City · Hampshire County, Massachusetts

Amherst Town, Massachusetts

Amherst Town is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, part of the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metro area. It has 38,182 residents. Amherst Town, Massachusetts has a quality-of-life score of 78 out of 100 (high), ranking #3,384 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Massachusetts it ranks #157 of 225 cities and towns. It ranks best on mental health providers (high), flu vaccinations (high) and bachelor's degree or higher (high). It ranks worst on income inequality (Gini index) (high), new business applications (low) and home price to income ratio (high).

78High

Quality-of-life score: #3,384 of 15,651 cities and towns
Massachusetts: #157 of 225 in MA
Population: 38,182 (2020-2024)
Land area: 28 mi²
Density: 1,382.2 /mi²
FIPS code: 2501370

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

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Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety74#3,994/15,637
Economy15#13,257/15,631
Housing0#14,949/14,977
Health85#2,315/15,609
Healthcare97#489/15,650
Environment68#4,888/15,453
Education92#1,248/15,649
Infrastructure96#687/15,650
Community58#6,597/15,651
Leisure & amenities83#2,678/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Amherst Town, Massachusetts ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Hampshire County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Mental health providers · high1,150 /100k
99/100Massachusetts 787 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHampshire County value
Flu vaccinations · high61.0%
99/100Massachusetts 55.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHampshire County value
Bachelor's degree or higher · high75.6%
98/100Massachusetts 47.3%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Public transit commuters · high8.4%
97/100Massachusetts 6.5%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301
Public EV charging ports · high21.3 /10k
96/100Massachusetts 16.4 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyHampshire County value
Students per teacher · low10.7×
96/100Massachusetts 11.9×United States 15.2×2024National Center for Education StatisticsHampshire County value

Weaknesses

Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.555
1/100Massachusetts 0.489United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
New business applications · low6.9 /1k
2/100Massachusetts 11.1 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauHampshire County value
Home price to income ratio · high7.2×
5/100Massachusetts 5.4×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Rent-burdened households · high68.1%
6/100Massachusetts 51.8%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Poverty rate · high23.7%
8/100Massachusetts 9.8%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Comfortable days · low23.5%
14/100Massachusetts 24.3%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationHampshire County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
71.0% (2016-2020) → 75.6% (2020-2024)
+4.6 pts4 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.9% → 35.7%
Rent as share of incomeImproving
45.3% (2016-2020) → 41.1% (2020-2024)
−4.2 pts4 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.6% → 30.6%
Median household incomeImproving
$56,906 (2016-2020) → $66,968 (2020-2024)
+18%4 yearsCensus table B19013US $67,340 → $81,604
Public transit commutersWorsening
11.6% (2016-2020) → 8.4% (2020-2024)
−3.2 pts4 yearsCensus table B08301US 4.6% → 3.2%
Unemployment rateImproving
10.8% (2016-2020) → 7.7% (2020-2024)
−3.1 pts4 yearsCensus table B23025US 8.1% → 4.0%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
6.5× (2016-2020) → 7.2× (2020-2024)
+11%4 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

There is not enough history to compare Amherst Town, Massachusetts over five years.

Cities and towns like Amherst Town, Massachusetts five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Amherst Town, Massachusetts in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

No place that looked like Amherst Town, Massachusetts five years ago has more measures that improved than declined, with a higher standing among its peers today.

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

38,182 residents (±37)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

38,182 residents (±37)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

White65%24,953
Black4.7%1,810
Hispanic or Latino9.0%3,429
Asian14%5,459
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%†5
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races6.6%2,526

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

12,674 residents (±695)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

No high school diploma3.1%†398
High school or GED7.6%965
Some college9.7%1,225
Associate degree4.0%†510
Bachelor's degree23%2,863
Graduate degree53%6,713

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

9,700 households (±449)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Under $25k27%2,620
$25k–50k11%1,084
$50k–75k16%1,556
$75k–100k8.0%775
$100k–150k11%1,111
$150k–200k9.7%943
$200k or more17%1,611

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

9,700 households (±449)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Own44%4,288
Rent56%5,412

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

5,276 households (±518)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Under $75011%†573
$750–1,0009.7%†511
$1,000–1,50019%†1,009

Home values

4,288 homes (±426)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Under $150k3.7%†157
$150k–250k5.4%†233
$250k–400k22%937

Age of homes

10,925 homes (±392)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

2010 or later9.3%1,013
2000–20096.7%†729
1980–199924%2,578

Size of homes

10,925 homes (±392)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Studio7.5%†816
1 bedroom19%2,072
2 bedrooms23%2,550

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

15,941 workers (±744)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Drive alone41%6,488
Carpool6.2%987
Public transit8.4%1,343
Walk20%3,257
Bike2.2%†353
Work from home21%3,344
Other1.1%†169

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

12,597 workers (±789)

Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Massachusetts share

Under 15 min49%6,189
15–29 min32%4,057
30–44 min13%1,638
45–59 min

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Hampshire County, the county holding most of Amherst Town's residents.

