Essex County, Massachusetts
Manchester By The Sea Homes For Sale
MA
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Median List Price (Homes.com, Mar. 2026)
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Median Recent Sale Price (+11% YoY)
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Population (2020 Census)
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Incorporated
Location
Where Manchester By The Sea Sits
Live Listings
Homes For Sale in Manchester By The Sea, 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
From a Colonial Fishing Village to One of the North Shore's Most Exclusive Addresses
Manchester was first settled by English colonists in 1629 and officially incorporated as a town in 1645, taking its name from Manchester, England. For its first centuries it was a modest fishing and shipbuilding village on Cape Ann's southern shore — by the 19th century it had also become a noted center of fine cabinetmaking and furniture manufacturing, and later, thanks to the arrival of the railroad, a fashionable summer retreat for wealthy Boston families who built grand shingle-style "cottages" along its shoreline.
In 1989, after a famously close 97-95 town meeting vote, residents officially added "-by-the-Sea" to the town's name to distinguish it from the much larger Manchester, New Hampshire — cementing an identity the town had informally used for decades. That identity was reinforced globally in 2016 when the town gave its name to the Academy Award-winning film Manchester by the Sea, much of which was filmed on location here.
Today Manchester-by-the-Sea is a small, tightly-held, and genuinely affluent community of roughly 5,400 residents on just 9.2 square miles of land (with nearly half the town's total area being water), bordered by Beverly, Wenham, Hamilton, Essex, and Gloucester. Its combination of a walkable harbor village, the famous squeaking sands of Singing Beach, and its own MBTA Commuter Rail stop into Boston has kept demand — and prices — among the highest on the North Shore: recent data puts the town's median list price near $1.76 million, with even the median recently-sold price around $1.3 million, and active listings in 2026 have ranged from roughly $1.1 million to $19.5 million.
At a Glance
- Population
- 5,395 (2020 Census)
- Land Area
- 9.2 sq mi (18.3 sq mi incl. water)
- County
- Essex, MA
- Est. Effective Tax Rate
- ~0.92% of assessed value (Ownwell; verify with Assessor)
- Median Household Income
- ~$206,000 (ACS estimate; wide margin of error)
Source-verified as of 2026-07-29.
Highlights
Why People Choose Manchester By The Sea
Singing Beach
The town's signature landmark: a nearly half-mile crescent of fine white sand famous for the squeaking, 'singing' sound it makes underfoot, caused by uniformly round, dry quartz grains.
Manchester Harbor
A picturesque working and recreational harbor ringed by the village center, yacht club, and town wharf, and long a favorite subject for painters and photographers.
Coolidge Reservation
A 66-acre Trustees of Reservations property on a peninsula between Black Beach and Gray Beach, with pine forest, the Ocean Lawn, views from Bungalow Hill, and Clarke Pond wildlife viewing.
Masconomo Park
A harborside town park with open lawns, a bandstand that hosts a summer concert series, a Little League field, and a children's playground, named for the Agawam sagamore Masconomet.
Tuck's Point
A town-owned point on the harbor with a pebble beach, pier, gazebo, and function pavilion — a favorite spot for weddings, picnics, and watching the harbor's boat traffic.
The Monoliths (Agassiz Rock)
Two massive glacial erratic boulders deposited inland by retreating Ice Age glaciers, reachable by trail and studied historically by naturalist Louis Agassiz.
Neighborhoods
Manchester By The Sea's Neighborhoods & Villages
Manchester Village / Downtown
The walkable harbor-front village center around Union and Central Streets, with the town's shops, restaurants, Town Hall, and Commuter Rail station.
Smith's Point
An exclusive, gated waterfront neighborhood on a peninsula with private beach access at Great Pastures, among the town's most sought-after addresses.
West Manchester
A residential area toward the Gloucester line near Black Beach and White Beach, historically served by its own since-closed West Manchester rail stop.
Kettle Cove
A shoreline pocket along the eastern coast toward Magnolia, known for dramatic ocean views from the surrounding hillside homes.
Lifestyle
Life in Manchester By The Sea
Life in Manchester-by-the-Sea revolves around its harbor village, its beaches, and a dense network of conservation land managed by the town and the Manchester Essex Conservation Trust.
Schools
Schools Serving Manchester By The Sea
Public Schools
Manchester Memorial Elementary School
PreK–5 (Manchester-by-the-Sea)
Essex Elementary School
PreK–5 (Essex)
Manchester Essex Regional Middle School
Grades 6–8 (Manchester-by-the-Sea)
Manchester Essex Regional High School
Grades 9–12 (Manchester-by-the-Sea)
Private Schools
Brookwood School
PreK–8, independent day school on a 30-acre Manchester campus
School assignments are subject to change — always verify directly with the school district before making a decision. Source (verified 2026-07-29)
Nearby Communities
How Manchester By The Sea Compares
Gloucester
Cape Ann's largest city and closest neighbor, about 10 minutes east along Route 127/128.
Essex
Bordering town to the north, sharing the Manchester Essex Regional School District.
Beverly
Larger neighboring city to the south with its own MBTA stops and a more urban downtown.
Hamilton
Inland neighbor known for equestrian estates and Myopia Hunt Club.
FAQ
Manchester By The Sea Real Estate — Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called 'Manchester-by-the-Sea' instead of just 'Manchester'?
The town was simply "Manchester" from its 1645 incorporation until 1989, when residents voted 97-95 at town meeting to officially add "-by-the-Sea" to distinguish it from the much larger Manchester, New Hampshire, formalizing a nickname locals had already used informally for decades.
Is this the town from the movie Manchester by the Sea?
Yes — the 2016 Academy Award-winning film Manchester by the Sea takes its name from the town and was filmed largely on location here, adding to a long history of the town appearing in film and photography.
What's the current home price range in Manchester-by-the-Sea?
Third-party data shows a wide range: Homes.com reported a roughly $1,757,000 median list price and $1,708,897 average sale price as of March 2026, while recently-sold data put the median closer to $1,300,000 (up about 11% year-over-year); active listings have spanned from about $1.1 million to $19.5 million.
Can I commute to Boston by train from Manchester-by-the-Sea?
Yes — the town has its own MBTA Commuter Rail station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line with direct service into Boston's North Station, though schedules are relatively infrequent; driving is roughly 26 miles and 40-45 minutes depending on traffic.
What is Singing Beach and why is it famous?
Singing Beach is Manchester-by-the-Sea's signature public beach, about a mile from the village center, named for the squeaking or 'singing' sound its fine, uniformly round quartz sand makes underfoot when dry.
What schools would my kids attend in Manchester-by-the-Sea?
Manchester-by-the-Sea is part of the two-town Manchester Essex Regional School District, shared with neighboring Essex: Manchester Memorial Elementary (PreK-5) is in Manchester, Essex Elementary (PreK-5) is in Essex, and both towns' students attend Manchester Essex Regional Middle School and High School, both located in Manchester. The independent Brookwood School (PreK-8) also sits on a 30-acre campus in town.
Are there condos or HOA communities in Manchester-by-the-Sea?
The town's housing stock is dominated by single-family homes rather than large planned or age-restricted HOA developments; buyers interested in condos should expect a small, limited inventory rather than dedicated 55+ communities.
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