America’s Hottest ZIP Code Is a Coastal Gem Just a Short Drive From Bustling Boston

Located within the greater Boston metro area, Beverly combines laid-back coastal living with relative affordability, attracting buyers looking to balance quality of life with easy access to well-paying jobs in the big city.

Despite its small size, Beverly is home to major employers, including CVS Health, the U.S. Postal Service, and DoorDash.

Additionally, the Cummings Center, a thriving mixed-use development in Beverly, houses about 600 different businesses, among them AllClear Healthcare and Aetna Medicare Solutions.

With its commuter rail station offering direct trains to Boston, Beverly represents an attractive option for city workers seeking small-town charm and urban convenience.

“Beverly is a great city to live in,” Adeline Matton, a real estate agent and broker with Aluxety Realty. “First of all, it’s so scenic. It’s an oceanside city. We have the harbor, we have yacht clubs, beautiful beaches, beautiful parks, beautiful greenery, and downtown is thriving.”

Matton, who lived in Beverly for 25 years and raised her family there, says it is no surprise to her that more people are drawn to the area.

“It really has so much to offer, and it’s not surprising that it would make the top ZIP,” the veteran agent notes.

For-sale homes in Beverly waited for a buyer just 16 days in June, received nearly five times more listing views than the national average between January and June 2025, and sold for a median price that, though elevated, was still a downright bargain compared with Boston and some of its other suburbs.

Notably, the typical home in the U.S. in June 2025 lingered on the market for 53 days—more than three times longer than in Beverly.

This underscores the persistent inventory shortages across the Northeast, where buyer demand routinely outstrips supply.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, more than 62% of views directed at listings in Beverly came from within the Boston metro.

When looking at out-of-market interest, New York City dominated, with Big Apple buyers accounting for more than 11% of Beverly’s listing traffic.

“These shoppers are increasingly seeking out ZIPs with better value just outside of expensive urban cores,” says Chief Economist Danielle Hale.

As of June, the median list price in Beverly climbed to $719,000, nearly $280,000 higher than the national median for the month. The average price in Beverly from January through June was $746,000.

But at the same time, the typical home in Beverly remained roughly 18% below the Boston metro average, which came in at $855,000 in June, landing Beantown among the five most expensive metros in the country.

This year’s hottest ZIP codes, led by Beverly, tell a broader story about how homebuyers are adapting to stubbornly high mortgage rates and affordability challenges, according to Hale.

What the latest ranking shows, according to the chief economist, is that buyers are increasingly focusing on relative value, not just low price tags. This explains why they are drawn to ZIP codes where properties are priced below local metro medians, even if above the national norm.

“These locations represent a sweet spot for shoppers who want suburban amenities and proximity to jobs without paying top-tier metro premiums,” adds Hale.

Matton, the real estate agent, points out that Beverly’s slightly greater distance from Boston, compared with pricier suburbs like Newton, Arlington, and Watertown, helps keep the local housing market more affordable.

“Beverly, being a little bit outside of the city, a little bit farther north … does have lower prices than a lot of those cities,” she says. “We are seeing a lot of people maybe selling a smaller house in one of those suburbs and heading north to Beverly.”

According to the latest available data, the median list price per square foot in Beverly was nearly 3% lower than in Boston. In other words, buyers in the suburban city could purchase a bigger home for less money.

Named after a city in England, Beverly was first settled in 1626 and was initially part of Salem. In the mid-17th century, it was incorporated as its own town in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Beverly is recognized as the “Birthplace of the American Navy,” having been the base of the Continental Navy’s first warship, the schooner Hannah, which was commissioned by President George Washington.

Beverly’s other claim to historic fame is that the first cotton mill in the U.S. was built there in the late 1780s. Washington visited the site two years later and came away impressed with the technology.

Some top Beverly landmarks include the historic Cabot Theatre, the John Cabot House, and Lynch Park.

These days, Beverly offers residents a mix of livability, more space, and greater affordability relative to Boston.

Matton says Beverly appeals to buyers with its numerous amenities, including a highly rated school system, standout sports programs, and a wide array of shops and restaurants.

“The market’s always been strong there, and it’s continued to grow,” she adds. “The city offers so much to people moving in there.”

Beverly, MA ? Seriously ? There are much better 'coastal gems' than this.