$1,193,942Average Value$539Average Price per Sq Ft6Homes For Sale
Marion Center has been a summer destination since the 1800s
Marion Center, the downtown area of Marion, Massachusetts, lies along Buzzards Bay, about 20 miles from Cape Cod. “It’s a quaint, quintessential New England town,” says Erin Hovan, a Realtor and broker associate with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Robert Paul, who has lived in the Marion area for 17 years. In the heart of the neighborhood, white picket fences separate sidewalks from the former homes of whaling ship captains, and along the coast, expansive cedar-shingled estates overlook the Sippican Harbor. The town has a history as a summer destination, which dates back to the 1800s when trains enabled wealthy families from Boston, New York and Chicago to escape city life and spend their summers relaxing in Marion. Though the town remains active throughout the year, summer marks the time when Tabor Academy boarding students return to their homes around the globe and part-time residents reopen their cottages for the season.
Boatyards and docks are places in the Marion Center neighborhood where a peaceful walk happens.
A walk by the water in the Marion Center neighborhood is pleasant any time.
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From sailing and tennis to time on Silvershell Beach
While Marion Center enjoys a coastal atmosphere, the beaches aren’t the main attraction. Sailing and tennis are more popular. It can take some time to get into the popular private clubs, however. In order to join the Sippican Tennis Club or the Beverly Yacht Club, for example, an applicant must get the support of at least three current members. Not all the recreation is exclusive, though. New residents can join the Marion Indoor Tennis Club without a sponsor, and homeowners can also purchase an annual beach pass to use the town’s beaches. At the southern end of Front Street is Silvershell Beach, which has a sandy section for lounging, as well as seasonal lifeguards, a snack bar and floating decks in summer. “It’s a great place for families,” Hovan says. Across the harbor, kayakers can launch from the narrow, rocky Planting Island Beach into Planting Island Cove, where they might paddle past ospreys and egrets. The Elizabeth Taber Library organizes a full array of family-friendly summer activities, including puppet shows and pop-up petting zoos. On Wednesdays during the school year, Sippican Elementary School students aged nine and up can walk next door to the library to participate in their after-school program. The Marion Natural History Museum, just upstairs from the library, also offers hands-on science activities on Wednesday afternoons.
Boating is a way of life in the Marion Center neighborhood.
Golfers tee-off at the Marion Golf Club in the Marion Center neighborhood.
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Marion Center community events and the Marion Bermuda Race
Throughout the year, residents gather for parades and holiday strolls, Hovan says. “On Halloween, the kids line up in their costumes, and they stroll through the village. From there, they go trick or treating — it’s early and easy for little kids.” There’s a town party in August, complete with live music, food trucks and bounce houses. In July, local artists bring their creations to Bicentennial Park for the Marion Art Center’s Arts in the Park market. The private clubs in the area also host members-only activities — the Piney Point Beach Club organizes cocktail parties, Independence Day fireworks and lobster boils. One of the community’s most renowned events, the Marion Bermuda Race, revolves around sailing. On odd-numbered years, yachts launch from Buzzards Bay and race 645 miles south to St. David’s Head in Bermuda. The race can take up to six days, but the 2023 winner broke the race’s record and crossed the finish line in less than three days.
Heading homeward, a sail boat navigates the channel at the Marion Center neighborhood.
Marion Music Hall brings summer events to the community in the Marion Center neighborhood.
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Shopping at Fieldstone Market and dining at Brew Fish
In Marion Center, sidewalks lead to restaurants, boutiques and a small general store. Kate’s Simple Eats offers casual lunches, and in the summer, they often open for breakfast as well. Just behind Marion Music Hall is Cast Seaside Bar & Bites, with tapas-style small plates. Closer to U.S. Route 6, diners can find Brew Fish, which has an extensive menu and a large, family-friendly space. For date night, couples might try the French-style entrees at Atlantic Bistro. “It’s consistently very good, with fresh, high-quality ingredients,” Hovan says. Residents can pick up locally grown produce, D’Artagnan meats and baked goods from Fieldstone Market along Route 6, and the nearest grocery store is the Shaw’s about 4 miles away in Wareham. People head to the Cervelli Farm Stand, around 5 miles north, to get apple cider donuts and fresh-baked pies in the fall. “They’re famous for their sweet corn,” Hovas says.
