North Shore (Massachusetts)

North Shore
Region of Massachusetts
Map of the North Shore region of Massachusetts highlighted in yellow based on the region defined by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, with areas sometimes included in the region on other lists highlighted in light brown
The North Shore region of Massachusetts
Map
Coordinates: 42°36′N 70°48′W / 42.6°N 70.8°W / 42.6; -70.8
Country United States
State Massachusetts
Metropolitan areaGreater Boston
SubregionsMerrimack Valley, Cape Ann
Population
 (2010)
 • Total636,187
Largest municipality (population)Lynn (94,654)
Largest municipality
(land)		Ipswich (42.51 square miles)

The North Shore is a region in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, loosely defined as the sea coast between Boston and New Hampshire. Its counterpart is the South Shore region extending south and east of Boston.

The North Shore is a significant historical, cultural, and economic region of Massachusetts. The southern North Shore includes historic towns that are now part of the Boston metropolis. The Salem witch trials took place here. At the northern end, the Merrimack Valley was an important center of the Industrial Revolution in the United States. The North Shore includes a number of places that are significant in the literary and cultural history of the United States.

The North Shore landscape includes seaports, fishing villages, and rocky coastline dotted with marshes and wetlands, as well as beaches and natural harbors. Cape Ann is the largest promontory.