Hampshire County has 3,491 employer establishments, 211 for every 10,000 residents (0.85× the US rate of 248; 0.81× Massachusetts's), with 49,009 paid employees at an average annual pay of $51,520. The Census Bureau also counts 14,183 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 3,491; 14,183 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 211; US 248 · Massachusetts 260
Paid employees: 49,009
Average annual pay: $51,520; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Hampshire County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	307	18.6	1.01×About typical	4,819	$25,465	27
Ambulatory health care services	262	15.9	0.76×Fewer than typical	3,382	$71,789	1,341
Specialty trade contractors	253	15.3	0.99×About typical	1,322	$75,747	801
Full-service restaurants	137	8.3	1.08×About typical	2,150	$28,720	13
Services to buildings and dwellings	131	7.9	1.18×About typical	642	$43,500	454
Construction of buildings	129	7.8	1.03×About typical	489	$65,106	306
Schools, colleges and instruction	111	6.7	1.92×More than typical	9,618	$43,702	965
Building equipment contractors	109	6.6	1.10×About typical	567	$71,503	183
Limited-service restaurants	106	6.4	0.80×Fewer than typical	1,863	$23,719	8
Landscaping services	101	6.1	1.75×More than typical	346	$55,861	199
Lessors of real estate	99	6	0.49×Fewer than typical	411	$50,482	1,109
Offices of other health practitioners	94	5.7	0.94×About typical	465	$57,344	984

Rank places for an industry Open Hampshire County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 165,217 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $25.7M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Amherst Town, Massachusetts: $673 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $25.7M; +572% vs FY2025
Per resident: $673; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.1%; US 30%
Single offer: 94%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

National Institutes of Health$19.4M76%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources$4.8M19%
Department of the Navy$783.2K3.0%
Defense Health Agency$702.1K2.7%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$21.7K0.1%
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education$18.9K0.1%
U.S. Geological Survey$9,0580.0%
Department of the Army$4,8230.0%

Top recipients

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE INVENTORS & INNOVATORS ALLIANCE, INC.$19.4M76%
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS$4.7M18%
FTL LABS CORP$1.2M4.5%
BLUERISC INC$324.1K1.3%
MILLIMETER WAVE SYSTEMS LLC$21.7K0.1%

Spending by fiscal year

3.5MFY2017
3.9MFY2018
5.9MFY2019
4MFY2020
3.5MFY2021
1.8MFY2022
4.1MFY2023
3.9M

Top industries (NAICS)

Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$24.2M94%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$1.5M5.7%
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing · 3345$21.7K0.1%
Educational support services · 6117$18.9K0.1%
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing · 3241$9,0580.0%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617

Largest awards whose ZIP code lies mostly in Amherst Town, Massachusetts

RADX INNOVATION FUNNEL FOR HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES - AWARD MANAGEMENT$35.3M
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE INVENTORS & INNOVATORS ALLIANCE, INC.· Hampshire County, MA· Professional services· Sep 24, 2026 – Sep 24, 2026· 75N98026F00002
OFFICE OF HEAD START REGION 1 TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NETWORK$4.8M
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS· Hampshire County, MA· Education & social services· Jun 30, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026· 7571MN26C00011
DARPA SBIR PHASE II FOR THE EFFORT ENTITLED: THIRD-PARTY VERIFICATION OF COTS SOFTWARE COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS$1.5M
BLUERISC INC· Hampshire County, MA· Research & development· Mar 6, 2023 – Dec 17, 2025· W31P4Q23C0024

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Amherst Town, Massachusetts, so they do not add up across cities.

Amherst Town, Massachusetts's figures are part of those of Hampshire County, MA ($144.5M in FY2026), never added to them: 18% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Amherst Town is mostly in Hampshire County.

See federal money in Hampshire County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Amherst Town, Massachusetts is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Hampshire County86100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Amherst Town-Northampton, MA90

Other cities and towns in Hampshire County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2501370

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Cities and towns like Amherst Town, Massachusetts five years ago that improved