Massachusetts city guide
Moving From California to Newburyport, MA
A restored seaport downtown on the Merrimack River, about 40 miles north of Boston with direct commuter rail, popular with out-of-state buyers and priced accordingly.
Housing comparison
California versus Newburyport, side by side
- Median home value
- $725,800
- not available
- Median annual property tax
- $5,114
- not available
- Median monthly cost, owners with a mortgage
- $2,844
- not available
- Population
- 39.0 million (state)
- 18,652
Figures are US Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-Year Estimates for the city place. Property tax and monthly cost rows cover owner-occupied units with a mortgage, so they describe what current owners pay, not what a new buyer would pay at today's prices. California column is the statewide baseline used across this site.
Why Californians look at Newburyport
Newburyport is a small coastal city at the mouth of the Merrimack River, about 40 miles north of Boston, built around a genuinely restored 19th-century downtown of brick storefronts, a working waterfront boardwalk, and a dense concentration of restaurants and shops for a city its size.
It has become one of the most sought-after small towns in eastern Massachusetts, driven by MBTA commuter rail access into Boston's North Station, coastal proximity, and a downtown that photographs well and functions as a genuine walkable town center rather than a preserved facade.
That desirability shows up directly in price. This is one of the more expensive small cities on the Massachusetts coast, and California buyers should expect a market that behaves more like a competitive coastal California town than a bargain New England relocation.
Newburyport fits you if
- You want a walkable, restored downtown with real retail, restaurants, and a working harbor.
- You want commuter rail into Boston rather than a highway-only commute.
- You are comfortable paying a premium for a small, desirable coastal community.
- You want beaches and salt marsh at Plum Island and the Parker River refuge nearby.
Look elsewhere if
- You are looking for a bargain. Newburyport carries some of the highest home prices in the region relative to its size.
- You want a large, diverse local job market. Most residents commute out for work.
- You dislike winter nor'easters and coastal storm exposure.
- You want significant new construction or large lots. The city is small and largely built out.
Housing in Newburyport
Newburyport's housing stock is dominated by restored Federal and Victorian-era homes near downtown, with newer subdivisions on the outskirts toward Newbury and West Newbury. Population is 18,652 across a compact 8.4 square miles, and the built-out footprint limits new supply.
Demand from Boston-area buyers and out-of-state relocations, drawn by the commuter rail and the downtown, has pushed prices well above the statewide Massachusetts median in most recent years, and competitive, multiple-offer situations are common for well-located listings.
Property tax rates are set locally each year, and buyers should budget for Massachusetts-level assessments on a home priced at the top end of the regional market.
Work and the local economy
Newburyport itself is largely a bedroom community and tourism destination rather than a jobs center, with retail, restaurants, and hospitality tied to the downtown and waterfront forming the core of local employment.
Most working residents commute to Boston, to the Route 128 technology corridor, or to nearby Massachusetts and New Hampshire employment centers, using the MBTA commuter rail or Interstate 95.
This is a place people move to because of quality of life and commute access, not because of a deep local labor market, so portable income or a Boston-area job is the practical foundation for living here.
Climate and setting
Newburyport sits directly on the Massachusetts coast at the mouth of the Merrimack River, which moderates temperatures somewhat compared to inland towns but also exposes the city to coastal storms and nor'easters, particularly in winter.
Summers are pleasant and often cooler near the water than a few miles inland, drawing visitors to Plum Island's beaches, while winters bring damp cold, occasional coastal flooding in storm surge events, and real snow.
Homeowners near the water should expect to budget for flood insurance considerations and storm-related maintenance that are simply part of owning coastal New England property.
Getting around, care, and schools
- Commercial air
- Boston Logan International, about 40 miles south, is the practical airport for most trips.
- Highways
- Interstate 95 runs just west of the city, connecting south to Boston and north into New Hampshire.
- Hospital
- Anna Jaques Hospital, the local community hospital, part of the Beth Israel Lahey Health system.
- Public schools
- Newburyport Public Schools.
- Rail to Boston
- MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line commuter rail connects directly to Boston North Station.
- Setting
- Coastal, at the mouth of the Merrimack River, adjacent to Plum Island.
The trade-offs
- Prices are high for a small New England city, closer to a competitive coastal market than a bargain relocation.
- Local jobs are limited; most residents commute for work.
- Coastal storm exposure, including nor'easters and occasional flooding, is a real and recurring factor.
- The built-out footprint means limited new construction and a small overall inventory of listings at any time.
Other Massachusetts towns people compare
Worcester
The state's second largest city, an hour west of Boston by highway or commuter rail, with a growing hospital and biotech sector and prices well under the eastern Massachusetts market.
Northampton
A Pioneer Valley college city built around Smith College, walkable and culturally active, well west of Boston and priced far below the eastern part of the state.
Quincy
A dense city on Boston's southern edge with its own MBTA Red Line stations, offering Boston access at a discount to the city itself, still a real premium by national standards.
Plymouth
A large, spread-out coastal town best known for Plymouth Rock, offering bigger lots and lower prices than towns closer to Boston at the cost of a long commute.
Amherst
Home to UMass Amherst and Amherst College, a Five College town with a stable rental market and a rural western Massachusetts setting, well removed from Boston.
Statewide figures, tax detail, and the full Massachusetts picture are on the Massachusetts page. Compare property, income, and sales tax across all 49 destination states on Taxes, and see where Californians are actually moving on Stats.
Sources
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-Year Estimates, table B25077 (median home value), retrieved via Census Reporter, September 3, 2026.
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024 5-Year Estimates, table B25103 (median real estate taxes paid, owner-occupied units with a mortgage), retrieved September 3, 2026.
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024 5-Year Estimates, table B25088 (median selected monthly owner costs, owner-occupied units with a mortgage), retrieved September 3, 2026.
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024 5-Year Estimates, table B01003 (total population), retrieved September 3, 2026.
- Census Reporter, Newburyport, MA profile, censusreporter.org.
- MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line schedule information, mbta.com.
See what your California equity buys in Newburyport
Four short questions. We match you with one local agent and apply a closing cost credit funded from our referral fee.
Start your Newburyport move
Four short questions. We use them to decide which agent fits your move, and to build your equity report.