Newport, Vermont's, small-town lakefront lifestyle
Newport is a small town in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom — the state's scenic northeast region. It rests on the south end of Lake Memphremagog, surrounded by the rolling Green Mountains. It shares the lake with Canada, and the border is just 5 miles north. This location might be rural, but it's a reasonable distance from larger cities in New England and Quebec. "It's just far enough north that it doesn't have a big city feel, but it's close enough to them that you feel like you can move here," says Realtor Craig Crawford with Jim Campbell Real Estate, a lifelong Newport resident. Newport has schools, supermarkets and a small downtown with shops and restaurants. So, people can move here for the peaceful wilderness without having to drive long distances for anything. "There are things to do, but there aren't enough people to bother you," Crawford says. This small town center setting brings the community together on the lake, at Main Street events or at dockside pubs. "When you move here, you'll have ten new friends overnight," Crawford says. "There's always someone to hang out with or help you with something."
New England farmhouses and lakefront mansions
There are no tract developments in Newport. "The closest thing to a community will have homes on quarter- to half-acre lots," Crawford says. Homes have generous outdoor space because there isn't much new construction here. "It's mostly older homes from the late 1800s and early 1900s," Crawford says. "A lot of people would rather move into a nice older house than pay more to build a new one." The median price is about $260,000, which is in the standard range for 1800s New England farmhouses, Cape Cod-style cottages and early-1900s foursquares. Smaller options inland or on the lakefront can start around $150,000. Large lakefront properties start around $400,000, while lakefront mansions can cost over $2 million.
Summers on Lake Memphremagog and winters on the ski slopes
Lake Memphremagog is Newport's foundation. It's the town's source of recreation and scenery, alongside the surrounding Green Mountains. "In the winter, the ski resorts around here, like Jay Peak and Burke, are really popular," Crawford says. "But come summertime, this is a lake town. It's boating, waterskiing and hiking all the time." Boaters can launch from their private dock, public launches or marinas downtown. Even when people aren't fishing or boating on the lake, they can take in the scenery from hiking and mountain biking trails around the wooded shoreline. When the landscape becomes a winter wonderland, skiers can drive less than an hour to northern Vermont's famous slopes. Jay Peak is 20 miles west, and Burke Mountain is about 40 miles south.
Newport's small-town Main Street
Main Street is the heart of downtown Newport. Red brick, flower-lined sidewalks and stately buildings like the Orleans County Superior Courthouse and the Goodrich Memorial Library create the feel for this old-fashioned town center. "There aren't a ton of places to go, just little pubs and bars," Crawford says. "They're the type of places you wouldn't think are busy, but everybody hangs out there." These include cozy wood-paneled bars like Jasper's Tavern and lakefront eateries like the East Side Restaurant and Pub. There are also small grocers, such as Green Mountain Natural Foods. The MAC Center for the Arts is home to local creatives on Main Street, and displays local works. A few miles east of the town center, there are larger stores like Walmart, Price Chopper and Shaw's.
A rural location with schools in town
Many rural New England locations might leave students with a long trip to school, but Newport has schools right in town. The schools are part of the North Country Supervisory Union, where each city and town, like Newport, has a school board. Kids begin at Newport City Elementary, which is on the east side of town and receives a C-minus from Niche. North Country Union Junior High is about 5 miles east and gets a C-plus. North Country Union Senior High is rated a C-minus and is also on the east side of Newport.
Under 250 miles from Boston, Burlington and Montreal
Newport is only about 5 miles from the Canadian border by car or boat. With Interstate 91 nearby, it's a reasonable distance from major cities in New England and Quebec. Montreal, Canada, is about 100 miles northwest, just under a 2-hour drive. Boston is over 200 miles southeast, which is just over 3 hours. Vermont's larger cities are a bit closer. Montpelier, the state capital, is about 60 miles south, and Burlington is 85 miles southwest. Burlington International Airport is where most go for flights.
