Jump straight to the section you need, from the waterfront and neighborhoods to the market numbers, Kathleen's take, and the FAQ.
Newburyport
Newburyport is a compact coastal city of 18,289 people at the mouth of the Merrimack River, about 35 miles northeast of Boston and the northern anchor of the Coastal North Shore Kathleen serves. Settled in 1635 within Newbury, it became its own town in 1764 and a city in 1851, and its historic downtown grew up around the harbor, not away from it.
The result is a working waterfront wrapped in brick: Market Square, State Street, and the harborfront hold shops, restaurants, and working boats, and the north end of Plum Island sits within the city limits. Newburyport Station is the northern terminus of the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line, putting Boston about an hour away by rail and keeping the city connected without a car-first downtown.
Working Waterfront
A real maritime downtown on the Merrimack River
Market Square & State Street
Shops, restaurants, and brick downtown streets
Plum Island
The island's north-end beaches within the city limits
Rail Terminus
Newburyport Station, end of the Newburyport/Rockport Line
Newburyport
The numbers that frame the city, in one glance.
| County | Essex County |
|---|---|
| Region | Boston's Coastal North Shore |
| Residents | 18,289 (2020 Census) |
| Distance to Boston | About 35 miles northeast |
| ZIP Code | 01950 |
| Settled | 1635, within Newbury; incorporated 1764 |
| Government | Mayor and City Council |
| Known For | Working waterfront, Market Square, Plum Island's north end |
Newburyport
Daily life in Newburyport is walkable in a way few North Shore towns manage. The downtown and waterfront are the center of gravity: coffee, dinner, the harbor walk, and the farmers market are all on foot, and the rail station is a short drive or reasonable walk from most neighborhoods. In summer the city fills with visitors, and in the off-season it settles back into a tight-knit waterfront town.
The neighborhoods fan out from downtown. The South End holds the classic Federal and Greek Revival houses Newburyport is known for; Joppa, the historic maritime quarter on Plum Island Sound, mixes 18th-century homes with water views; the Plains, on the west side, adds more land and residential streets. The north end of Plum Island offers beach cottages and ocean air within the city limits.
Commuting works: Routes 1 and 95 reach Greater Boston by car, and the commuter rail puts North Station about an hour away. Newburyport also sits minutes from Salisbury Beach and the farm country of Rowley and Newbury, so the city anchors a much larger coastal region. If you are weighing station towns, my commuter rail guide compares every stop on the line.
Newburyport
A few real Newburyport stops, from the waterfront to the downtown, to start from.
Newburyport
Official August 2026 market report data from the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) and MLS PIN for Newburyport, Massachusetts.
13
Closed Sales (August)
19
Pending Sales
$1,100,000
Median Sales Price (August)
$1,040,000
Median Sales Price (YTD)
33
Days on Market (August)
34
Days on Market (YTD)
3.5
Months Supply of Inventory
Thirteen single-family homes closed in Newburyport in August, with 19 pending sales. The August median sales price was $1,100,000 and the year-to-date median was $1,040,000. Homes spent 33 cumulative days on market in August (34 year to date), and inventory stood at 3.5 months of supply.
Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
6
Closed Sales (August)
12
Pending Sales
$670,500
Median Sales Price (August)
$727,500
Median Sales Price (YTD)
42
Days on Market (August)
44
Days on Market (YTD)
1.9
Months Supply of Inventory
Six condominiums closed in August, with 12 pending. The August median was $670,500 and the year-to-date median was $727,500. Condos spent 42 cumulative days on market in August (44 year to date), and months of supply sat at 1.9.
Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
Kathleen's Take on the Newburyport Market
The August single-family median of $1,100,000 sits just above the $1,040,000 year-to-date median, which tells you this market holds its value month to month. Condos tell a similar story: the $727,500 year-to-date median is above August's $670,500, and 1.9 months of supply means well-priced condos move quickly. Be ready to act when the right property appears.
Thirteen closed sales and 19 pending in a single month is a strong pipeline for any North Shore town. At 3.5 months of supply, single-family inventory is balanced enough that pricing and presentation decide the outcome; the condominium side, at 1.9 months, favors a listing that reflects the tight supply without testing the market.
I watch the pending pipeline, 19 single-family and 12 condominium sales in August, because it is the leading indicator for the fall. Days on market of 33 to 44 days across both segments says Newburyport remains a fluid market where a well-priced home does not linger.
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 Newburyport right now.
Newburyport
Newburyport questions people actually ask. Clear answers to the most common questions about living in this waterfront city.
Yes, for most buyers. Newburyport is a compact coastal city of 18,289 people with a walkable waterfront downtown, a working harbor, solid schools through its own district, and the northern terminus of the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line. It is also one of the more expensive markets on the North Shore, so the question is usually budget and timing rather than whether the city is desirable.
Newburyport is known for its clipper ship history, the Federal and Greek Revival architecture of its downtown and South End, Market Square and the waterfront, the working harbor on the Merrimack River, and the city’s north-end stretch of Plum Island. It grew rich on the sea and built the brick downtown that still anchors the city today.
Newburyport is about 35 miles northeast of Boston on Massachusetts’ North Shore. The MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line runs from Newburyport Station to Boston’s North Station in roughly an hour, and Routes 1 and 95 connect the city by car.
Yes. Newburyport Station, about a mile from downtown, is the northern terminus of the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line, with direct commuter rail service to Boston’s North Station.
Newburyport has its own public school district, Newburyport Public Schools, which runs the city’s elementary and middle schools and Newburyport High School.
Explore Newburyport homes for sale through Kathleen Militello, Realtor with eXp Realty, on her website, Essex County Homes for Sale.
Comparing towns? My full guides to Salisbury, Newbury, and Rowley cover the neighboring communities, and the hub page for Coastal Communities links every North Shore town Kathleen serves.
Newburyport
Authoritative first-party sources for Newburyport information. These links go directly to official websites.
Next step
A conversation is the fastest way to see which Newburyport fits you: a Federal house in the South End, a condo near the waterfront, or a cottage on the island side of town. You do not have to decide anything before we talk.
