Spotlight on Ipswich, Massachusetts 

The North Shore Alliance, or the “Alliance,” prides itself on supporting economic development initiatives across the 30 communities and four Gateway Cities of the North Shore of Massachusetts. Each month we will be conducting a community highlight. We will be looking at some of these communities, where they stand economically, and highlight commercial development sites that may be of interest to our readers. 

This month we will be taking a closer look at the town of Ipswich, Massachusetts in Essex County. 

A Word About Ipswich, Massachusetts

Ipswich, a residential community on the northern coast of Massachusetts, is home to Willowdale State Forest, Sandy Point State Reservation, and the southern part of Plum Island. This beautiful area is also famous for its clams as well as Crane’s Beach and Crane Hill Estate, located right along the water. 

Incorporated as a town in 1634 in an area the Native Americans called “Agawam,” Ipswich has a population of 13,785 as of the 2020 Census. Located approximately 35 miles from Boston, Massachusetts, it is a short drive to the metropolitan area or an even shorter drive to the state lines of New Hampshire and Maine. 

Ipswich has a diverse economic base that includes tourism, manufacturing, retail, service, and natural resource industries such as shellfishing and farming. In fact, Ipswich is the state’s largest producer of soft-shell clams! 

Points of Interest

There are many attractions and places to visit in Ipswich, starting with the quaint and historic downtown. The historic neighborhoods of Meeting House Green, High Street, the East End, and the South Green offer well-preserved streetscapes of 17th to 19th-century residences. 

If you are interested in experiencing the farms and landscape of Ipswich, go no further than Russell Orchards featuring “Pick Your Own” fruits, a farm with animals such as pigs, goats, chickens, and more, as well as a play area for young ones. Don’t forget to visit the store and get a warm cider and cider donuts! 

Just down the road, you will find Crane Beach and Castle Hill Estate where you can enjoy the “Northeast’s Most Spectacular Beach.” While there you can follow trails and boardwalks through a landscape of sand dunes and salt marsh.

Up the hill from the beach, you will see the Castle Hill Estate where you can tour the grounds or attend a concert during the summer months. 

If watching wildlife appeals to you, visit Wolf Hollow, a wolf sanctuary, where you will be given a unique opportunity to meet our resident gray wolves while enjoying an enlightening educational presentation. 

For more information about the economic development opportunities in this friendly and prosperous town, check out our blog on Economic Development Sites in Ipswich.