eXp Realty Kathleen Militello, Realtor® The Militello Team COASTAL HOMES & LIVING

Town notes · 2026-09-25 · 4 min read

Newburyport: The Town Note

Newburyport is the North Shore town that behaves like a small city: a brick downtown that functions every day, a working waterfront, and the Merrimack River running through the middle of it all. I send buyers here when they want coastal life with a real main street attached.

Newburyport marina with the bridge over the Merrimack River in bright daylight

A downtown that actually works

State Street and Market Square are not a tourist set piece; they are the town's daily address, with restaurants, shops, galleries, and a harbor walk that connects it all. On a September evening the waterfront is busy with locals, which tells you more about a town than any brochure.

Walkability is the point. The commuter rail station sits inside the downtown, so a Newburyport address can mean leaving the car at home for most of the week. The Ask Kathleen answer on living in Newburyport covers the practical details.

The river, the island, and the coast

The Merrimack defines the place: the community page maps the neighborhoods, and just across the river, Newbury's Plum Island gives the town a wild beach a short drive from downtown. Kayakers, sailors, and walkers all get their own version of this town.

The honest trade-offs

Newburyport is one of the higher-priced addresses on the North Shore, with recent public data putting the median sale above $1 million in the summer of 2026. Summer and fall weekends draw crowds, and the downtown premium is real.

You pay for the walkability, the waterfront, and the school system, and for the right buyer it is worth every dollar. The commuter rail guide and the choosing a community answer help you weigh it against quieter towns like Newbury or Rowley a few minutes away.

Places I send people

  • Changing Tides Café

    A Pleasant Street cafe with coffee, breakfast, and lunch; the kind of spot that makes a downtown feel like a neighborhood.

  • The Grog

    A Middle Street gathering spot for burgers and a pint by the window; reliably full of locals.

  • Riverside Cafe and Diner

    Classic breakfast diner on Merrimac Street for the mornings you want the full booth experience.

  • Michael's Harborside

    Waterfront dining on Tournament Wharf with harbor views; the summer-perfect splurge.

  • The Coffee Factory

    Bakery and coffee on State Street for a proper walk-around-the-downtown breakfast.

If Newburyport keeps surfacing in your search, come see it on a quiet weekday, then ask me where in town your budget actually lands. That is the conversation I enjoy most.

Kathleen Militello, Realtor

Written by

Kathleen Militello, Realtor®

More than 20 years on Boston's Coastal North Shore with eXp Realty. Read her story.

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