City · Texas
Amherst, Texas
Amherst, city, in Lamb County, Texas. Amherst had 640 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 678 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 902 (±346). GEOID 4803084.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
640
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 678 · ACS 2020-2024: 902 ±346
Median household income
$63,611
±$16,072 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$35,500
±$20,661 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$779
±$676 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Amherst and what county is it in?
Amherst is a city in Lamb County, Texas. It covers 0.9 square miles of land, 741 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 640 people lived in Amherst on July 1, 2025, down 4.0% since 2020, while Texas grew 8.8%. The 2020 Census counted 678 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 902 (±346).
| Measure | Amherst | Lamb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 902 ±346 | 12,828 | no clear change |
| Households | 256 ±63 | 4,677 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.41 ±1.10 | 2.70 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 296 ±60 | 5,885 | no clear change |
Amherst's population since 2000
From 791 in 2000 to 640 in 2025: down 19.1%. 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 37.3 years old; 25.6% are under 18 and 17.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 76.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 22.0%. 38.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Amherst | Lamb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 ±10.6 | 37.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.6% ±8.5 pts | 27.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.1% ±8.0 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Male | 41.8% ±8.9 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 76.2% ±12.2 pts | 58.3% | +21.7 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 22.0% ±11.7 pts | 36.0% | −18.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.4 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±1.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 38.5% ±11.0 pts | 13.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 69.7% ±10.2 pts | 43.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.3% ±2.2 pts | 4.3% | – |
| With a disability | 8.5% ±5.0 pts | 14.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 49.5% ±15.0 pts | 25.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 75.6% ±9.4 pts | 78.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 10.8% ±5.9 pts | 14.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.7% ±4.3 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.3% ±4.6 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
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 256 households earn less than $63,611 a year (±$16,072), against $60,760 in Lamb County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $61,706 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 47.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Amherst | Lamb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,611 ±$16,072 | $60,760 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $63,721 ±$11,178 | $73,561 | – |
| Per capita income | $20,471 ±$8,923 | $28,888 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 47.9% ±26.1 pts | 15.0% | +32.5 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 65.4% ±29.9 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.3% ±3.0 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±17.7 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.7% ±11.9 pts | 84.7% | – |
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 67.6% of Amherst's occupied homes and renters 32.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $35,500 by its owner (±$20,661).
| Measure | Amherst | Lamb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $35,500 ±$20,661 | $82,400 | −$34,403 |
| Median gross rent | $779 ±$676 | $968 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0% ±61.3 pts | 37.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,446 ±$609 | $1,267 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.6% ±13.9 pts | 74.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.4% ±13.9 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Housing units | 296 ±60 | 5,885 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±23.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±40.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 94.3% ±4.9 pts | 86.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.4% ±4.4 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±15.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.5% ±7.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.1% ±6.5 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.7% ±3.8 pts | 3.2% | – |
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 0 new housing units in Amherst in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 6.6 across Texas.
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?
76.0% of Amherst's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 18.7 minutes.
| Measure | Amherst | Lamb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.2% ±10.1 pts | 60.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±13.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.0% ±10.1 pts | 80.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.1% ±8.2 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±13.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 7.3% ±6.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.7% ±1.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.7 min ±4.7 | 16.4 min | no clear change |
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 9503Lamb County | 2,365 | $66,548 |
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 Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Amherst is the 12,208th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 926th-most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
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 | 926th | 1,224 |
Amherst's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, 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?
23 of the 57 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' public schools in Amherst.