Selecting pristine vegetables is always easy at Fieldstone in the Marion Center neighborhood.
Fieldstone Market in Marion is located right on the main road to 195.
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Antique homes and coastal estates in Marion Center
Marion Center is the most densely populated section of Marion. Closest to the Marion Town House, gambrel-roofed, cedar-shingled cottages and former captains’ homes with widows’ walks from the late 1800s and early 1900s rest on landscaped lots under the shade of maples. Over the years, the owners have renovated and repaired them, but the “historical details have been honored,” Hovan says. A few post-2000 builds are sprinkled in as well. Closer to the harbor, stone walls line the streets, and tall hedges often provide additional privacy. Here, buyers may find rambling Shingle-style mansions and some newer, cedar-sided, traditional-style homes. While mid-1900s capes on inland streets sometimes sell between the upper $500,000s and around $750,000, well-kept antique homes may run from around $1 million to nearly $3 million, and coastal estates may be priced even higher. As with all waterside settings, flooding is a possibility in Marion Center. Lenders may require flood insurance to cover houses located in flood zones. The CAP Index crime score for Marion Center is 1 out of 10, which is much lower than the national average of 4.
18th and 19th Century homes could have been built by ship captains in Marion Center.
A modern house along the water in the Marion Center neighborhood is highly desirable.
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Tabor Academy draws students from around the globe
Students can attend schools within the Old Rochester Regional School District, which serves the towns of Marion, Rochester and Mattapoiset. Elementary-aged kids can begin at Sippican Elementary School in Marion, which has a B-plus rating from Niche. In seventh and eighth grades, they can meet new friends from Rochester and Mattapoiset at B-rated Old Rochester Regional Junior High. Old Rochester Regional High earns a B-plus rating. High school students may participate in extracurricular activities such as the environmental club, debate team and the school newspaper, Pawprints. With the A-plus-rated Tabor Academy located along Spring Street, private high school is also a popular option. This “school by the sea” offers sailing and crew programs and boasts a boarding student population from around the world.
The Tabor Academy in the Marion Center neighborhood is a private preparatory school.
Tabor Academy campus has no shortage of beautiful pathways from building to building.
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Boating and car travel from Marion Center
Though many residents commute to work, unlike Cape Cod, they don’t have Bourne Bridge gridlock to contend with. From Marion Center, state Route 105 leads directly to Interstate 195, which can take drivers toward Boston or Providence, 60 and 43 miles away, respectively. Most of the neighborhood is very car-dependent, though the town’s council on aging offers transportation services for those who need a ride to an appointment or to run errands. In addition to road travel, “it’s a fabulous place for boating,” Hovan says. Full-service marinas and boat yards dot the coastline, as well as the Beverly Yacht Club, which was founded more than 150 years ago. From the Sippican Harbor, boaters can make their way into Buzzards Bay, around Cape Cod and toward Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
Take the car or the boat from your home in the Marion Center neighborhood.
Sold out of her car, Luna Bread has offered fresh loaves to the public for many years in Marion.
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Marion Center Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Marion Center, Marion sell after 30 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Marion Center, Marion over the last 12 months is $830,000, down 13% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Welcome home to effortless comfort and modern charm in this beautifully updated Marion retreat, located a walk to a lovely beach. Thoughtfully refreshed throughout 2025, every detail has been designed for easy living and style. Enjoy cooking and gathering in the brand-new kitchen, unwind by the cozy new wood burning stove, or spread out in the newly finished basement—ideal for movie nights or a
Life’s better by the beach! Waterviews await in this well situated 3 bedroom 1 1/2 baths home! Though it needs some updating, this home offers a rare opportunituy to make a wise investment in Marion. With deeded walkway access to Silvershell Beach, and peeks of Buzzards Bay, this home offers the ultimate coastal lifestyle. Inside, it’s ready for your personal touch—think fresh updates, a little
Once in a generation opportunity to own a small compound in the center of Marion village made up of 2 individual single-family residences each on its own lot, with deeded waterfront access to a Water St harbor-front lot with a dock where you can keep a boat 16’ or under. 10 Vine St is a 5 bedroom (with a 1st floor bedroom), 2 full/1 half bath home. 8 Vine St is a 2 bedroom/1 bath home. This
Christopher DemakisDemakis Family Real Estate, Inc.
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