Newburyport, MA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

Essex County · Boston-Cambridge-Newton · population 19,163

Small-town feel
View watchlist →
74
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Newburyport stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $927,506
1-year +3.6%
5-yr CAGR +6.8%
vs 5-yr peak -0.1%
Population +1.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-03$928k$457k$627k$796k$966k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
51/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$3,028/mo$2,455$2,856$3,25720242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent10911510012020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 25.5
Rent

At a 25.5 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Newburyport for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
68 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
73 · w22%
Distance from peak
89 · w18%
Population growth
68 · w16%
Rent YoY
74 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
71 · w10%
Long thesis

Newburyport has held up across the cycle: home values at $927,506 with +6.8% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Newburyport's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Newburyport

Newburyport is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 19,163. It anchors the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area. The population grew 1.2% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Newburyport is $927,506 as of 2026-04, up 3.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Newburyport average $3,028 per month, up 4.3% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 74 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Healthy 5-year run: +6.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
Quiet strength: +3.6% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
Net positive migration: population up 1.2% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
Held the highs: currently -0.1% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

Bear case

Premium territory: $927,506 median home is a high bar to clear — affordability constrains the buyer pool.
Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Essex County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Essex County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Newburyport

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
48″ rain
43″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Newburyport listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$96,500
Massachusetts state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechBiotechEducation/Healthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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