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Ocean Drive

Ocean Drive

Suburban Neighborhood in Newport, Rhode Island

Newport County 02840

$2,367,392 Average Value
$1,298 Average Price per Sq Ft
8 Homes For Sale

Views of the Atlantic from Castle Hill Inn

When it comes to weekend brunches and special occasion dinners, Ocean Drive residents tend to recommend Castle Hill Inn. The four-star hotel and restaurant looks out onto Jamestown Harbor, the Pell Bridge and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. Patio diners watch catamarans cut through the waves, and salty winds threaten to steal napkins from the laps of unsuspecting diners. This Aquidneck Island neighborhood, located within the larger city of Newport, is known for its multi-million dollar estates and coastal views. The Brenton Point State Park, which hosts the Newport Kite Festival in July, is just down the street, and traffic picks up between Memorial and Labor Day: tourist season. Not too far away are the Newport Mansions, Gilded Age summer “cottages” that once belonged to tycoons like J.P. Morgan and Cornelius Vanderbilt. According to AnnaLeigh Bowser, a team leader at The Breakers, the largest of these homes, the mansions revitalized Newport between the 1870s and late 1890s; in many ways, they continue to drive the economy today, serving as filming locations for TV shows and movies, photo ops for out-of-staters and field trip destinations for Rhode Island public schools. “Traffic quiets down vastly in the tourist off-season, but even during the summer it remains a fairly easy place to get around,” says Bowser, noting that each of the Newport Mansions has their own parking lot. The Aquidneck Island coastline — specifically Ocean Drive — is still a summer escape for those who have the funds. Except for the occasional fog horn, seagull call and flagpole clacking, life on the sea is quiet.

Castle Hill Inn offers views of the Atlantic Ocean with its lawn dotted with Adirondack chairs.
Castle Hill Inn offers views of the Atlantic Ocean with its lawn dotted with Adirondack chairs.
Take in a breathtaking aerial view of one of the magnificent mansions in Newport, RI.
Take in a breathtaking aerial view of one of the magnificent mansions in Newport, RI.
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Three-story waterfront estates on Ocean Ave and single-family bi-levels

Ocean Drive properties rarely come on the market and when they do, prices generally surpass $1 million. Single-family bi-levels, split-levels and coastal ranch-styles with two-car garages and front yard hydrangea bushes hover between $1.5 and $2 million, and homes located off Castle Hill Ave and Ocean Ave with waterfront views are generally pricier, starting at $3 million and even selling for upwards of $8 million depending on square footage. Lot sizes are generous, sometimes up to an acre, and homes are shingled in weathered shades of gray. Three-story homes with multiple balconies and large windows optimize water views. Closer to Fort Adams State Park, two-bedroom units in condominium communities like Brenton Cove are priced around $850,000.

Homes in the Ocean Drive neighborhood can have mixed classical elements like these.
Homes in the Ocean Drive neighborhood can have mixed classical elements like these.
Modern homes in Newport's Ocean Drive neighborhood feature porches for enjoying water views.
Modern homes in Newport's Ocean Drive neighborhood feature porches for enjoying water views.
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Families enjoy the rocky promontory where the Newport Kite Festival is held in mid July.
Families enjoy the rocky promontory where the Newport Kite Festival is held in mid July.

Seaside trails, Blue Gardens and country clubs

Spanning nearly 90 acres, Brenton State Park is known for its unrivaled views of the Atlantic Ocean, picnic sites and hiking trails. Visitors can explore the eerie remains of “the Reef,” a late 1800s mansion. During non-festival weekends, locals can watch Salve Regina rugby games at Fort Adams State Park, tour the 19th-century coastal defense structure or walk the 2-plus mile path around the park’s perimeter. Newport is also known for The Cliff Walk, a trail that starts near Bailey Beach, winds past the mansions and ends near Easton’s Beach — better known locally as First Beach. “It’s a free activity. It’s a tourist attraction, but people who live in the area walk their dogs and take sunset strolls,” says Bowser, adding, “It’s open year-round with multiple entrances and exits so you don’t have to walk the full thing.” Many Ocean Drive golfers also belong to the Newport Country Club, which hosted the first U.S. Open in 1895. There’s also the Blue Garden, where cool-toned flowers stand beside long reflecting pools, and Alexandra Thursby, an Ocean State native and listing agent with Lila Delman Compass, points to Collins Beach as another go-to outdoor activity.

Kites fly in the ocean breeze at Brenton State Park in the Ocean Drive neighborhood.
Kites fly in the ocean breeze at Brenton State Park in the Ocean Drive neighborhood.

Kites, music and rainbow flags at summertime festivals

Newport is a hot spot for festivals, especially during the summer months. Brenton Point State Park, located at the tip of Ocean Drive, is home to the Newport Kite Festival in July. Seagulls make way for kites in various shapes and shades of the rainbow and local food trucks line up near the parking lot. There’s also Newport Folk Fest, which has hosted the likes of Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, and Newport Jazz Fest, where Nina Simone recorded a live album in 1960. Both festivals take place in Fort Adams State Park midway through the summer, and tickets cost upwards of $200 — Ocean Drive residents can avoid heavy car traffic by biking to the park. The streets of Downtown Newport fill during Pride weekend in late June, and local farmers and chefs set up shop at Castle Hill Inn for a Farm Fresh Rhode Island food festival in August.

