In this rustic Boston exurb, located just 25 miles northwest of the capital city’s downtown, locals live among sprawling homes on multiple acres of land, an essential homemade ice cream spot that gets packed during the summertime and a working cranberry bog where farmers stand up to their waists in water during harvests. “It’s been an incredible community. I lived in Carlisle for over 20 years, and it still feels like home for me,” says Peggy Dowcett, a luxury real estate agent at Coldwell Banker, adding that living in Carlisle often means feeling like part of nearby Concord, too. “I think that people should know that it’s a beautiful town and everyone cares about it, and it has a great community spirit. People are neighborly, they look out for each other. They look out for their neighbors, but they also look out for each other’s children, and if someone were to happen to someone, they’re there to support them.”
You can find cool-looking raised-ranch-style homes in Carlisle
Enjoy an ice cream year round from the Great Brook Dairy Farm in Carlisle.
All customers of the Fern Country Store share a special love for Carlisle.
Sit and wonder at the beauty outside the Gleason Public Library in Carlisle.
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Acreage grants private, quiet atmosphere
The minimum zoning in Carlisle is 2 acres, and it’s not hard to find homes with more land. The only exception, Dowcett says, are older homes that were grandfathered into the policy. Homes are often bigger, from sprawling ranch-style houses and expanded Cape Cods to huge colonials, midcentury modern homes and contemporary new constructions. A three-bedroom fixer-upper on nearly 3.5 acres can sell for about $800,000, but other homes can rise to about $2.5 million. Carlisle’s median home price sits at $1.26 million. “People buy in Carlisle, and they stay,” Dowcett says, adding that many stay for 20 years before moving. This contributes to a low inventory, and homes typically sell within two or three weeks for over the asking price.
You'll love the vast amounts of greenery offered in Carlisle.
There's a majestic feel among homes in Carlisle.
Massive colonials are common within the neighborhood of Carlisle.
Carlisle is home to some of the coolest ranch-style houses.
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Career experience at Concord-Carlisle High
Local children attend Carlisle School from prekindergarten through eighth grade, a public campus-style school that gets an A-plus on Niche and is listed among the top 10 best public middle schools in Massachusetts. Kids then move on to Concord-Carlisle High School, a regional institution of about 1,300 students, including children from the neighboring town of Concord, that also gets an A-plus on Niche and makes its list of the top 20 public high schools in the state. Concord-Carlisle High offers a program where seniors can spend a quarter or full semester completing an internship in their career of interest.
Carlisle School has an A+ rating on Niche.
Concord-Carlisle High School has an A+ rating on Niche.
Nashoba Brooks School in Concord has an overall grade of A- on Niche.
The Fenn School in Concord has an overall grade of A on Niche.
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Commuting to Boston
Westford Street, otherwise known as U.S. Route 225, runs through Carlisle and the neighborhood is a quick drive to U.S. Route 3, U.S. Route 2 and Interstate 495. Boston is about 25 miles away, a trip that typically takes just under 40 minutes by car, and Emerson Hospital is 7 miles away.
Homemade ice cream at Kimball Farm
Ferns Country Store is truly a focal point of the town. “The children go there after school on their early release days and buy lunch,” Dowcett says. “You can also buy beer and wine, and it’s where people meet up and say hello to each other.” Locals grab fresh, locally sourced fruits, vegetables and meat at Clark Farm Market from early spring through fall. Located alongside its organic pick-your-own garden, the farm offers Community Supported Agriculture memberships. Kimball Farm’s freshly-made ice cream makes it the go-to summertime hangout spot. “People who eat the ice cream know that it’s the best,” Dowcett says, noting a local rivalry with Bedford Farms Ice Cream. “It’s only open from April until October and the line is huge there all summer long.” Great Brook Dairy Farm, which has a petting farm and offers free tours to see the dairy cows on the weekends, also makes fresh ice cream. For groceries and eating out, locals drive about 7 miles to nearby Concord, Acton or Chelmsford — and they love it that way. “You’ve got a lot of land and trails to walk, and you feel safe and secure, but then within 10 minutes in any direction, you can get to stores and shopping,” Dowcett says.
Residents of Carlisle frequent Fern's Country Store for their everyday needs.
Kimball Farm has all the best ice cream flavors in Carlisle.
The Riverview Restaurant is a well-known local spot for breakfast near Carlisle.
Get to know the Dairy Farms cows with a tour through Great Brook Farm in Carlisle.
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Hiking and skiing at Great Brook Farm State Park
If there’s one thing that isn’t lacking in Carlisle, it’s protected green space for outdoor recreation. Residents head to Great Brook Farm State Park, which is a 1,000-acre park centered around the Great Brook Dairy Farm, to enjoy over 20 miles of hiking and biking trails. Horseback riding and cross-country skiing are also major activities here, and the brook and pond are popular fishing and kayaking spots. The Towle Land is another of many protected areas in Carlisle where residents love to hike and enjoy nature, and Foss Farm offers two riding rings—one for dressage and one for jumping. At the town’s Cranberry Bog, which is still actively producing tart berries today, residents can walk on the farm roads and take in the beautiful view of the bogs. The town’s center offers more organized park spaces, including the large, tree-shaded Carlisle Castle Playground, tennis courts and athletic fields at Spalding Field.
Bring your dog for their favorite walk through the Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle.
Bikers have loads of fun when riding the trails at Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle.
Carlisle's quiet streets offer a great cruise for road bikes.
You'll love the selection of hiking trails at the Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle.
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Music and games at Carlisle Old Home Day
Held every June, Carlisle Old Home Day is the biggest event of the year, spanning a weekend full of activities. “They usually start off with a 5K run, but they have a parade, they have a country fair and kid games and a musical festival,” Dowcett says. And that’s just the start, as the event also features several competitions, a parkour challenge, a dog event and more. The town also comes together for Halloween, decorating Jack-o-lanterns and putting them around the town’s rotary, also called a roundabout, before the kids go trick-or-treating.
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