Town · Maine
Amherst, Maine
Amherst, town, in Hancock County, Maine. Amherst had 265 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 248 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 424 (±95). GEOID 2300901185.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
265
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 248 · ACS 2020-2024: 424 ±95
Median household income
$72,656
±$11,775 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$210,200
±$37,850 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
not published
Maine: $1,139
Where is Amherst and what county is it in?
Amherst is a town in Hancock County, Maine. It covers 39.3 square miles of land, 6 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Amherst, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 265 people lived in Amherst on July 1, 2025, up 6.9% since 2020, faster than Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 248 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 424 (±95).
| Measure | Amherst | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 424±95 | 56,460 | no clear change |
| Households | 191±33 | 25,572 | +68 |
| Average household size | 2.22±0.37 | 2.14 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 221±36 | 40,765 | +53 |
Amherst's population since 2000
From 230 in 2000 to 265 in 2025: up 15.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Amherst as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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?
The median resident of Amherst is 50.9 years old; 19.3% are under 18 and 24.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.4%.
| Measure | Amherst | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.9±9.9 | 49.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.3%±10.2 pts | 16.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.3%±7.3 pts | 26.6% | – |
| Male | 50.9%±4.8 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.4%±4.3 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.4%±4.2 pts | 92.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±6.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±6.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±6.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±6.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.7%±1.0 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4%±1.6 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.2%±0.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 13.7%±3.8 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 14.9%±4.7 pts | 15.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.2%±4.1 pts | 9.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.5%±1.2 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.3%±7.4 pts | 40.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 17.3%±7.5 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.0%±2.8 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0%±6.3 pts | 2.7% | – |
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 earn?
Half of Amherst's 191 households earn less than $72,656 a year (±$11,775), against $72,744 in Hancock County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $73,970 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Amherst | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,656±$11,775 | $72,744 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $92,255±$11,165 | $97,122 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,813±$7,182 | $44,241 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 6.1%±2.9 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0%±27.8 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.0%±6.6 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.7%±4.9 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.5%±5.4 pts | 91.2% | – |
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?
Owners occupy 96.9% of Amherst's occupied homes and renters 3.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $210,200 by its owner (±$37,850).
| Measure | Amherst | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $210,200±$37,850 | $310,400 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 50.0%±49.4 pts | 39.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,278±$156 | $1,673 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 96.9%±3.2 pts | 78.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 3.1%±3.2 pts | 21.5% | – |
| Housing units | 221±36 | 40,765 | +53 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±13.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±100.0 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 90.5%±4.4 pts | 80.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.2%±4.1 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.3%±1.9 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.5%±6.0 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 25.8%±7.4 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.0%±1.4 pts | 6.2% | – |
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 many new homes is Amherst building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Amherst in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 15.1 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Amherst work and get to work?
78.6% of Amherst's workers drive alone and 11.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.2 minutes.
| Measure | Amherst | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.0%±6.0 pts | 60.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.5%±2.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.6%±6.2 pts | 68.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.1%±4.9 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±14.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.0%±14.0 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.0%±5.6 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.2 min±4.2 | 25.4 min | −22.5 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?
No census tract lies mostly in Amherst; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9651Hancock County | 2,627 | $66,733 |
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) · Census block assignment files
How does Amherst compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Amherst is the 11,750th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 376th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Amherst is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 376th | 454 |
Amherst's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Amherst 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?
21 of the 56 figures for Amherst 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 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' school search.