Essex County, Massachusetts
Boxford Homes For Sale
MA
0
Population (2020 Census)
0
Year Incorporated
$0M
Median Sale Price (2026 YTD, Redfin)
0%
Sale-to-List Price (2026 YTD, Redfin)
Location
Where Boxford is Located
Live Listings
Homes For Sale in Boxford, MA
Listing information is provided by the MLS. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Listings displayed may be subject to prior sale or withdrawal.
A Local's Perspective
Boxford, Massachusetts: A Rural Enclave Near Boston
Boxford was settled by Europeans in 1646, when Abraham Redington established a homestead here as part of Rowley Village, and it was officially incorporated as its own town in 1685 with about forty resident families. Farming and small crafts sustained the early community; East Boxford's First Church was built in 1701, and as West Boxford grew, the Massachusetts legislature designated it a separate precinct in 1735, with its own meetinghouse following in 1774. The town's largest historic industry, a match factory on Lawrence Road, operated from 1866 to 1905. Boxford's name is believed to trace to the village of Boxford in Suffolk, England, a link residents confirmed with a transatlantic exchange trip in 1975–76.
That agrarian, two-village character never really left. The historic core of Boxford Village, with its colonial-era homes such as the c.1760 Holyoke-French House, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 as the Boxford Village Historic District. The town has no stoplights, no streetlights, and only four retail businesses in its entire 24.4 square miles. Roughly 927 acres of the Bald Hill Reservation and Boxford State Forest, plus adjoining Essex County Greenbelt land, thread the town with about 25 miles of trails, including a stretch of the regional Bay Circuit Trail. Small farms, stone walls, and a genuine equestrian community — anchored by boarding and training stables like Spring Tide Farm, operating on Main Street since 1973 — reinforce a rural identity the town has actively protected even as its population grew nearly ninefold from 925 residents in 1790 to over 8,000 today.
Today Boxford functions as one of Greater Newburyport's most exclusive, land-rich bedroom communities, prized for its Masconomet regional schools, large-lot privacy, and proximity to both Boston and the coast. Well and septic systems serve every property — there is no municipal water or sewer department — and the town is currently navigating the state's MBTA Communities Act (Section 3A), working toward a zoning solution its own officials describe as 'paper compliance' rather than a driver of real development. As of mid-2026, Redfin data show Boxford's housing market running hot: a median sale price of $1,154,309 over the trailing months (up 5.1% year-over-year), homes closing at roughly 106% of list price, and a median of just 20 days on market.
At a Glance
- Population
- 8,203 (2020 U.S. Census)
- Land Area
- 23.6 sq mi land / 24.4 sq mi total
- County
- Essex County, Massachusetts
- FY2026 Tax Rate
- $13.54 per $1,000 assessed value
- Walk Score
- ~1–4 / 100 (Car-Dependent, townwide)
Source-verified as of 2026-07-23.
Highlights
Why People Choose Boxford
Boxford Village Historic District
The town's colonial-era center, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, anchored by homes like the c.1760 Holyoke-French House.
Bald Hill Reservation & Boxford State Forest
A roughly 927-acre core of state forest plus adjoining Essex County Greenbelt land, laced with about 25 miles of trails including a segment of the Bay Circuit Trail.
Stiles Pond Town Beach
A resident-only swimming pond at the center of town, with an adjacent ballpark, Keith Koster Memorial Baseball Park.
Witch Hollow Farm (Tyler-Wood House)
A c.1727 farmhouse at Main Street and Ipswich Road tied to the 1693 Salem Witch Trials through Rebecca Eames, and locally noted as a haunted landmark.
Boxford Apple Festival
An annual fall town tradition held on the streets near the village center.
Spring Tide Farm
A hunter/jumper boarding and training stable on Main Street operating since 1973, part of Boxford's well-established equestrian community.
Neighborhoods
Boxford's Neighborhoods & Villages
Boxford Village (East Boxford)
The town's original historic center, home to the National Register Boxford Village Historic District, First Church (rooted in 1701), and the Boxford Community Store.
West Boxford Village
Established as its own parish (Precinct 2) in 1735 with a meetinghouse built in 1774; today home to the West Village Store and Post Office and its own small commercial cluster.
Lifestyle
Life in Boxford
Boxford's lifestyle is defined by what it has deliberately kept out: traffic lights, streetlights, and dense commercial development. In their place is a landscape of conservation forest, ponds, stone walls, and working horse farms, all within commuting range of Boston.
