So You Want to Live in Lynnfield, Massachusetts?

Agent: Lillian Montalto, Lillian Montalto Signature Properties International / Photo by New England Drone Tours

1. Pick Your Price Point

With a population hovering around 13,000, Lynnfield is a close-knit, family-centric community where the median price of a single-family home was $1,100,000 last year. While you might get more bang for your buck here than in some other suburbs, housing stock is very limited—so if you see a home you like, act quickly. It’s possible to find large houses with expansive yards for less than $1.5 million; new builds, however, will fetch more than $2 million.

Agent: Marjorie Youngren, Keller Williams, formerly of William Raveis when sold / Photo by Nashua Video

2. Plot Your Commute

Proximity to the city is one of the top reasons people settle in this Essex County suburb, which is just 16 miles from Boston. Most commuters opt to drive to work, primarily because the suburb has no commuter rail—Wakefield and Reading are the closest. On a good day, drivers can make it downtown in under 30 minutes, but at peak commuting times, the trek is much longer.

Photo courtesy of MarketStreet

3. Take in the Vibe

Situated on the Ipswich River and dotted with several lakes and ponds, the town has a classic New England feel, with a traditional village green at its center. Lynnfield’s hive of activity is MarketStreet, a bustling high-end hub that’s home to local businesses and national retailers, restaurants, and apartments. In the winter, a skating rink draws families; during the warmer months, there’s outdoor yoga.

4. Check out the Culture

Events through the Lynnfield Historical Society will help you trace the town’s lineage from the Colonial era. Some residents may be able to chart their heritage back to the town’s founding in 1638—though most have put up stakes more recently. The prosperous town counts a number of athletes among its past and present residents, including former Red Sox player Dwight Evans and the Bruins’ Brad Park, Andy Moog, and Tim Thomas. Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, meanwhile, has been one of Lynnfield’s most well-known inhabitants for years.

Photo courtesy of MarketStreet

5. Scope out the Schools

Lynnfield’s public school system is top-notch, with some of the highest standardized test scores in the state. The town has two elementary schools, one middle school, and a high school. You can also opt for the private Catholic school, Our Lady of the Assumption, for preschool through eighth grade.

Agent: Bernie Starr, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate / Photo by Anthony Rosso/Bella Casa Marketing

First published in the print edition of the March 2024 issue with the headline, “So You Want to Live In… Lynnfield.”