Gloucester has been named one of the best places to live on the East Coast, and a handful of other New England communities aren’t far behind, according to Travel + Leisure.
The magazine published its rankings of the 10 best places to live on the coast, ranging from southern cities like Charleston, S.C. — which took the No. 1 spot — to Silver Spring, Maryland, at No. 10.
In between, Gloucester landed at No. 3, Newport, R.I., ranked fourth, and Greenwich, Conn., came in at No. 7.
Also making the cut from New England: scenic Kennebunkport, Maine.
Travel + Leisure used insights from realtors and home prices to create the list, which focuses on aspects like community charm and scenic beauty.
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Here’s a look at the four New England communities that made the list:
Gloucester – No. 3
Just 35 miles north of Boston, Gloucester is located on Cape Ann, and considered a hidden gem by many, according to Christopher Muther, the Globe’s travel writer.
“During the radiant days I spent in Gloucester, I came across beaches with breathing room and a charming downtown that was not choked with cars,” Muther wrote in 2018, comparing the beachside city to those on Cape Cod.
Locals and tourists alike flock to Gloucester’s Good Harbor Beach and the Rocky Neck Art Colony, which Muther recommends as part of weekend trips.
Globe restaurant critic Devra First suggests dining at Talise, on Lobster Cove.
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“Gloucester is full of beautiful spots, and Talise is located in one of the prettiest of them all,” First wrote last year.
Realtors who spoke with Travel + Leisure said they chose Gloucester for its “tight-knit” and “refreshingly diverse” community.
“You’ll find fishermen, entrepreneurs, and artists enjoying time together for a boat ride on the Annisquam or over fresh-caught tuna tartare,” Karen Hanson, license partner at Engel & Völkers By the Sea told the magazine.
Newport, R.I. – No. 4
Ranked fourth in the magazine’s top 10 list, Newport is celebrated for its history and strong ties to the ocean and outdoors, Travel + Leisure said.
The city is also known as “American’s first resort community,” where wealthy families from Providence, Boston, and New York came to vacation during the second half of the 19th century.
Newport is famous for its Gilded Age mansions like the Breakers, the 70-room estate built in the 1890s by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, the president and chairman of the New York Central Railroad.
Muther recommends offseason dinners by the fire at Clarke Cooke House, billiards at Smuggler’s Waterfront Bar, and the cottage pie at Buskers Irish Pub and Restaurant.
“Between breaks in the rain and fireside loafing, I explored the very quiet streets, and the gloriously empty Cliff Walk. This was a far more calm Newport. I may not have had beach weather or outdoor dining, but what I did have was a sublimely beautiful escape into the Gilded Age,” Muther wrote after visiting Newport in the winter of 2023.
Greenwich, Conn. – No. 7
Realtors told Travel + Leisure that clients like this tony southern Connecticut community for its “perfect mix of suburban town with a small element of beach town and city mixed in.”
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Greenwich is well-known for a wealthy enclave with steep home prices. It’s just an hour’s train ride from New York City, and living in Connecticut comes with income tax savings compared to the Empire State, Travel + Leisure says.
Kennebunkport, Maine – No. 8
Kennebunkport ranks eighth on the list of best places to live on the East Coast, with charms that offer the best of two vibes: lively summers and seaside village quiet.
The town is also for the Bush family’s summer residence, wrote Globe food writer Kara Baskin.
“Like that political dynasty, I’ve also visited the area for decades — not in a compound, sadly,” Baskin wrote.
For more than three decades, Kennebunkport has blended preppy chic and down-home “Murder, She Wrote” aesthetics, Baskin wrote, “with signs for quilting bees, clam shacks, and chili cook-offs next to art galleries, yachtwear boutiques, and canine couturiers.”
These are the 10 best places to live on the East Coast, according to Travel + Leisure:
Charleston, South Carolina
Alexandra, Virginia
Gloucester
Newport, R.I.
Southampton, N.Y.
Bethesda, Maryland
Greenwich, Conn.
Kennebunkport, Maine
Harrison, N.Y.
Silver Spring, Maryland
Claire Thornton can be reached at claire.thornton@globe.com. Follow Claire on X @claire_thornto.