great Marsh keeps the horizon open no matter which way you look. It is not the town for everyone, and that is its gift: people who choose Newbury tend to know precisely why."
Kathleen Militello
Realtor, eXp Realty · Licensed Since 2003
AI Certified Agent™ · Negotiation Specialist
500+
Transactions
1635
Settled: One of New England's Oldest Towns
11 mi
Of Barrier Island at Plum Island
Newbury
Newbury questions people actually ask. Clear answers to the most common questions about living in this island-and-marsh town.
Yes, for the right buyer. Newbury is a quiet coastal town of about 6,716 residents made up of three distinct villages: old Newbury Center around the 17th-century green, rural Byfield, and Plum Island, an 11-mile barrier island split with Newburyport. It sits beside the Great Marsh and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, with no station of its own but the Newburyport and Rowley commuter rail stops minutes away. It trades downtown bustle for marsh light, open space, and the beach.
Newbury is known for Plum Island, the 11-mile barrier island it shares with Newburyport; Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, one of the top birding destinations in Massachusetts; the Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in New England; and some of America's oldest houses, including the c. 1678 Coffin House and the c. 1690 Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm. It is also the parent town that Newburyport split from in 1764.
Newbury is about 33 miles north of Boston on Massachusetts' North Shore in Essex County, at the northern end of the coastal towns Kathleen serves. Routes 1 and 95 connect the town to Greater Boston by car, and the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line has stations at Newburyport and Rowley, minutes from either side of town.
No. Newbury has no MBTA station of its own. The closest stops on the Newburyport/Rockport Line are Newburyport Station, at the north end of Route 1, and Rowley Station, on the town's western edge, so residents drive a few minutes to either one for direct service to Boston's North Station.
Yes. Plum Island, shared with Newburyport, is the beach here. On the Newbury side, the developed stretch along Northern Boulevard has year-round homes and town-managed beach parking, while the undeveloped southern three-quarters of the island sits inside Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, with miles of dune-backed beach reached by a day-use pass. There are no lifeguards on the refuge beach, and shorebird closures can close sections seasonally.
It depends on the lot. Newbury's town parking along Northern Boulevard and at the Plum Island Center lot runs on resident beach permits in summer, issued by the town's parking clerk. The refuge beach south of the developed end requires a day-use pass, around $5 per vehicle, with walk-ins and bicycles free. Newburyport's north-end lots use a pay app. Always confirm current rules with the Town of Newbury and the refuge before you go.
Newbury housing spans four centuries and three very different settings: First Period and historic houses around the green in Old Town, older homes and newer subdivisions in rural Byfield, coastal cottages and year-round houses on Plum Island's Northern Boulevard, and marsh-edge and riverfront properties along Newman and Pine Island roads. The historic and coastal pockets carry the town's highest values.
Much of Plum Island sits in FEMA-designated coastal flood zones, including high-hazard VE (velocity) zones with the strictest construction standards, and the Plum Island Turnpike is the only road on and off the island, so storms can flood access. Buyers financing a home in a Special Flood Hazard Area will typically need flood insurance. Flood risk is property-specific, so review the official FEMA flood maps for the exact lot before making an offer.
Newbury is part of the Triton Regional School District, which also serves Rowley and Salisbury. Newbury Elementary School is in town, and Triton Regional Middle School and Triton Regional High School share a campus in Byfield, a village of Newbury.
Explore Newbury homes for sale through Kathleen Militello, Realtor with eXp Realty, on her website, Essex County Homes for Sale.
Comparing towns? My full guides to Ipswich, Gloucester, Essex, and Beverly cover the neighboring communities, and the hub page for Coastal Communities links every North Shore town Kathleen serves.
Newbury
Authoritative first-party sources for Newbury information. These links go directly to official websites.
Next step
A conversation is the fastest way to see which Newbury fits you: a First Period house around the green, a farmhouse in Byfield, or a cottage on Plum Island. You do not have to decide anything before we talk.
