For a quaint town on the coast of Cape Ann with a comfortable commute to Boston, Ipswich MA is a dream. With a walkable downtown, yet sprawling landscape, you have the option to live with convenience to public transportation and all the downtown has to offer, or away from the hustle of everyday life and have a taste of living in the country while still being conveniently close to the commuter rail and VIP access to Crane Beach and residential privilege to Pavillion beach, or if you live on the neck, private access to Clark beach.
If history is your thing, Ipswich happens to be one of the original settlements with plaques on antique houses dating as far back as 1640. The historical commission has been tasked at keeping specific sections of the town as historically accurate as possible. Therefore, if you take a stroll down north main st. for example, you can be transported back to a time where horse and buggy clogged the roads and the specially marked chimney’s signified safe houses for runaway slaves.
Not to worry though, Ipswich appeals to the taste of those looking for more of a fresh neighborhood as new neighborhoods are being built and many moderately older homes along many of the cul-de-sac neighborhoods are getting a solid facelift.
Regardless of your taste in home and environment, Ipswich is a close nit community where it feels like everybody knows your name, especially if you’re a regular in one of the locally owned small downtown businesses and coffee shops. They hold many town wide events and celebrations like their yearly Illumination on the river walk where for the past several years, they’ve lit floating fires along the Ipswich river via flaming bow and arrow, the weekly farmer’s market on the green in the summer times and general community gatherings just for the sake of getting together.
The schools are also very community oriented and love getting the kids out to the beaches at the end of each school year for their annual “beach day” which is a big celebration and time for kids to unwind from the long school year. There they hold the yearly “Zagarella Plunge” inspired by a Winthrop elementary teacher who started it years ago. You can also see on many sites how the Ipswich schools rank high among Massachusetts schools in quality and placement.
All in all, if you’re looking for a family oriented, close nit community on the water, Ipswich Massachusetts is a great location to consider.