Essex County, Massachusetts
Gloucester Homes For Sale
MA
$0K
Avg. Home Value (Zillow, mid-2026)
$0K
Median Sale Price (3-mo., Redfin)
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Population (2020 Census)
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Settled
Location
Where Gloucester Sits
Live Listings
Homes For Sale in Gloucester, 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
America's Oldest Seaport, Still Working the Harbor
Gloucester's story begins earlier than almost anywhere else in New England: the Dorchester Company established a permanent English fishing station here in 1623, the town was formally incorporated in 1642, and Gloucester was chartered as a city in 1873. Long home to the Agawam people under the sachem Masconomet before European settlement, the peninsula's deep, well-protected harbor made it a natural base for the Atlantic fishing fleet — a role the city still embraces today with the motto "America's Oldest Seaport."
That maritime identity is inseparable from Gloucester's built and cultural landscape: the bronze "Man at the Wheel" Fisherman's Memorial has watched over the harbor since 1925, honoring the thousands of Gloucester fishermen lost at sea, while working seafood companies like Gorton's (founded 1849) still operate alongside the same docks depicted in Sebastian Junger's "The Perfect Storm." Just across the harbor, the Rocky Neck Art Colony in East Gloucester — one of the oldest continuously operating art colonies in the country — has drawn painters from Winslow Homer and Edward Hopper to today's working artists.
Physically, Gloucester occupies most of Cape Ann: the Annisquam River splits the city in two, linked to the harbor by the Blynman Canal, and Eastern Point reaches roughly two miles out into Massachusetts Bay. At 26.19 square miles of land (41.51 including water) and a 2020 Census population of 29,729, Gloucester is by far Cape Ann's largest and most economically diverse city — encompassing everything from working waterfront and dense in-town neighborhoods to the quiet village of Annisquam and the estate-lined shoreline of Eastern Point. Zillow puts the city's average home value at roughly $760K as of early 2026 (up about 2.4% year-over-year), while Redfin's rolling three-month figure through May 2026 shows a $844K median sale price — a notably large year-over-year jump that likely reflects a thin, high-end-skewed sample rather than a uniform citywide shift (a single month's Redfin snapshot in February 2026 showed a lower $645,000 median), underscoring how much price data can swing month to month in a city with this much variety in housing stock.
At a Glance
- Population
- 29,729 (2020 Census)
- Land Area
- 26.19 sq mi (41.51 sq mi incl. water)
- County
- Essex, MA
- FY2026 Tax Rate
- $9.31 / $1,000 residential
- Median Household Income
- ~$83,883 (2024 ACS estimate)
Source-verified as of 2026-07-29.
Highlights
Why People Choose Gloucester
Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial
The bronze "Man at the Wheel" statue on Stacy Boulevard, erected in 1925 and inscribed with Psalm 107:23, honors Gloucester fishermen lost at sea and remains the city's most recognized landmark.
Rocky Neck Art Colony
A working waterfront peninsula in East Gloucester and one of the oldest continuously operating art colonies in the United States, with 20-plus galleries, studios, and harborside restaurants; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Good Harbor Beach
One of the North Shore's most popular sandy beaches, with dunes, a salt marsh, and a walkable sandbar to Salt Island at low tide; dogs are restricted April 1 through September 30.
Stage Fort Park
The site of Gloucester's first English settlement (fortified since 1635), today a waterfront park with two beaches, ballfields, a playground, and the city's Visitor and Welcome Center.
Hammond Castle
A 1926–1929 stone castle built as the home, laboratory, and museum of inventor John Hays Hammond Jr., perched on a cliff overlooking Gloucester Harbor and open for tours and events.
Dogtown Common
A roughly 3,600-acre wooded reservation covering an abandoned 17th–18th-century colonial settlement, laced with trails and dotted with the inspirational "Babson Boulders" carved into the landscape in the 1930s.
Neighborhoods
Gloucester's Neighborhoods & Villages
Downtown / Inner Harbor
Gloucester's historic commercial core along Main Street and the working waterfront, mixing 19th-century brick storefronts, restaurants, and galleries with an active commercial fishing fleet.
East Gloucester & Rocky Neck
The peninsula across the harbor from downtown, home to the Rocky Neck Art Colony, Eastern Point's grand shingle-style estates, and Niles Beach.
Annisquam
A quiet waterfront village on the Annisquam River dating to the 1600s, anchored by an 1801 lighthouse, a yacht club founded in 1896, and a historic footbridge over Lobster Cove.
Magnolia
A former resort village on Gloucester's western shore facing Massachusetts Bay, known for Hammond Castle and its own small commercial strip along Lexington Avenue.
