Amherst, MA vs North Adams, MA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricAmherst, MANorth Adams, MA
Population38,18212,606
Median Household Income$66,968$47,500
Median Rent$1,671/mo$793/mo
Median Home Value$484,900$195,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)10095
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income60.8%59.5%
Poverty Rate23.7%18.6%
Unemployment Rate4.7%5.4%
Violent Crime Rate /100k1401,183
Property Crime Rate /100k2952,543
Median AQI3638
Good AQI Days /yr312285
Summer Highs81°F79°F
Winter Lows17°F17°F
Snowfall37 in/yr85 in/yr
Avg Commute18 min17.4 min
Hospitals—1
Avg Hospital Rating——
Students per Teacher10.110.1
College Degree Rate75.6%28.4%
Foreign-Born %16.1%5.4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+4.2%-4.4%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.