City · Massachusetts
Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Amherst Town, city, in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Amherst Town had 40,920 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 39,263 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 38,182 (±37). GEOID 2501370.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
40,920
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 39,263 · ACS 2020-2024: 38,182 ±37
Median household income
$66,968
±$7,106 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$484,900
±$21,231 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$1,671
±$93 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Amherst Town and what county is it in?
Amherst Town is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It covers 27.6 square miles of land, 1,421 residents per square mile in 2020.
Amherst Town is in the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Amherst Town, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 40,920 people lived in Amherst Town on July 1, 2025, up 4.2% since 2020, faster than Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 39,263 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 38,182 (±37).
The yearly series starts from the Census Bureau's July 2020 estimate, 27,803, which differs from its April 2020 base of 39,269 (in 2020 the estimates dipped in many college and military towns), so the first step is large; the change since 2020 above is measured from the April base.
| Measure | Amherst Town | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 38,182 ±37 | 162,028 | – |
| Households | 9,700 ±449 | 62,114 | – |
| Average household size | 2.21 ±0.10 | 2.24 | – |
| Housing units | 10,925 ±392 | 66,786 | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Amherst Town?
The median resident of Amherst Town is 21.4 years old; 7.5% are under 18 and 10.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 65.4%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 14.3%. 16.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Amherst Town | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.4 ±0.2 | 37.4 | – |
| Under 18 years | 7.5% ±0.8 pts | 14.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.1% ±1.0 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Male | 48.5% ±1.7 pts | 46.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.0% ±1.4 pts | 7.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 65.4% ±1.9 pts | 80.3% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.7% ±0.9 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 14.3% ±0.9 pts | 5.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.5% ±1.0 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 16.1% ±1.8 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 23.3% ±1.9 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.3% ±0.4 pts | 5.1% | – |
| With a disability | 10.2% ±1.6 pts | 12.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.2% ±0.6 pts | 1.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.9% ±1.6 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 75.6% ±3.4 pts | 51.6% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 53.0% ±4.4 pts | 27.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 54.3% ±2.6 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 6.9% ±1.1 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Amherst Town earn?
Half of Amherst Town's 9,700 households earn less than $66,968 a year (±$7,106), against $87,001 in Hampshire County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. 23.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Amherst Town | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,968 ±$7,106 | $87,001 | – |
| Mean household income | $113,283 ±$14,303 | $117,323 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,708 ±$3,175 | $45,568 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 23.7% ±3.2 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.4% ±7.5 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.5% ±2.5 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.2% ±0.9 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.3% ±2.4 pts | 92.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Amherst Town?
Owners occupy 44.2% of Amherst Town's occupied homes and renters 55.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $484,900 by its owner (±$21,231). The median renter pays $1,671 a month including utilities, and 56.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Amherst Town | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $484,900 ±$21,231 | $390,300 | – |
| Median gross rent | $1,671 ±$93 | $1,388 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 56.7% ±7.8 pts | 44.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,783 ±$163 | $2,256 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 44.2% ±4.3 pts | 67.8% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 55.8% ±4.3 pts | 32.2% | – |
| Housing units | 10,925 ±392 | 66,786 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.2% ±3.6 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 41.6% ±3.2 pts | 59.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.6% ±1.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.7% ±2.1 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 23.2% ±3.7 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.5% ±4.4 pts | 7.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Amherst Town work and get to work?
40.7% of Amherst Town's workers drive alone and 21.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.7%.
| Measure | Amherst Town | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.1% ±2.2 pts | 61.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% ±1.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 40.7% ±3.4 pts | 64.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.2% ±1.6 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 8.4% ±2.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Walked | 20.4% ±2.6 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 21.0% ±2.8 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.0 min ±1.3 | 23.2 min | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Amherst Town?
7 census tracts lie mostly in Amherst Town (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $49,938 (Tract 8205) to $97,308 (Tract 8208.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8204Hampshire County | 13,502 | not published |
| Tract 8203Hampshire County | 7,451 | $65,330 |
| Tract 8205Hampshire County | 6,272 | $49,938 |
| Tract 8208.01Hampshire County | 5,143 | $97,308 |
| Tract 8207Hampshire County | 3,584 | $79,052 |
| Tract 8206Hampshire County | 1,727 | not published |
| Tract 8208.02Hampshire County | 503 | not published |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Amherst Town) · Census block assignment files
How does Amherst Town compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Amherst Town is the 1,010th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 35th-most populous of 58 in Massachusetts.
Amherst Town ranks 423rd of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 35th | 58 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 36th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 133rd | 461 |
| Median household income | 423rd | 453 |
| Per capita income | 451st | 460 |
| Median home value | 257th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 184th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 4th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35th | 459 |
| Median age | 460th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 444th | 460 |
| Work from home | 156th | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 440th | 459 |
Amherst Town's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Amherst Town with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Amherst Town?
6 of the 57 figures for Amherst Town on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Amherst Town are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Amherst Town.