Mattapoisett

Upper Acushnet is a spacious suburb resting beside the churning Acushnet River and the recreation and dining of Buzzards Bay. With a large golf club, numerous green spaces nearby, and retail options in Acushnet and neighboring New Bedford, residents have plenty of free-time options in this leafy subdivision in Bristol County. Kevin Blake, a 21-year Realtor with Anne Whiting Real Estate, says, “The schools are a priority for people here; the high school and elementary school are great. People like the rural atmosphere of the town as well.” Upper Acushnet is a classic New England suburb in layout and feel, full of split-level Georgian, traditional-style Craftsman and colonial homes with attached garages. Single-family homes run from $375,000 to $825,000, varying by the square footage and lot size. Most homes in the neighborhood were constructed after World War II, with occasional new builds available that were constructed in the last ten years. Blake says, “There’s a lot of midcentury and historic homes, but now there are new constructions in areas like the subdivision on Reservation Road.” Much of the residences in Upper Acushnet rest on narrow roads branching off Main Street, mostly ending in tree-dotted roundabouts or cul-de-sacs. Large grassy lawns are prioritized over sidewalk space in this neighborhood and are common with homes on the market. The town has an insular school system within Bristol County, Acushnet Public Schools. Within the neighborhood is Acushnet Elementary, rated a B on Niche and Albert Ford Middle, rated a B-plus. Then, a couple miles west in New Bedford, students can finish their grade-level learning at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High, rated a B on Niche and holding a student-teacher ratio of 11-to-1. New Bedford Regional High also features a career prep program to guide students through 16 different industry paths for college and beyond. LaPalme Farm is a 50-acre nature preserve within Upper Acushnet where residents can walk dogs on a trail and sniff wildflowers that bloom in the spring and summer. The trail leads to the Acushnet River, where fishing for redfin pickerel is common. Pope Park is an outdoor park with a children’s playground renovated in 2021. The park has numerous athletic amenities, like a basketball court and a baseball diamond. Acushnet River Valley Golf Club is a championship course that hosts annual tournaments and features a bar and restaurant. Further south in New Bedford are the coastal activities of Buzzards Bay; everything from boating and fishing to various seafood shops and restaurants are within 5 miles of Upper Acushnet. Local dive Seafood Hut serves fried clam platters, fish and chips and lobster rolls. For all-day dining, Rochelle’s Restaurant offers omelets for breakfast, grilled cheese and club sandwiches for lunch and burgers for dinner. A few miles west of the river is Trucchi’s Supermarkets New Bedford for groceries. Three miles west is a retail park featuring Savers, Stop & Shop supermarket and Dollar Tree, right next to Massachusetts state Route 140. Acushnet Public Library is a neighborhood institution that offers several digital resources for free audiobooks and passes for local attractions from the Boston Museum of Science to the Newport Art Museum and several zoos. The best way to get around Upper Acushnet is by car. Three miles west of the neighborhood is MA-140 for access to New Bedford or cities and towns north. Picturesque Cape Cod is just a 30-mile drive east on Interstate 195. Upper Acushnet’s access is one of its most prominent characteristics: its access to retail, riverside activities in New Bedford and sprawling parks is part of the appeal for longtime neighborhood residents.