Jackson is a farming community just 10 or 15 minutes from essentials
For generations, Jackson has remained a quiet farming town full of postcard-worthy fields, rolling hills and natural spaces — which is exactly why residents love it. “A lot of people move to the area looking for a quieter life,” says Abbey McCormick, an associate real estate broker with the McCormick Team at KW Platform who grew up nearby and has sold homes here for 15 years. “A lot people will try to get 5-plus acres, and they’re just looking for privacy and a quiet setting.” Some residents get large wooded lots, while others seek homes with space for farming or homesteading, and there are many working farms in the area. “Primarily there’s a lot of dairy farms — and they’ve been in the family for decades — but it has expanded, and you’ll see some sheep, alpaca farms, beef cattle, vegetable farms, that type of thing,” McCormick says.
Jackson’s rural atmosphere is strengthened by its lack of a village, but that doesn’t make it isolated. The town is located in the space between three villages: Salem, Greenwich and Cambridge. McCormick says this gives residents access to other communities and essentials within a 10- or 15-minute drive.
Hiking in state forests, kayaking and fishing in the Batten Kill River
Much of what isn’t farmland in Jackson is taken up by protected land, like the Eldridge Swamp State Forest and Batten Kill State Forest, that offer hiking and outdoor recreation. During the summer, people spend hours at the Batten Kill River. “It’s just very popular to put in canoes, kayaks, tubes, to go fishing, fly-fishing and so forth,” McCormick says, adding that it’s known for its trout fishing. “There’s the Rexleigh Covered Bridge, which was built in 1874 and that is still in use. It crosses over the Battenkill River. It’s one of four covered bridges in Washington County that still remains and is being used. And there’s a swimming hole right there, so that’s a pretty popular area.” The town is also home to a few lakes. Lake Lauderdale is the biggest and has a public park. The lake’s swimming beach has lifeguards from the end of June to September, and there are picnic spaces and a pavilion that residents can reserve for events. Nearby Lake Lauderdale Campground offers camping in cabins, tents or RVs. For golfers, Ondawa Greens is a public nine-hole course with a driving range.
Year-round houses with acreage and three-season cabins
Jackson’s colonials, ranch-style and Adirondack-style houses sit along winding country roads or at the ends of long gravel driveways. Year-round homes typically cost between $240,000 and $440,000. Most of these homes have at least an acre, but there are a few exceptions. Jackson also has simple three-season houses without air conditioning, which are typically secondary homes. “Even people who live fairly local, within 30 minutes, might have a second home that they utilize as a hunting cabin or something similar,” McCormick says. These houses range from $50,000 to $180,000.
Jackson is split between Cambridge, Salem and Greenwich schools
Most of Jackson falls into the Cambridge Central School District, which has two schools and earns a C-plus from Niche. Children attend Cambridge Elementary School, which also has a C-plus, from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade before moving on to Cambridge Junior/Senior High School, which has a B-minus. A few portions of Jackson fall into the Salem Central School District, which has a C-plus, and the Greenwich Central School District, which has a B.
Routes 22 and 29 lead to nearby villages; driving to Glens Falls
State Route 22 connects Jackson to Salem and Cambridge, while state Route 29 leads to Greenwich. These three villages have most daily essentials, but Glens Falls offers a wider range of amenities, including Glens Falls Hospital, 28 miles away. Albany International Airport is about 43 miles away.
Most restaurants and shops are found in nearby villages
Tucked between Hedges Lake and Lake Lauderdale, Anita’s Burger Den is close to home and has a cozy atmosphere. The town is also home to Old Book Surfer, a used book store. For all other restaurants and shops, residents drive to Greenwich, Salem or Cambridge, all of which have at least a handful of restaurants. Fort Salem Theater is 8 miles away and offers plays and musicals, including some youth productions. Jackson’s farms provide access to fresh meat, eggs and vegetables. For other groceries, most residents head to Hannaford in Greenwich or Cambridge IGA in Cambridge.
Heading to annual events in Greenwich
Jackson is quiet year-round, but residents are a short drive from annual events in the villages surrounding it. Among the most popular of these is Greenwich’s Holiday Lighted Tractor Parade. An estimated 10,000 people flock to the little village to see roughly 70 tractors — all of them decorated on a theme, lit up with lights and even playing music — parade through the village’s streets.
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Christina Norwood
