North Shore Home Prices in 2026: What Twelve Towns Are Actually Selling For
Median single-family prices through August 2026 for Salem, Beverly, Marblehead, Swampscott, Peabody, Danvers, Lynn, Lynnfield, Saugus, Gloucester, Haverhill, and Malden, and how to read them without getting misled.
Through August 2026, the median single-family home on the North Shore sold for anywhere from $580,000 in Lynn to $1,135,000 in Marblehead, based on the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® town reports (MLS PIN data). Most towns moved only a few percent from last year. A few moved a lot more.
Here's the full picture for the twelve towns I track, and how I'd actually use these numbers if you're buying or selling.
What are North Shore homes selling for in 2026?
| Town | 2026 YTD median | 2025 YTD median | Change | Sales closed, 2026 YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marblehead | $1,135,000 | $1,003,617 | +13.1% | 111 |
| Lynnfield | $1,132,500 | $1,060,000 | +6.8% | 66 |
| Swampscott | $862,875 | $888,500 | −2.9% | 72 |
| Beverly | $834,500 | $753,600 | +10.7% | 148 |
| Gloucester | $762,500 | $735,000 | +3.7% | 80 |
| Danvers | $747,000 | $722,500 | +3.4% | 79 |
| Malden | $725,000 | $720,000 | +0.7% | 78 |
| Salem | $720,000 | $725,000 | −0.7% | 91 |
| Peabody | $720,000 | $700,000 | +2.9% | 169 |
| Saugus | $700,000 | $710,000 | −1.4% | 120 |
| Haverhill | $615,000 | $602,500 | +2.1% | 226 |
| Lynn | $580,000 | $600,000 | −3.3% | 213 |
Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, Local Market Update for each town, August 2026 (data from MLS PIN, © ShowingTime). Single-family homes only; condos and multifamily are reported separately. You can see the same numbers on a map on my North Shore Map, which updates as new reports come out.
What stands out?
Marblehead and Beverly moved the most. Marblehead's median rose about 13% and Beverly's about 11% over the same stretch of 2025. Both are towns where a relatively small number of higher-end sales can pull a median up, so I'd read that as "strong" rather than "every house is worth 11% more."
Salem, Swampscott, Saugus, and Lynn were roughly flat to slightly down. A dip of 1% to 3% in a median is within the noise of which homes happened to sell. It doesn't mean those markets are weak. It means the easy year-over-year gains of the last few years aren't automatic anymore.
Volume tells you where the buyers are. Haverhill (226 sales), Lynn (213), and Peabody (169) had far more closed single-family sales than Lynnfield (66) or Swampscott (72). More sales means a median you can trust more. In a small town, five unusual sales can swing it.
How should you use a town median?
As a starting point. Nothing more.
A median is the middle sale. It says nothing about your street, your condition, or your layout. In Salem, a Federal-era home in the McIntire District and a ranch in South Salem are both "Salem single-families," and they don't sell for the same money.
When I price a home or evaluate an offer, the town median is maybe the fourth thing I look at. Ahead of it:
- The closest recent sales of similar homes: same neighborhood, similar size, similar condition, ideally within the last six months.
- What's active and pending right now, because that's what buyers are comparing you against today.
- How fast similar homes are selling, and whether they're selling over or under asking.
- Then the town trend, as context for whether the market is rising, flat, or cooling.
What does this mean if you're selling?
If your town's median rose, don't add that percentage to your price. If it fell, don't subtract it. Your home's value comes from the closest sales and the buyers shopping this month. What the trend does tell you: in a flat market, overpricing costs more, because buyers have time to wait. I wrote about that in how to price your home on the North Shore.
What does this mean if you're buying?
In the towns with big gains, expect competition for the best-presented homes and less room to negotiate on them. In the flat towns, you may have more room on homes that have been sitting, but well-priced homes still move. Either way, get your pre-approval and your monthly number settled before you tour. Here's what to do before you tour.
Questions people actually ask.
What is the median home price on the North Shore of Massachusetts?
It depends heavily on the town. Through August 2026, median single-family sale prices ranged from $580,000 in Lynn to $1,135,000 in Marblehead, according to Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® data.
Are North Shore home prices going down in 2026?
Not broadly. Most towns were within a few percent of 2025, with Marblehead and Beverly up about 13% and 11% and a few towns, including Lynn and Swampscott, down about 3%. Small changes in a median are often just the mix of homes that sold.
Which North Shore town is the most affordable?
Of the twelve towns in this table, Lynn and Haverhill had the lowest single-family medians through August 2026. Affordability also depends on taxes, commute, and condition, not just price.
Where can I find the latest numbers for my town?
The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® publishes a Local Market Update for each town every month. I update the numbers on this site when new reports come out, and I can pull the specific sales on your street.
This article is general information about Massachusetts real estate, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Every property and transaction is different. For advice on your situation, talk with me and, where appropriate, an attorney, lender, or tax professional.