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The Point

The Point

$488,895 Average Value
$398 Average Price per Sq Ft
2 Homes For Sale

Cultural vibrancy takes center stage in The Point

The Point is a Salem neighborhood that traces its name to its early status as a fishing center along the Massachusetts coastline. Centuries later, it is a culturally vibrant neighborhood with Latin and Dominican heritage. “It’s a great multicultural community, so if people are looking for that, The Point is it,” says Tyson Lynch, founder of Tyson Lynch Property Advisor and a broker associate with Proper Nest Real Estate. “When people talk about Salem and vibrancy, The Point is the epitome of that, and it adds that bit of magic to Salem as well.” With access to Salem Harbor, proximity to central Salem and a calendar filled with cultural and Halloween staples, The Point has endured and evolved over the course of about 400 years.

Century-old homes in The Point have undergone conversion

Most properties in The Point date to the early 20th century, part of the rebuild after the Great Salem Fire of 1914. Single-family homes rarely come up for sale; homes here often have an estimated value of $500,000 or more. Most condos sell for between $300,000 and $400,000, while multi-family homes are often priced near $1 million or higher. “Multi-families, depending on size and condition, range from $600,000 for a two-family up to $2 million for a six-unit apartment building,” Lynch says. The neighborhood does not yet have a CAP Index crime score.

Education at a pair of Salem public schools

Students are served by Salem Public Schools, which earns an overall grade of C-plus from Niche. The Saltonstall School receives a C-plus and spans kindergarten through eighth grade. Salem High School gets a B-minus. The high school’s sports teams play under the Salem Witches moniker and include hockey, lacrosse and unified basketball programs.

The Point offers recreation at city parks and on the water

Mary Jane Lee Park has a splash pad and playground near the middle of the neighborhood. Palmer’s Cove Yacht Club sits just off the south side, and Palmer Cove Park & Playground offers a baseball field and basketball court. The Salem Harbor Walk traces the coastline. Forest River Park offers a baseball field, basketball court and Pioneer Village, a recreation of a Colonial community, south of The Point.

Just north of The Point, Salem Common is a park dating back more than 200 years. It spans nearly 10 acres and is home to a bandstand, basketball court, playground and open space. Locals can also take tours through historic sites with the Salem Maritime History Walk. Boating and fishing are popular pastimes; there are boat tours around the coves and bays.

Halloween-themed events take place in Salem

The city of Salem often leans into its past for local events, including the Haunted Happenings Grand Parade each October. The Halloween-themed procession begins around Shetland Park and ends at Salem Common. Other seasonal festivities include haunted houses, tarot readings, museum exhibits and walking tours of haunted places across the city. “Because Salem is so compact, the events happening in other neighborhoods spill over,” Lynch says. “You’re minutes away from them.”

Outside of Halloween, the open-air Punto Urban Art Museum spans three blocks. “It showcases the vibrancy of the neighborhood,” Lynch says. “They have these huge, colorful murals on the outside of a lot of the buildings, and it’s become another destination for people to come to Salem – to do walking tours in The Point to see the culture that’s there and give a different side to Salem.” The 1692 Salem Witch Museum and Salem Witch Trials Memorial offer windows into the community’s past.

Though the Shetland Park complex, used for office and industrial purposes, still houses businesses, its redevelopment plan is set to open The Point back up to the harbor. “The plan is to provide water access and seaside parks to the neighborhood … to reconnect the ocean to the community,” Lynch says. The area was formerly home to a textile mill along the coastline, but the revamping will transform it into a mixed-use facility with commercial and residential uses.

Local restaurants reflect The Point’s vibrancy

The Point also has a wide selection of local restaurants. “You have a variety of places you can eat,” Lynch says. “Right now, a majority of the people who live in The Point are Dominican, so you have a few Dominican restaurants in The Point itself where you can dine.” La Delicia Dominican is an option, while other international restaurants include Howling Wolf Taqueria and Witch City Hibachi.

The Babe and Tipsy Cowboy Country Dive are both popular spots to grab drinks. Couch Dog Brewing Company pours its own craft beers. Harbor Sweets is a local favorite chocolate shop. Grocery shoppers have a Stop & Shop less than 3 miles from the neighborhood center, while Target and Walmart are each under 6 miles away.

Public transportation by land or by sea in Salem

While residents of The Point typically use personal vehicles to get around, they can also choose public transportation by land or on the water. Lynch mentions the MBTA bus line that goes all the way to Boston, with a stop at the Salem commuter train station on the way. The Salem Ferry runs from the city to Boston from May through October. The city also offers Salem Skipper, a ride-share service. Salem Hospital is under 2 miles west and Boston Logan International Airport is less than 15 miles south.

Adam Cheek
Written By
Adam Cheek
Amanda Beattie
Photography Contributed By
Amanda Beattie

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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

Parks in this Area

Transit

Airport

General Edward Lawrence Logan International

26 min drive

Bus

Lafayette St & Harbor St

Bus

Lafayette St & Palmer St

Bus

Leavitt St & Congress St

Bus

Congress St Opp Shetland Pk

Reviews

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The Point Demographics and Home Trends

Housing Trends

Median List Price
$372,400
Median Sale Price
$357,500
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$399,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
-1%
Last 12 months Home Sales
8
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-7%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$398

Neighborhood Facts

Number of Homes
245
Number of Homes for Sale
2
Median Year Built
1915
Months of Supply
3.00
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,623
Below the national average
1,929
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,754
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
959
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
738
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
4,356

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Average Home Value





Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Renters

Demographics

Total Population
3,618
Median Age
35
Population under 18
26%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
12.3%
Below the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$31,361
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$49,605

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
71.9%
Below the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
22.2%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
8.7%
% Population in Labor Force
65.8%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
48''
Average Winter Low Temperature
17°F
Average Summer High Temperature
80°F
Annual Snowfall
26''

Area Factors

Bikeable

Bike Score®

69 / 100

Walker's Paradise

Walk Score®

94 / 100

Some Transit

Transit Score®

38 / 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

Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
The Point