City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Amherst, WI

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.

1,033
Residents
$56,833
Median income
$218,000
Median home
$1,037
Median rent (state)

Amherst - the verdict

Nationally, Amherst sits in the 30th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

30th
percentile, household income
48th
percentile, home value
23rd
percentile, median rent
📝 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, WI

Amherst is a small town in Wisconsin, home to 1,033 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Amherst brings in $56,833 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.9%. Amherst's housing stock carries a median value of $218,000, and the median resident age is 44.5 years. 27.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 64.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Amherst (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: the state registers 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,037 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Wisconsin, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 62.7 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

1,033 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$56,833 /yr

Poverty 1.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin 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 30% higher than other cities
Home value 48% pricier than other cities
Median rent 23% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Amherst toward the bottom of Wisconsin's cities

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Amherst ranks #591 - the 21st 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
#571 of 753
24th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#426 of 761
42nd percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#256 of 754
66th percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#591 of 761
21st percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#242 of 761
68th percentile in Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

30thIncome percentile

30th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Amherst's home value compares nationally

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

$218,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 52% 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, WI Amherst, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Amherst, WI-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, WI median $56,833/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, WI'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, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.7%

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

Population
1,033
Median Income
$56,833
Median Home Value
$218,000
Median Age
44.5
Poverty Rate
1.9%
Labor force participation
64.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.8%

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 →
1,110 residents1,115 residents1,120 residents1,125 residents1,130 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,112 residents 1,119 residents ▲ +0.6%
Amherst's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 21
2020 5
2021 1
2022 5
2023 4
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.9%
Carpool
2.4%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
2.1%
Work from Home
16.3%
Other
1.7%

Based on 533 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,037/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
62.7 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Dresser
1,037 people
Dane
1,039 people
Crivitz
1,026 people
Eagle Lake
1,019 people
Clear Lake
1,050 people
Sister Bay
1,016 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Amherst's 1,033 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Oppelo, AR
1,033 people
Avalon, FL
1,033 people
Mexico Beach, FL
1,033 people
Chebanse, IL
1,033 people
Claverack-Red Mills, NY
1,033 people
Old Field, NY
1,033 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Amherst's $56,833 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wolsey, SD
$56,833 median income
Carlsbad, TX
$56,833 median income
Timberville, VA
$56,837 median income
South Paris, ME
$56,823 median income
Morongo Valley, CA
$56,821 median income
Horn Lake, MS
$56,847 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Amherst, WI 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, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 97.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 97.2% Black or African American 0.4% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 1.3% 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 Wisconsin 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) 1,033 $56,833
Dresser 1,037 $78,906
Dane 1,039 $110,769
Crivitz 1,026 $53,846
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Amherst, WI?

What is the population of Amherst, WI? +

Amherst, WI has a population of 1,033 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Amherst is $56,833 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 Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

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

Amherst's median home value sits at $218,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.