Jump straight to the section you need, from the harbor and beaches to the market numbers, Kathleen's take, and the FAQ.
Rockport
Rockport is a coastal town of 6,992 people at the tip of Cape Ann, about 40 miles northeast of Boston. It was set off from Gloucester and incorporated in 1840, and it grew around granite, fishing, and, by the late 19th century, the artists who made the harbor one of the most painted places in America.
The village center hugs the harbor: Bearskin Neck, Motif #1, and Dock Square sit a short walk from Front Beach, with Back Beach and Long Beach on the Atlantic side. Rockport Station is the terminus of the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line, which makes the town the end of the line for both commuters and day-trippers.
Art Colony
Motif #1, Bearskin Neck, and studios by the harbor
Halibut Point
Granite quarries, tide pools, and open Atlantic views
Front & Back Beaches
Sand beaches steps from the village center
End of the Line
Rockport Station, the rail terminus on Cape Ann
Rockport
The numbers that frame the town, in one glance.
| County | Essex County |
|---|---|
| Region | Cape Ann, Boston's Coastal North Shore |
| Residents | 6,992 (2020 Census) |
| Distance to Boston | About 40 miles northeast |
| ZIP Code | 01966 |
| Incorporated | 1840, set off from Gloucester |
| Government | Open Town Meeting, Select Board |
| Known For | Bearskin Neck, Motif #1, granite history and art |
Rockport
Rockport's year is two seasons: the summer crush and the quiet that surrounds it. From June through September the center is full of visitors, but the town is a real community the rest of the year, with the Pigeon Cove and downtown neighborhoods, the working pier, and the beaches keeping it a working seaside town rather than a theme park.
The town's pockets each have a character: the downtown and Bearskin Neck for village living, Pigeon Cove on the north side, the neighborhoods around Long Beach and Cape Hedge, and the hill streets that hold views over the harbor and the open Atlantic. Rockport's schools run from elementary through high school in town.
The commute is the trade-off: about 40 miles to Boston, with the rail terminus at Rockport Station putting North Station roughly an hour and a quarter away. For a closer read on the commute, my commuter rail guide compares every station town on the line, and my Cape Ann insight covers Gloucester, Essex, and the region around Rockport.
Rockport
A few real Rockport stops, from the harbor to the beaches, to start from.
Rockport
Official August 2026 market report data from the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) and MLS PIN for Rockport, Massachusetts.
5
Closed Sales (August)
6
Pending Sales
$875,000
Median Sales Price (August)
$950,000
Median Sales Price (YTD)
143
Days on Market (August)
61
Days on Market (YTD)
5.1
Months Supply of Inventory
Five single-family homes closed in Rockport in August, with 6 pending. The August median sales price was $875,000 and the year-to-date median was $950,000. Homes spent 143 cumulative days on market in August, far above the 61-year-to-date figure, and inventory stood at 5.1 months of supply.
Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
6
Closed Sales (August)
5
Pending Sales
$567,500
Median Sales Price (August)
$587,500
Median Sales Price (YTD)
39
Days on Market (August)
49
Days on Market (YTD)
3.1
Months Supply of Inventory
Six condominiums closed in August, with 5 pending. The August median was $567,500 and the year-to-date median was $587,500. Condos spent 39 cumulative days on market in August (49 year to date), and months of supply sat at 3.1.
Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
Kathleen's Take on the Rockport Market
Rockport's August medians, $875,000 for single-family and $567,500 for condos, sit below the year-to-date figures, which is typical of a town where the strongest sales cluster earlier in the year. The 143 days on market in August, against 61 year to date, is the small-sample warning in action: a few slower-to-sell homes can distort a single month.
Five closed sales and 6 pending in August, with 5.1 months of supply, makes Rockport a slower, more seasonal market than the busier towns to the south. Pricing precision and condition matter more here: homes that fit what Rockport buyers actually want sell, and marginal ones can sit visibly longer.
I watch the year-to-date medians, $950,000 for single-family and $587,500 for condos, because they smooth out the monthly swing. Condo supply at 3.1 months is tighter than the 5.1 on the single-family side, and pending sales of 6 and 5 tell me the market is moving, just at its own Cape Ann pace.
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 Rockport right now.
Rockport
Rockport questions people actually ask. Clear answers to the most common questions about living in this Cape Ann harbor town.
Yes, for the right buyer. Rockport is a small coastal town of 6,992 people at the tip of Cape Ann with two swimming beaches by the village center, a strong local school system, and a community that lives with, not despite, its summer visitors. Winters are quiet and the town is genuinely small, so buyers should picture a full year here, not just a summer day.
Rockport is known for Bearskin Neck and the harbor village, Motif #1, reputedly the most painted building in America, the granite quarries and tide pools of Halibut Point, and a long art colony tradition. It is one of the most photographed spots in New England and a working town behind the postcards.
Rockport is about 40 miles northeast of Boston at the tip of Cape Ann. Rockport Station is the terminus of the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line, with service to Boston's North Station in roughly an hour and a quarter.
Rockport's swimming beaches include Front Beach, steps from the village center, and Back Beach on the Atlantic side, with Long Beach, Pebble Beach, and Cape Hedge Beach nearby. Front and Back are the town's main swimming beaches; the others are smaller, quieter pockets.
Rockport runs its own district, Rockport Public Schools, with elementary, middle, and high schools in town.
Explore Rockport homes for sale through Kathleen Militello, Realtor with eXp Realty, on her website, Essex County Homes for Sale.
Comparing towns? My full guides to Gloucester, Essex, and Manchester-by-the-Sea cover the neighboring communities, and the hub page for Coastal Communities links every North Shore town Kathleen serves.
Rockport
Authoritative first-party sources for Rockport information. These links go directly to official websites.
Next step
A conversation is the fastest way to see which Rockport fits you: a cottage near the beaches, a village home off Dock Square, or a house with a harbor view. You do not have to decide anything before we talk.
