What it's like to live in Amherst
Amherst is a small city in Massachusetts with crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Amherst deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
How Amherst compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Amherst
Based on Amherst's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,342
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $66,840 a year
- 61% of Amherst renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$96,980
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $48,490
- Homes cost 7.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 18% above US
$1,671/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,671 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $484,900. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $484,900 · 61% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 58% below US
140 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 295/100k · Amherst Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 31% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 5 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% take public transit; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 17°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 110% above US
76% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is New England National Scenic Trail (5 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Amherst's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,671/mo) equals 30% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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