New Salem
Neighborhood in Phillipston, Massachusetts
Worcester County 01355, 01364
Cape Cods and Colonials on acres of land
Neighbors live acres apart in trimmed Colonials and clapboard homes underneath tall deciduous trees. Colonials, Cape Cods and other one-story homes with backyard barns and aging wooden fences are typical. On some streets, houses sit next to each other and have front lawn gardens and stone adornments. Cape Cods typically cost between $250,00 and $350,00 in New Salem, while larger Colonials and new traditional homes can range from $350,000 to $500,000. Many residents, Barletta notes, are retirees, and some residents are professors commuting to the colleges and universities in Amherst, such as the University of Massachusetts Amherst, about 15 miles southwest. "You get people that have lived here their whole lives, but there's transplants too," Barletta says.
/
Scenic vistas of the Quabbin Reservoir
Wide-open vistas of the Quabbin are near the town common. In the 1,100-acre New Salem State Forest, visitors can hike, bike and ride horses through dense pine and oak forests, open fields and wetlands. The park also has campgrounds and designated hunting and fishing areas. The Quabbin Reservoir does allow shore fishing, but the reservoir is not a recreational waterway because it supplies water to about 3 million Massachusetts residents. Hiking through a thick forest on the north side of town takes people to the Bears Den Waterfall, a popular place for a picnic or relaxation.
Schooling in New Salem
Younger students typically attend the Swift River School, the only school in New Salem, for kindergarten through sixth grade. The school earned a B-plus from Niche. Older students continue to Ralph C. Mahar Regional School for seventh through 12th grades. Rated C-plus by niche, the regional school serves students in New Salem, Wendell, Orange and Petersham. The school has several unique extracurricular activities, including International Travel Club, Canoe and Kayak Club, and Japanese Cultural Club.New Salem Museum, 1794 Meetinghouse and the Salem Public Library
New Salem's Historic district sits about 1,000 feet above sea level, overlooking the surrounding valleys, hills and the Quabbin Reservoir. The New Salem Museum & Academy of Fine Art, which opened in August 2023, displays the owners' collection of contemporary realist art. "We're like a white elephant in a rural town," Barletta says. "We wanted to introduce living artists to the public because these pieces usually go from galleries to private collections. The grounds and, of course, our gallery is an experience. We play soft music, have fires going, and create an atmosphere." Just down the road, also in New Salem Common, is the 1794 Meetinghouse, a white clapboard church built near the turn of the 19th century. Religious and civic activities took place in the building throughout the 1800s, and today, it's a performing arts venue with a community chorus and visiting live musicians. Neighbors also visit the New Salem Public Library for its mini art gallery, internet access and collection of more than 10,000 books.
Off Route 202 and miles from city life
New Salem sits along Route 202, which connects to Interstate 91 near Holyoke. The closest hospital to New Salem is Athol Hospital, about 12 miles away, and the nearest major airport is Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, 55 miles south. Less than 10 miles north in Orange, neighbors can connect to Route 2, a major east-west thoroughfare in Massachusetts that runs east to Cambridge and west almost to the New York border. New Salem is 40 miles northwest of Worcester and 75 miles west of Boston. New Salem has a CAP Index score of 1, indicating a very low risk of crime.
New Salem General Store and New Salem Preserves
New Salem does not have any restaurants or grocery stores in the town. "New Salem General Store is the only place in town where you can get a sandwich or a cold drink or a newspaper," Barletta says. "The general store is a beautiful place, and the people who bought it bake fresh food. It's not like a convenience store. It's a cozy, lovely, beautifully laid out place." Here, locals can purchase baked goods, wine, gifts and some pantry basics. Further south down Main Street, orchard and cidery New Salem Preserves makes warm cider doughnuts and crisp hard cider from its farm in the hills. For more extensive shopping trips, grocery stores like Market Basket and Hannaford are about 10 miles north in Orange, as is the nearest Walmart Supercenter.Remnants of flooded towns in the valley below
New Salem overlooks the Quabbin Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to Boston and surrounding towns. This man-made reservoir, flooded by the Massachusetts government starting in 1938, wiped out four existing towns in the valley below and displaced 2,500 residents. "There's sort of this lingering history. You have those transplants from the four towns that still live surrounding the Quabbin. You have their stories, family histories. There are buildings here in town that were built from the reclaimed lumber from some of those houses that were disassembled. They dug up and moved the cemeteries and tore down all the houses," Barletta says.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
Photography Contributed By
Matt Barrett
Video By
Kevin Carter
Was this overview helpful?
Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Hometown Team
Hometown Team
Real Broker MA, LLC
(978) 709-2942
106 Total Sales
1 in New Salem
$285,000 Price
-
Kimberly Rocci
Kimberly Rocci
Responds QuicklyRE/MAX Platinum
(781) 358-8658
117 Total Sales
1 in New Salem
$350,000 Price
-
Lisa Saulnier
Lisa Saulnier
Responds QuicklyKeller Williams Realty North Central
(978) 696-8621
57 Total Sales
1 in New Salem
$240,000 Price
-
The Jackson & Nale Team
TN
The Jackson & Nale Team
Responds QuicklyRE/MAX Connections - Belchertown
(413) 241-5046
324 Total Sales
2 in New Salem
$105K - $315K Price Range
-
Sarah Schouler
Sarah Schouler
Responds QuicklyLamacchia Realty, Inc.
(774) 260-8037
126 Total Sales
1 in New Salem
$450,000 Price
-
Linda Lee
Linda Lee
Responds QuicklyLAER Realty Partners
(978) 878-2139
82 Total Sales
5 in New Salem
$245K - $350K Price Range
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 7th to 12th
- Public
- Pre-K to 6th
- Public
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Winsor Memorial Park
North Quabbin Dog Park
Lake Wyola State Park
- Fishing
- Picnic Area
- Trails
Butterfield Park
Alan E. Rich Environmental Park
Fish park
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | New Salem | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 1 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 1 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 1 | 4 |
| Robbery | 1 | 4 |
| Burglary | 1 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1 | 4 |
| Larceny | 1 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 1 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
New Salem Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in New Salem, Phillipston sell after 39 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in New Salem, Phillipston over the last 12 months is $426,500, up 29% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$449,900
Median Sale Price
$426,500
Median Single Family Sale Price
$428,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
10
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
29%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$249
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
422
Number of Homes for Sale
1
Median Year Built
1978
Months of Supply
1.20
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,763
Below the national average
1,933
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
3,699
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
47,916
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,025
Median Age
55
Population Density
1 person/acre
Population under 18
15.7%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
31%
Above the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$73,518
On par with the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$101,652
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
95.3%
Above the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
30%
On par with the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
13%
% Population in Labor Force
66.4%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
42''
Average Winter Low Temperature
14°F
Average Summer High Temperature
83°F
Annual Snowfall
44''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
28
/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
0
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Pelham
A deep country secluded town with historic connections
Shutesbury
A rural yet relatively convenient town in western Massachusetts
Petersham
Bucolic scenery in a rural community 84 miles from Boston
Hardwick
Rural town with a fruit farm and Grecian fountain
Ware
A small Massachusetts town bordered by the Quabbin Reservoir and a namesake river
Leverett
Western Massachusetts neighborhood that's quiet, private, diverse and never boring
Reviews
Are you familiar with the New Salem neighborhood? to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
Was this page helpful?