Lanesville & Bay View
Former granite-quarrying villages along the north shore of Cape Ann toward Rockport, today quiet residential areas close to Halibut Point and Cape Pond.
West Gloucester & Riverdale
More rural, wooded neighborhoods on the mainland side of the Annisquam River, bordering Essex and offering some of the city's larger residential lots.
Lifestyle
Life in Gloucester
Gloucester's day-to-day life runs on its harbor, its beaches, and thousands of acres of city-owned conservation land — with a working art colony and a historic downtown adding a cultural layer few small cities can match.
Schools
Schools Serving Gloucester
Public Schools
Beeman Memorial Elementary School
K–5
East Veterans Memorial Elementary School
K–5
Plum Cove Elementary School
K–5
West Parish Elementary School
K–5
O'Maley Innovation Middle School
Grades 6–8
Gloucester High School
Grades 9–12
School assignments are subject to change — always verify directly with the school district before making a decision. Source (verified 2026-07-29)
HOA & Condo Communities
Gloucester Associations
Gloucester's HOA-style living is concentrated in condominium conversions and a handful of age-restricted communities rather than large single-family subdivisions.
The Seasons
A 55+ single-story condominium community on Pirmi Lane with a clubhouse, pool table, and shared exercise space.
Gloucester Mill Condominiums
A converted-mill condo building with reported monthly HOA fees in the roughly $400–$500 range covering heat, water/sewer, and building maintenance.
New Construction
Building in Gloucester
Gloucester has limited ground-up subdivision development given its built-out peninsula geography; recent residential growth has leaned toward condo conversions and infill rather than large new subdivisions.
Mill & harbor-adjacent condo conversions
Ongoing conversion of older industrial and mixed-use buildings (such as former mill properties) into condominiums, per active real estate listing activity.
Nearby Communities
How Gloucester Compares
Rockport
Gloucester's small, scenic neighbor at the very tip of Cape Ann, about 10 minutes east.
Essex
A quieter, marsh-and-river neighbor to the west known for shipbuilding history and antique shops.
Manchester-by-the-Sea
A smaller, more exclusive harbor town just southwest along Route 127 with MBTA Commuter Rail service.
FAQ
Gloucester Real Estate — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in Gloucester?
Gloucester's FY2026 residential tax rate is $9.31 per $1,000 of assessed value, with a commercial/industrial/personal property rate of $9.61 per $1,000, per the City Assessor's Office — lower than most inland Essex County towns because of the city's larger commercial and industrial tax base.
How do I commute to Boston from Gloucester?
Gloucester has its own MBTA Commuter Rail station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line with direct service to Boston's North Station; driving downtown Boston is roughly 36 miles and typically 45 minutes to over an hour depending on traffic on Route 128/I-95.
What's the current home price range in Gloucester?
Third-party data shows a wide range in 2026: Zillow puts the city's average home value near $760K (up about 2.4% year-over-year), while Redfin's rolling three-month median sale price through May 2026 was $844K — well above a single-month Redfin snapshot of $645,000 in February 2026. The swing reflects Gloucester's mix of modest in-town homes and high-end waterfront property (Eastern Point, Rocky Neck, Annisquam) more than a uniform market shift, so buyers should look at comparable, neighborhood-specific data rather than one citywide number.
What schools would my kids attend in Gloucester?
Gloucester Public Schools operates four K–5 elementary schools (Beeman Memorial, East Veterans Memorial, Plum Cove, and West Parish), O'Maley Innovation Middle School for grades 6–8, and Gloucester High School for grades 9–12, serving roughly 2,800 students districtwide.
Is Gloucester a good fit for a beach or vacation-home buyer?
Yes — Gloucester has more public beach access than almost anywhere else on the North Shore, including Good Harbor Beach and Wingaersheek Beach, plus villages like Annisquam and Magnolia that have long served as summer-home enclaves alongside year-round residents.
What is Rocky Neck, and is it a good place to buy?
Rocky Neck is a working art-colony peninsula in East Gloucester with galleries, studios, and waterfront restaurants — one of the oldest continuously operating art colonies in the country. Property there and on nearby Eastern Point tends to command a premium for direct harbor or ocean frontage and walkability to the gallery scene.
How does Gloucester compare to Rockport?
Gloucester is Cape Ann's largest city (about 29,700 residents) with a working harbor, its own hospital and commuter rail station, and a wider range of housing stock and price points, while neighboring Rockport is smaller, quieter, and more purely residential/tourist-oriented — many buyers cross-shop the two towns for exactly that contrast.
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