Salem & the North Shore · Town guide
A historic seaside town built around its harbor, with older homes set close together near the water and a single-family median above $1 million this year.
Marblehead market · August 2026 year to date
| Measure | Single-family | Condo |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1,135,000 | $635,000 |
| Change vs. last year | ▲ 13.1% | ▲ 8.8% |
| Sales closed | 111 | 35 |
| Median days on market | 32 | 43 |
| Sale price vs. original list | 100.6% | 97.8% |
| For sale at month end | 20 | 11 |
| Months of supply | 1.5 | 1.9 |
Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, Marblehead Local Market Update (PDF, opens in a new tab) (MLS PIN data). Year-to-date figures except homes for sale and months of supply, which are for the latest month. A town median is a starting point; the right price is street by street.
Side by side · August 2026 year to date
| Town | Median single-family | Median condo | Days on market | Tax rate (FY2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marblehead | $1,135,000 ▲ 13.1% | $635,000 | 32 | $8.56 |
| Salem | $720,000 ▼ 0.7% | $510,000 | 34 | $10.78 |
| Beverly | $834,500 ▲ 10.7% | $495,000 | 30 | $10.81 |
| Swampscott | $862,875 ▼ 2.9% | $510,000 | 41 | $12.00 |
| Peabody | $720,000 ▲ 2.9% | $469,900 | 28 | $9.47 |
| Lynn | $580,000 ▼ 3.3% | $385,500 | 37 | $10.30 |
Year-to-date medians from each town's MAR Local Market Update; tax rates per $1,000 from the Mass. Division of Local Services. Nearby = closest town centers among the towns I cover.
Town guide
Marblehead is a harbor town first. Sailing, the working waterfront, and centuries-old houses on narrow streets define Old Town, while Marblehead Neck, out on its own peninsula, is some of the most expensive real estate on the North Shore.
The trade-off for that character is limited parking in the historic center, no train station, and prices that sit well above most neighboring towns.
A quick orientation, not a ranking:
| Area | What it's like | Worth a look if you want |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | Historic district of very old homes on narrow streets near the harbor | Character, walkability, and the waterfront |
| Marblehead Neck | Peninsula of large homes, water views, and privacy | The top of the market |
| Clifton & the Swampscott side | Residential streets toward Swampscott and Devereux Beach | A quieter setting with beach access |
| Village & inland streets | Mid-century and newer single-families away from the harbor crowds | More yard, easier parking |
Marblehead housing ranges from 18th-century homes in Old Town to mid-century capes and colonials inland to large waterfront properties on the Neck. Condos exist but are limited, and they're often the most realistic way into town below the single-family median.
Historic homes come with historic-home costs: older systems, and possible review requirements for exterior changes in historic districts.
Marblehead has no commuter rail station. Residents commonly drive to the Swampscott or Salem stations on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, or drive into Boston. Plan for rush-hour traffic on Route 1A and 129.
For public school information, see the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's school and district profiles (Marblehead Public Schools).
No. The nearest MBTA commuter rail stations are in Swampscott and Salem on the Newburyport/Rockport Line.
Yes, at the median. I compared the two towns' prices, commute, and feel in Marblehead vs. Swampscott.
Monthly cost calculator
Pre-filled with Marblehead's median single-family price and its FY2026 tax rate. Change anything. This is an estimate for planning, not a loan quote.
How I help in Marblehead
What homes here actually sell for, what they cost to own, and an offer strategy you can defend.
Buying with XavierA price grounded in Marblehead sales, a plan for what to fix, and a clear read on every offer.
Get a home valuationTwo- and three-families run as numbers: rents, expenses, financing, and condition.
Multifamily & investingThe median single-family sale price in Marblehead was $1,135,000 for August 2026 year to date, compared with $1,003,617 for the same period a year earlier. The median condo sold for $635,000. Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MLS PIN data).
Single-family homes that sold in Marblehead during August 2026 year to date spent a median of about 32 days on market and sold for 100.6% of their original list price on average, according to MAR.
Marblehead's FY2026 residential property tax rate is $8.56 per $1,000 of assessed value (Massachusetts Division of Local Services). On a home assessed at the median single-family sale price, that's roughly $9,720 a year; your actual bill depends on the assessed value.
There's no MBTA rail station in Marblehead. It's about 14 miles from Boston in a straight line; most residents drive or use a station in a nearby town.
Neighbors on the same stretch of coast, with a $272,000 gap in median single-family price through August 2026. How Marblehead and Swampscott compare on price, commute, and daily life.
MLS listings
Active and coming-soon listings in Marblehead, through my Ruuster home search. Save a search to hear about new ones as they come on.
Search provided by Ruuster via HomeBase. Open the full Marblehead search in a new tab (opens in a new tab). Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Buying or selling here?
Tell me what you're weighing: a street, a price range, a timeline. I'll send the recent sales that matter and what I'd watch for in Marblehead specifically.
Sources: market figures, Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, Local Market Update (data: MLS PIN; © ShowingTime Plus); tax rate, Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Municipal Databank, Tax Rates by Class; population, U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates for cities and towns; stations, MBTA (V3 API); distance, OpenStreetMap Nominatim (town center); miles are straight-line to Boston City Hall. Numbers retrieved 2026-09-25.
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