City profile · Ohio · Census ACS 2023

Amherst, OH

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Amherst - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

12,796
Residents
$93,043
Median income
$222,700
Median home
$1,279
Median rent (state)

Amherst - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Amherst places in the 73rd percentile for household income and the 54th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

73rd
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
44th
percentile, median rent
54th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Amherst, OH

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 12,796 residents in Amherst, a small town within Ohio. The typical household in Amherst brings in $93,043 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.7%. Typical homes in Amherst are valued around $222,700, and the median resident age is 43.4 years. Educational attainment runs 32.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 99% from five years earlier. Amherst reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1238.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Ohio run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Ohio at 92.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,279 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Ohio's average monthly utility costs around $228 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 86.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

12,796 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Ohio

Median Household Income

$93,043 /yr

Poverty 3.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.8 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Ohio average

How does Amherst compare to other US cities?

Here's how Amherst stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 73% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 44% pricier than other cities
Safety 54% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Ohio alone, Amherst ranks #150 of 281 Ohio cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Amherst against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Ohio only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Ohio-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Amherst toward the top of Ohio's cities

Among the 1,164 Ohio cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Amherst ranks #244 - the 79th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Amherst only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#196 of 1,145
83rd percentile in Ohio
Median Gross Rent
#254 of 1,196
69th percentile in Ohio
Median Home Value
#244 of 1,164
79th percentile in Ohio
Poverty Rate
#802 of 1,196
32nd percentile in Ohio
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#265 of 1,196
78th percentile in Ohio

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Ohio only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

73rdIncome percentile
54thSafety percentile

73rd percentile nationally for median household income · 54th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Amherst's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Amherst's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 60 Avg. percentile National median
Amherst's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Amherst's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$222,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Amherst $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Amherst, OH Amherst, OH's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Amherst, OH-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Amherst, OH median $93,043/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Amherst, OH's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Amherst, OH. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
12,796
Median Income
$93,043
Median Home Value
$222,700
Median Age
43.4
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Labor force participation
62.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1238.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
238.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1000.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,700 residents12,800 residents12,900 residents13,000 residents13,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,755 residents 12,974 residents ▲ +1.7%
Amherst's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 69
2020 65
2021 36
2022 34
2023 31
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 99% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.9%
Carpool
9.6%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
9.2%

Based on 6,490 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Ohio - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$78
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$228
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Ohio state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Ohio state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Amherst sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.8
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,279/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Ohio

Greenville
12,748 people
Fostoria
12,671 people
Wickliffe
12,639 people
Wilmington
12,637 people
Bedford
12,960 people
West Carrollton
13,008 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Amherst's 12,796 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Florida City, FL
12,791 people
Vadnais Heights, MN
12,789 people
Forrest City, AR
12,826 people
Stony Brook, NY
12,827 people
Santa Fe, TX
12,828 people
Cheney, WA
12,830 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Amherst's $93,043 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Spring Valley Lake, CA
$93,040 median income
Salisbury, MA
$93,052 median income
Meridianville, AL
$93,030 median income
Mount Kisco, NY
$93,057 median income
Milan, MI
$93,016 median income
Brandon, MS
$93,073 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Amherst, OH Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Amherst, OH - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.8% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.6% White 88.8% Black or African American 1.3% Asian 2.7% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.5% Two or more races 6.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Amherst compares to nearby Ohio cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Amherst (this city) 12,796 $93,043
Greenville 12,748 $46,664
Fostoria 12,671 $52,943
Wickliffe 12,639 $79,052
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OH FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Amherst, OH?

What is the population of Amherst, OH? +

The population of Amherst, OH stands at 12,796 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Amherst, OH? +

The median household income in Amherst is $93,043 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Amherst? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Amherst; the closest available measure is the Ohio state average, a cost of living index of 92.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Ohio vary by metro area.

Is Amherst, OH safe? +

Amherst has a total crime rate of 1238.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Amherst, OH? +

The median home value in Amherst is $222,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.