Beverly

The historic city of Beverly is located approximately 25 miles north of Boston on the North Shore. First occupied by colonial settlers in 1626, Beverly was incorporated as a city in 1894. Beverly’s coastline is over 8 miles long and connects many of its parks, beaches, and miles of trails. This charming, seaside community consists of several distinct neighborhoods, as well as a good number of churches of different denominations. Downtown Beverly is, by far, the most urban part of the city. “They’ve been revitalizing downtown, and we have a ton of new restaurants and apartments,” says Betsy Woods, a Realtor with Leading Edge Real Estate, who’s been selling homes in the area for over 17 years. “It’s a suburban city, but there’s a lot of activity going on.” The city hosts a wide array of annual events throughout the year. One of the most popular gatherings, Beverly Homecoming, is a 55-year-old tradition that takes place in Lynch Park. The event, which happens in August, offers fireworks, live music, lawn games and LobsterFest, where residents can enjoy traditional boiled lobster and lobster rolls. Harborfest takes place in September at Lynch Park with live music, a local beer garden and food from local restaurants. Arts Fest is held on Cabot St in June and gives access to over 125 juried fine artists, local food vendors and kids' activities. Two downtown block parties in the summer and fall offer live music and local eats on the streets. There are also holiday events like Downtown Trick or Treat and the Beverly Holiday Parade. The main draw downtown is the abundance of local businesses. Gloria Food Store has fresh-cut deli slices, and Ward’s Florist has handmade flower arrangements. For a bite to eat, stop by Anchor Pub & Grille for burgers and drinks and Anmol for traditional Indian dishes. Residents can head to Stop & Shop, CVS and Walgreens for groceries. The city is quite varied and offers a variety of experiences, from the more urban setting of Downtown to the rural Beverly Farms and Prides Crossing areas. Lynch Park is a seaside park, well-known as a formal Italianate Garden on the former site of President William Taft's summer home. Take a seat on a park bench and watch the sunrise at Independence Park, which also has beach access and a pier. Brackenbury Beach sits between two private beaches and lays claim to magnetic black sand. For those looking to escape the summer heat or frigid winters, Downtown Beverly has the recently renovated Cabot theater, which hosts a variety of events like concerts, stage plays and film screenings. There’s also the Greater Beverly YMCA with an indoor and outdoor pool, sports courts and a gym. Beverly is uniquely positioned for ease of commuting with many options, including commuter rail stations, robust bus routes, a regional airport and easy access to Route 128. “We have a lot of commuters going to Boston for work.,” says Woods. “From every part of the city, you can easily get to one of the five train stations.” The houses downtown tend to be older colonial or Cape Cod styles. Some homes remain as single-family residences, but many have been divided into apartments and condominiums. Fish Flake Hill, one of the founding neighborhoods, is a locally designated historic area. The housing market is competitive, with homes usually selling after two weeks on the market. Prices range from between $250,000 to $500,000 for condos and between $400,000 to $700,000 for single-family homes. Students here are served by Beverly Public Schools, which offers a collection of well-rated schools. Kids may start at Cove Elementary, which earns a B-plus rating from Niche, for kindergarten through fourth grade, before transitioning to Beverly Middle, a brand-new building that opened in 2018 and doesn’t yet have a Niche rating, for fifth through eighth grade. Students may then attend Beverly High, which gets a B rating and offers regionally unique athletics programs like ice hockey in the winter and sailing in the spring.