7 Best Places to Live in Massachusetts
Open to exploring your options? Discover other great cities in Massachusetts with our detailed guide.
Median Age
26 Years
Largest Age Group
20-29 Years
Approximately 43% of Residents
Under 20
23%
Over 65
10%
Amherst, MA
Area Guide
Avg Rent
$1,845
Population
37,378
Renter Mix
56% Rent
Amherst is a vibrant and smart city
College Town
•
Vibrant
•
Nature
Academia is not in short supply in Amherst. The town, also nicknamed “Knowledge Corridor,” houses three out of five institutions of the Five College Consortium, including Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. So they really know their stuff here!
Much like the campuses, the city’s downtown area is vibrant and encompassed by a cinema, coffeehouses, diverse restaurants, and bookstores. Amherst Town Common is a large green space along North Pleasant Street, an ideal location for a pick-up Frisbee game or relaxing with a favorite novel under an oak tree. This college town has it all including Emily Dickinson’s childhood home, which is now a museum dedicated to the famous poet and her family.
Being immersed in culture is what makes Amherst a great city. Many conservations are located here, so the area is naturally beautiful year-round. In addition to Hampshire Mall and Interstate 91, locals want you to know how to say the city’s name correctly. Simply drop the “h” in Amherst and you have it. So it will be more like “Am-erst” when you say it out loud – got it?
Explore the City
Many houses in Amherst have decades of charm.
People walk along Amherst's historic Main Street lined with shops and restaurants.
Demographics
Median Household Income
$68,208
Average: $107,177
Education
14,037
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
16,790
Workers Employed
Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.
Housing Distribution
Amherst has more renters than homeowners.
Renters
56%
Non-Renters
44%
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
Bachelor's or Higher
32%
Other Education
68%
Rent Trends
As of June 2026, the average apartment rent in Amherst, MA is $2,015 for a studio, $1,845 for one bedroom, $2,156 for two bedrooms, and $2,999 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Amherst has increased by 2.0% in the past year.
Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,845/month
552 Sq Ft
House
$4,071/month
654 Sq Ft
Townhome
$1,995/month
735 Sq Ft
Learn More About Amherst
Getting Around
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Amherst, MA is for everyday living.
Fairly Walkable
Walkability
40
/ 100
Limited Public Transit
Transit
30
/ 100
Exceptionally Drivable
Drivability
100
/ 100
Moderately Bikeable
Bikeability
70
/ 100
Scores provided by
Schools
Public
Grades K-5
365 Students
Public
Grades K-5
365 Students
Public
Grades K-5
288 Students
Public
Grades K-5
288 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
358 Students
Amherst Regional Middle School
Public
Grades 6-8
375 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
808 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
808 Students
School data provided by
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Points of Interest
Shopping Centers
Parks and Recreation
- Beneski Museum of Natural History
- Norwottuck Rail Trail
- Hitchcock Center for the Environment
- Massachusetts Natural History Museum
- Orchard Hill Observatory
Airports
- Bradley International
- Worcester Regional
Top Apartments in Amherst
Houses for Rent in Amherst
Search Nearby Rentals
Nearby City Rentals
Nearby Neighborhood Rentals
Nearby House Rentals
Nearby City Guides
Methodology
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in June 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.