Find a big community in a small town just 30 miles from Boston
In Massachusetts' historic Merrimack Valley, Georgetown offers a charming town center, protected nature areas and comfortable housing just 30 miles north of Boston. The town of over 8,700 was first settled by English colonists in 1639. Georgetown started as a farming area before expanding to a timber and furniture manufacturing town. Now, Georgetown is a peaceful residential bedroom community that offers an easy commute. The city has retained its historic close-knit charm while continuing to support its future by blending new construction and the preservation of rural areas. “We moved to Georgetown because it had such a strong sense of community. We had young children at the time, and my husband liked to say it felt like our own little Mayberry,” says Realtor Tamara Schofield, who lived in Georgetown for 13 years. “Some people would say it’s too quiet, but it’s so well-placed off I-95. You can go north or south anywhere but then go home for peace and rest.”
A high-demand market with million-dollar homes
Homes in Georgetown are in high demand. As more buyers move to the town, new construction is increasing its inventory. Homes are also selling faster here, with a listing time of 50 days compared to 108 days last year. Housing prices start at $400,000 for established ranches, then range from $600,000 to $1 million for Colonial Revivals and Cape Cod homes. The town is also building a luxury townhouse development called The Village at Rock Pond, which will cost between $950,000 and $1.3 million. “The housing market here can be challenging for first-time buyers, but there is a mix of homes here and some of the more rural areas have houses for under $600,000,” Schofield says. Schofield works with Realty ONE Group Nest and specializes in homes throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Students attend Georgetown Public Schools
The well-rated district serves over 1,200 students and has a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. Niche gives the school district an overall B-minus and a B-plus for its academics. Students can first attend Perley Integrated Preschool before attending Penn Brook Elementary School for Kindergarten through grade six. Grades seven through 12 attend Georgetown Middle-High School, which has a 95% graduation rate. High schoolers can also attend Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School in Haverhill. Niche gives all schools in the district an overall B grade.
Local forests and ponds draw residents outdoors
The community has acres of woodland, wetland and natural water features. It's surrounded by Georgetown Rowley State Forest, Lufkins Brook Conservation Area, Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area and Upper Parker River Wildlife Management Area. Georgetown Rowley State Forest is a favorite for local hiking enthusiasts, offering over 1,000 acres of forest and miles of trails. The trails are also popular for mountain biking during the warmer months and snowshoeing in the winter. “There two local ponds are popular for water recreation—Rock Pond and Pentucket Pond,” Schofield says. Pentucket Pond is home to American Legion Park, which has a swimming beach, two playgrounds, picnic areas and a fishing pier. The park connects to a network of trails that links residential areas with outdoor spaces and the town center. Golf enthusiasts will enjoy being close to Black Swan Country Club, which has a championship course, a pizza restaurant and a club that hosts regular community events.
Georgetown protects its water resources and open spaces.
The town has permanently protected its well fields, aquifers and wetlands to avoid pollution and destruction as dictated by the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act. Public parks, trails and forests are also protected to preserve the town's recreational green spaces. It has also given landmark protection to areas of historic importance. Georgetown has a humid climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. It is often impacted by winter weather systems. The town has put a winter parking ban in place to better allow the ease of snowplows to clear the streets.
Dining, antiques and summer concerts in Georgetown
The heart of the town is centered around East Main Street, a tree-lined area with Colonial-style buildings and local shops and restaurants. Residents pick up antiques at Tricia's Treasures, get groceries at Crosby's Marketplace and dine at restaurants like The Spot. town center is also home to the Georgetown Peabody Library, which offers various community events like author talks, story time and knitting groups. The community is also known for its Summer Concert Series, which Schofield helped revitalize. “I sat on the committee that brought the summer concerts back. I lived right next to American Legion Park, and we invited small bands to play at the half shell there. Now it’s a huge event with a food truck, drinks and concessions,” Schofield says.
Well-placed off I-95
The town is just one exit from Interstate 95, which connects residents to Boston and other major cities along the East Coast. Via I-95, both Boston and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, are just 30 miles away. Residents are also only 30 miles from Boston Logan International Airport. Georgetown has no public bus system, and most residents use their cars to commute to work or get to neighboring towns. When residents seek more dining or retail, they can drive into larger cities like Boston or head to Haverhill, a town just 6 miles away. Haverhill also has big box stores like Target and the closest hospital, Holy Family Hospital. If residents seek commuter rail to get into Boston, they must park and ride from Haverhill.
Crime
The CAP Index gives Georgetown a 1 out of 10 Crime Score. Georgetown is in the 69th percentile for safety, with there being zero reports of homicide, sexual assault and robbery reported in the last two years. There are typically only 3 instances of violent crimes per 1000 people, but that risk increases to 5 per 1000 for property crimes. According to FBI tracking records, Georgetown is ranked in the top 10% least violent cities in the United States.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
