North Shore, South Shore, South Coast: Your Boston Relocation Guide

If you’re a new or recent Massachusetts resident who’s relocating to greater Boston, welcome! As you search for homes, you may encounter regional areas that might not be familiar to you. We’re talking North Shore, South Shore, Metrowest Boston, and South Coast.

Just where are these greater Boston regions and what are some towns included in them? This handy guide will help you navigate your way in no time. You can also use our Communities page to learn about specific towns and cities—and see homes for sale in each one.

What Is the North Shore?

The North Shore is generally defined as the region between the city of Boston and the New Hampshire border.  The North Shore includes communities in Cape Ann, Essex County, and parts of the Merrimack Valley. The area is comprised of quaint towns and fishing villages, working class cities and suburbs, and over 30 miles of beaches and coastline. Coastal towns and cities on the North Shore include Beverly, Marblehead, Salem, and Swampscott.

The North Shore region has inland towns, too. Here’s where you’ll encounter a few towns with their own distinctive local pronunciations. For example, if you’re looking homes for sale in Peabody, the local way to say it is PEA-b’dee, not pea-BODY. Just north of Peabody are homes for sale in DAN-vuhs, not DAN-verse.  Homes for sale in Haverhill are located in HAV-rill, not HAV-er-hill.

The MBTA Commuter Rail connects many North Shore suburbs to downtown Boston via North Station, making them ideal locations for homebuyers who work in Boston. Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, and Beverly are five North Shore communities that rank among the fastest travel times to North Station.

Learn more about North Shore real estate in our blog post on Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Home on Boston’s North Shore.

What Is the South Shore? 

The South Shore is known as the communities located between Boston’s southern city limits and the beginning of Cape Cod. The region stretches along the Atlantic Ocean and includes Plymouth County and an eastern portion of Norfolk County.

The South Shore is comprised of suburban towns, rural towns, and mid-sized industrial cities. Like its regional counterpart to the north, however, natives of the region contest which cities and towns make up the South Shore. We can safely say, however, that towns and cities on the South Shore include Braintree, Hingham, and Plymouth.

Not all South Shore communities have a shoreline along the Atlantic. Some South Shore towns with inland locations include Norwell, Hanover, and Pembroke.

Traffic on the South Shore can be congested, but South Shore residents are that much closer to Cape Cod than their geographic counterparts living on the North Shore or in Metrowest communities. Many homes for sale on the South Shore are within an hour’s drive to Cape Cod, Boston, and Providence, RI. Homebuyers looking to settle on the South Shore can choose MBTA commuter trains and ferries for a car-free trip to Boston.

Learn more about South Shore real estate in our blog post on Five Reasons to Relocate to Boston’s South Shore.

What Is MetroWest Boston? 

While there is no official definition of MetroWest Boston, the area generally includes the town and cities east of Boston and west of Worcester. Many of these municipalities are part of Middlesex County. Interstate 95 and Interstate 495 extend through MetroWest, with Interstate 93, Route 3, Route 2, and Interstate 90/Massachusetts Turnpike connecting them like the spokes of a wheel. Communities in MetroWest Boston include Natick, Needham, Newton, and Wellesley.

The MBTA commuter rail has two lines that cover Metrowest towns. The Fitchburg line provides commuter rail service to and from North Station in downtown Boston, with stops that include Belmont, Waltham, Lincoln, and Concord. The Framingham/Worcester line runs to and from South Station, with stops in Newtonville, Newton, Wellesley, Natick, and Framingham.

What Is the South Coast?

The South Coast of Massachusetts borders Buzzards Bay and includes the southern portions of Plymouth and Bristol counties.

Thirteen Massachusetts cities and towns make up the South Coast. The region’s easternmost town, Wareham, is closest to Cape Cod. New Bedford and Fall River are the region’s two largest cities.

Many homes for sale on the South Coast are located within commuting distance to New Bedford, MA, Fall River, MA, Providence, RI, and the I-495 corridor.

The South Coast Rail project will extend commuter rail service from Boston to southeastern Massachusetts.

Phase 1 of construction is in progress and will restore service to the region by the end of 2023. The project will extend the existing Middleborough/Lakeville commuter rail line from Boston to Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford.

Are you relocating to the Boston area? Our Conway Relocation & Corporate Services Division is specially trained in managing the unique needs of corporate transferees and their families so the transition to their new communities is a smooth one. Some of the services we provide include:

• Home Finding Assistance
• Cost of Living Comparisons
• Orientation Tours
• Mortgage Assistance
• Relocation Counseling