Although it’s not an official geographic or political region within Massachusetts, Boston’s South Shore is known as the area between Boston’s city limits and the start of Cape Cod. The communities in this region have both coastal and inland locations. Homes for sale on the South Shore appeal to many homebuyers in greater Boston, whether they’re first-time homebuyers, moving up buyers, or downsizers.
Here are ten things to know when you’re looking for South Shore homes for sale.
1. South Shore Location and Geographic Setting
The South Shore extends along the Atlantic coastline south of Boston, hence the designation “South Shore.”
All the communities in Plymouth County are considered part of the South Shore. The Norfolk County communities of Quincy, Milton, Braintree, Weymouth, and Cohasset are also geographically located on the South Shore.
Although the South Shore borders the Atlantic Ocean, but not all its communities have a coastline. South Shore communities that border the coast are: Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth, Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate, Marshfield, Duxbury, Kingston, and Plymouth.
South Shore towns that are inland are: Milton, Randolph, Holbrook, Rockland, Abington, Whitman, Hanson, Halifax, Plympton, and Carver.
The Atlantic Coast gives some South Shore communities beautiful harbors and waterfronts that add to quality of life. Quincy, Scituate, and Plymouth, for example, have waterfronts lined with restaurants, parks, and residential neighborhoods.
2. South Shore Public Transit
Many South Shore communities are located along the MBTA Red Line and MBTA commuter rail.
The Braintree branch of the Red Line stops at North Quincy, Wollaston, Quincy Center, Quincy Adams, and Braintree.
The Kingston line on the MBTA commuter rails stops in Quincy Center, Braintree, South Weymouth, Abington, Whitman, Hanson, Halifax, and Kingston.
3. South Shore Health Care
The two major hospitals on the South Shore are Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth and South Shore Hospital in Weymouth.
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital has two locations on the South Shore: Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Milton and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth. Both are part of the Beth Israel Lahey Health family of hospitals. BID Milton has 100 beds and BID Plymouth has 164 beds.
South Shore Hospital is part of the South Shore Health system. Their partners include Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
4. South Shore Housing Types
On the South Shore, you’ll find everything from saltbox farmhouses to contemporary condos. The area abounds with Cape Cod-style homes and Colonial-style homes.
Homes for sale on the South Shore include new construction and new developments. Plymouth is the largest municipality in Massachusetts by land area, which is why many new single-family developments can be found there.
Waterfront homes on the South Shore can be year-round beach cottages or luxury estates.
As you look for South Shore homes for sale, organize your search by developing a list of criteria that includes such factors as number of bedrooms, number of baths, amount of living space, and maximum lot size. You can also include the architectural styles you desire. When you work with one of our Jack Conway agents, they will find homes that meet your criteria.
5. South Shore Beaches
Residents who live on Boston’s South Shore can enjoy some of the best beaches in Massachusetts. Nearly every coastal South Shore community has beaches, from the spectacular Nantasket Beach in Hull to the majestic White Horse Beach in Plymouth. Here’s a sampling:
The Town of Scituate maintains five public beaches: Egypt, Humarock, Minot, Peggotty, and Sand Hill. Beach parking stickers are available for both Scituate residents and nonresidents.
Duxbury Beach Park in Duxbury features a six-mile-long beach that’s sometimes rocky and sometimes sandy, depending on the weather and tides. A drive across a wooden causeway leads to a parking lot where Duxbury residents can park for free with a beach sticker. Nonresidents pay $20 to park or snag a free parking spot in the small lot on the mainland side of the causeway.
Plymouth Long Beach is a three-mile-long barrier beach where visitors can walk, swim, sun, and gather clams (with a license).
6. South Shore Outdoor Recreation
The opportunities for outdoor recreation along Boston’s South Shore are numerous and diverse.
The South Shore is blessed with many protected harbors, coves, and bays, making boating and sailing one of the most practice outdoor activities in the area. Many coastal South Shore towns have public and private harbors and marinas where moorings and docks can be reserved.
Golfers can choose from public and private golf courses that rank among the top courses in the state. Public courses include Ponkapoag Golf Course in Canton, the South Shore Country Club in Hingham, and Southers Marsh Golf Club and the Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth. Two top-ranked private golf courses are the Boston Golf Club in Hingham and the Old Sandwich Golf Club in Plymouth.
Hikers, walkers, and birdwatchers prize the South Shore for its open spaces. From World’s End in Hingham to four Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries and a number of state forests, there’s no shortage of places to take a hike.
7. South Shore Arts and Culture
Whether you’re a music lover, a museum goer, or a theatre buff, you’ll find a full range of arts and cultural destinations in South Shore communities.
Plymouth, for example, has its own professional orchestra. The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra performs world-class music under the direction of music director and conductor Steven Karidoyanes. A typical season features seven concerts and a couple of benefit shows.
Theatre lovers looking for homes on the South Shore should put Hingham Civic Music Theatre and Priscilla Beach Theatre in Plymouth on their list. HCMT is one of the leading community theaters in eastern Massachusetts. Priscilla Beach Theatre is one of country’s original summer stock barn theaters.
As the original location of Plymouth Colony, Plymouth is also home to the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. Their sites include a recreation of the 17th-century colony where the Plymouth colonists lived, a full-scale reproduction of the Mayflower, and Historic Patuxet where visitors can learn about 17th-century Wampanoag culture.
8. South Shore Shopping
Major shopping centers in the South Shore are located mostly in Plymouth. They include Colony Place, The Grove at Plymouth, and Cranberry Crescent.
Beyond big box stores and shopping malls, many South Shore communities have charming town centers with independent shops, businesses, cafes, and restaurants.
9. South Shore Highways
Major highways in the South Shore area include the following routes:
Route 3 and Route 3A. Both are north-south corridors that provide access to Boston and Cape Cod.
Interstate 495. I-495 extends through Middleboro and Wareham.
Route 44. Route 44 is an east-west route that extends between Plymouth and Interstate 495.
10. Jack Conway Offices on the South Shore
When you’re looking for homes on the South Shore, you’ll find Jack Conway offices in multiple communities.
Jack Conway offices on the South Shore are located in Canton, Hingham, Hanover, Hansen, Hull, Marshfield, Norwell, Plymouth, Quincy, Scituate, and Weymouth.
Our headquarters are in Hanover at 183 Columbia Road at the junction of Routes 53 and 139. That’s also where our Relocation Division is located.
Check out all our Conway Country office locations here.