Parks & Recreation
Parks in Boxford
Bald Hill Reservation / Boxford State Forest
- ~25 miles of hiking trails
- Segment of the Bay Circuit Trail
- Crooked Pond
- Bald Hill summit (267 ft)
Stiles Pond
- Resident-only town beach and swimming
- Adjacent Keith Koster Memorial Baseball Park
- Summer camp use (Camp Rotary, Danvers YMCA day camp)
Baldpate Pond & State Recreation Area
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Boating
- Hiking trails
Boxford Commons
- Turf multi-purpose field (football/soccer/field hockey)
- Youth playground
- Located off Captain Cashin Way
Schools
Schools Serving Boxford
Public Schools
Harry Lee Cole School
PreK–2
Spofford Pond School
Grades 3–6
Masconomet Regional Middle School
Grades 7–8 (regional: Boxford, Middleton, Topsfield)
Masconomet Regional High School
Grades 9–12 (regional: Boxford, Middleton, Topsfield)
Private Schools
Boxford Academy
PreK–5 (located in Boxford)
The Governor's Academy
Grades 9–12, boarding (Byfield)
Pingree School
Grades 9–12, day (South Hamilton)
Brooks School
Grades 9–12, boarding (North Andover)
St. John's Preparatory School
Grades 6–12, boys (Danvers)
Phillips Academy
Grades 9–12, boarding (Andover)
School assignments are subject to change — always verify directly with the school district before making a decision. Source (verified 2026-07-23)
HOA & Condo Communities
Boxford Associations
Boxford has almost no multifamily or planned-community housing stock, but one recently built condominium development does have an active homeowners'/condo trust.
The Willows at Boxford
A 66-unit age-restricted condominium development off Willow Road (Route 133), governed by a condominium trust; as of late 2025 homeowners were taking over the trust board from the developer.
New Construction
Building in Boxford
Boxford has been working through the state's MBTA Communities Act (Section 3A), which requires an as-of-right multifamily zoning district even though the town has no MBTA service of its own.
3A overlay district at The Willows at Boxford
After the state rejected Boxford's first proposed 3A district (its frontage sat in neighboring North Andover), the town brought a revised plan overlaying part of The Willows at Boxford condominium development to a December 17, 2025 town meeting. Town officials described it as a 'paper compliance' district designed to satisfy state law while minimizing the likelihood of any actual new construction, given the existing condo trust and septic constraints on the site.
Nearby Communities
How Boxford Compares
Topsfield
Shares the Masconomet Regional School District with Boxford; a smaller, similarly rural neighbor just south.
Middleton
Also part of the Masconomet Regional district and directly adjacent to Boxford's southwest border.
Ipswich
A short drive east; offers MBTA commuter rail access and coastal character that landlocked Boxford lacks.
Rowley
Borders Boxford to the east and sits on the Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line.
FAQ
Boxford Real Estate — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in Boxford, MA?
The FY2026 real estate tax rate is $13.54 per $1,000 of assessed value, per the Town of Boxford Treasurer/Tax Collector's office.
How long is the commute from Boxford to Boston?
Downtown Boston is about 26 miles away via I-95 South, roughly a 40-minute drive without traffic. Boxford has no MBTA commuter rail station of its own; the nearest stops are on the Newburyport/Rockport Line through neighboring Rowley and Ipswich, and the Haverhill Line to the north.
Is Boxford at risk of flooding?
Boxford is landlocked with no coastal or major river exposure, and available hazard data (via Redfin/First Street Foundation) shows minimal wildfire risk (under 1% of properties) and minimal wind risk. A town-specific numeric flood-risk score was not available at the time of this research.
Is Boxford a walkable town?
No. Boxford is almost entirely car-dependent — individual property Walk Scores across town typically run in the 1–4 out of 100 range, reflecting its lack of sidewalks, retail, and street lighting outside its two small village centers.
What's the price range for homes in Boxford?
Per Redfin, the median sale price across all home types was $1,154,309 in the trailing period through May 2026, up 5.1% year-over-year, with homes selling at about 106% of list price and a median of 20 days on market.
Does Boxford have municipal water and sewer?
No. Boxford has no water department; every home and business relies on a private well and septic system.
What school district serves Boxford?
Boxford runs its own elementary schools — Harry Lee Cole School (PreK–2) and Spofford Pond School (grades 3–6) — which feed into the regional Masconomet Regional Middle and High Schools, shared with Middleton and Topsfield.
Curious About Life in Boxford?
Whether you're drawn to Boxford's conservation land, its Masconomet schools, or its rare combination of rural privacy and Boston proximity, Bentley's Real Estate can walk you through what's currently available and how the market's moving.