KINGSTON /Rocky Nook
A grassy park, nice playground and sandy beach

By TERI BORSETI
For The Patriot Ledger Area: 20.39 sq. mi.

POPULATION
2000: 11,780
2007: 12,320

Density: 665 res./sq. mi.
Median age: 39
Median household income: $61,204

FINANCES
Tax rate: $10.31
Town budget: $33.8 million
Avg. water bill: $300/yr.

HOUSING
Median home price
2006: $365,000 (154 sales)
2007: $315,000 (127)
Median condo price
2006: $275,000 (12)
2007: $228,636 (10)

SCHOOLS
Number of students: 1,150
Number of teachers (K-6): 27
H.S. grads to 4-yr. college: n/a
H.S. grads to 2-yr. college: n/a
Median SAT score (2006) at Silver Lake: 1524

Carolyn McCarthy has lived 32 years in her ranch-style house in Kingston’s Rocky Nook section. She and her husband have enjoyed their waterfront view, but they are ready to downsize to an age specific community in Plymouth.

“It will be nice not to have to worry about maintenance or yard work,” McCarthy said.

The house has been in her family for 50 years and at one point, her father-in-law owned five lots along Braintree Avenue and Wharf Lane.

“We had the house on the market for awhile at $749,900, but we took it off for the winter,” she said. “We plan to put it back on in spring.”

Meredith Hunt of Coldwell-Banker in Duxbury said waterfront properties sell high no matter what. “People will buy a house like that for the land it’s on and tear it down. They’re not making any more waterfront property, so it retains its value,” she said.

Several tear-downs have taken place in the Nook since the neighborhood was connected to the town sewer system two years ago, Hunt said.

The Kingston neighborhood along Grey’s Beach was once home to summer cottages but many have been transformed into year-round homes. It’s a tad crowded, but the area offers a small-town feeling and views of Duxbury, Kingston Harbor and the Plymouth coastline.

The white sandy beach and grassy park has picnic tables and a playground. In summer, the small beach is open to Kingston residents only and “The Beach Hut” serves refreshments.

Houses along Braintree Avenue, Wharf Lane and Howland’s Lane, which leads into the neighborhood, are steps from the outdoor amenities.

McCarthy likes to show visitors a newspaper photo from 1908 a public clambake that was taken on the beach in her backyard. “We’ve gone clamming out here a few times ourselves, but the best part is that I can swim right here,” she said.

Joe Brodeur, who bought his house on Wharf Lane 30 years ago for $35,000, says he has enjoyed every minute of living on the Nook. “In summer I love to walk to the beach. I meet so many nice people,” he said.

The house, like many in the area, was a ranch but now has a second floor and a huge deck.

Rocky Nook is home to a wide variety of house styles, sizes and price ranges. Small cottages can still be bought for $200,000 but some houses cost as much as $1 million, Hunt said.

Hunt has a property for sale on Howland’s Lane. “It’s a house that was built in 1925 and has all the character of the period with all the modern conveniences people want today. List price is $314,900,” she said.

While there are a few summer rentals in the area the vast majority of the houses there are lived in year round making it more of a stable community. “This area looks beautiful in every season and in summer the breeze is beautiful,” Brodeur said.

The neighborhood is just a couple of miles from Route 3 and the Kingston Independence Mall. Residents also can walk to a few stores out on the main road (Route 53).