Nearby Bowen's Wharf is a boutique shop area of Newport a few minutes from Ocean Drive.
Nearby Bowen's Wharf is a boutique shop area of Newport a few minutes from Ocean Drive.

Bowen’s Wharf and Thames Street for shopping and dining

Along with Castle Hill Inn’s highly-reviewed restaurant, Aurelia, where the tasting menu includes dishes like grilled octopus and fresh lobster, locals can also try one of the many restaurants along Thames Street and in Bowen’s Wharf downtown. Bar ‘Cino is known for its sharable plates and grilled pizzas, and the Mooring is a go-to for New England Clam Chowder. Streets here are narrow one-ways, and many storefronts date back to the 1890s. Businesses sell everything from Newport-branded tee shirts to imported spices, and long days of shopping are best punctuated with ice cream cones from Ben & Jerry’s. Locals can pick up groceries at Stop & Shop in Bellevue Plaza or head to A Market, an independent natural foods grocery in Bellevue Gardens Shopping Center.

The Claiborne Pell Elementary School in Newport is a wonderful new school.
The Claiborne Pell Elementary School in Newport is a wonderful new school.

Public school trajectories and St. George’s, a boarding school on the cliff

Private school options near Ocean Drive include St. Michael’s Country Day and St. George’s, which earned an A-minus and A-plus from the educational review site, Niche, respectively. St. George’s was founded in the 1890s, back Cornelius Vanderbilt was busy building a Renaissance-Revival mansion on Ochre Point. The boarding school’s campus overlooks the Atlantic, and graduates have included Senators, Governors and Poets. Students can also attend public schools like Pell Elementary, which earned a C on Niche, Thompson Middle, which has a C-plus, and the B-rated Rogers High, set to move to a new building in 2025.

The Claiborne Pell Bridge, called the Newport Pell Bridge locally, can be seen from the Ocean Drive neighborhood and was opened in 1969.
The Claiborne Pell Bridge, called the Newport Pell Bridge locally, can be seen from the Ocean Drive neighborhood and was opened in 1969.

RIPTA trolleys and bridges off of Aquidneck Island

RIPTA – Rhode Island’s public transit system – looks a little different in Newport. Here, city buses are modeled to look like historic trolleys. According to Bowser, “Because Salve [Regina’s] there it means there’s a pretty reliable bus service — trolleys come down Ochre Point and Bellevue during the day. During the summertime, some of the trolleys even run free along Bellevue.” Pick up RIPTA bus 60 from the Newport Transit Center (or along Broadway) and ride it all the way over the Mt. Hope Bridge to Providence. Or take Route 138 and the Pell Bridge to Jamestown and the West Bay beyond. Although Newport has a smalltown airport of its own, most residents will book flights out of T.F. Green in Warwick. Medical care is readily accessible at Newport Hospital, a Lifespan facility on Powel Avenue.

Sara Caskey
Written By
Sara Caskey
Jonathan Coon
Photography Contributed By
Jonathan Coon
Everett Hall-McNeill
Video By
Everett Hall-McNeill

Agents Specializing in this Area

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood? Reach out to Samuel Alba, an experienced agent in this area.

Parks in this Area

Transit

Airport

Rhode Island Tf Green International

54 min drive

Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Ocean Drive US
Homicide 2 4
Sexual Assault 3 4
Assault with Weapon 2 4
Robbery 3 4
Burglary 3 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 2 4
Larceny 3 4
Crime Score 3 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$2,250,000
Median Single Family Price
$9,935,000
Median Townhouse Price
$2,975,000
Median 2 Bedroom Price
$1,475,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$1,298
Number of Homes for Sale
8
Last 12 months Home Sales
6
Months of Supply
16.00
Median List Price
$2,962,500
Median Discount From 1st List Price
11%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
70%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
299
Median Year Built
1981
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
3,891
Significantly above the national average
1,935
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
3,257
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,893
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,353
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
44,431

Open Houses

  • Sunday, Apr 27
    11am - 12:30pm

    19 Chartier Cir, Newport, RI 02840

    $2,950,000

    • 5 Beds
    • 3 Baths
    • 2,346 Sq Ft
    • 19 Chartier Cir

    Welcome to 19 Chartier Circle, where sky meets sea in one of Newport's most iconic and coveted locations- the Castle Hill neighborhood off scenic Ocean Drive. Perched at one of the highest elevations on Aquidneck Island, this property offers sweeping, panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the mouth of Narragansett Bay, creating an awe-inspiring backdrop that shifts with every tide and

    Eric Kirton Compass / Lila Delman Compass

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Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood? Reach out to Samuel Alba, an experienced agent in this area.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
1,006
Median Age
48
Population Density
1 person/acre
Population under 18
18.2%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
28.7%
Above the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$94,696
Above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$126,383

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
96.7%
College Graduates
56.9%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
27.4%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
58.1%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
48''
Average Winter Low Temperature
24°F
Average Summer High Temperature
77°F
Annual Snowfall
32''

Area Factors

Somewhat Bikeable

Bike Score®

28 / 100

Car-Dependent

Walk Score®

6 / 100

Minimal Transit

Transit Score®

0 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Ocean Drive