CITY · 2020 ACS
Amherst
Massachusetts · 39,263 residents · 27.6 sq mi
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The short version
Amherst is home to 39,263 people in Massachusetts. The median age is 21.8, younger than the US median of 38.8. 71% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. 50% were living in the same home a year earlier. Owners hold 44% of the housing stock. 25.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 21.8
US median: 38.8
More educated
71% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth
Land area
27.6 sq mi
Population, 2020 – 2024
202438K
Age distribution, 2020
Under 52.1%(815)
5 to 92.4%(937)
10 to 142.6%(1,020)
15 to 1923.7%(9,318)
20 to 2432%(12,548)
25 to 349.6%(3,780)
35 to 445.4%(2,121)
45 to 545.6%(2,196)
55 to 646.4%(2,510)
65 to 746.1%(2,378)
75 to 842.9%(1,153)
85 and over1.2%(487)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$56,906
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2021
vs $61,127 in 2021
US average: $66,278
2020 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
44.5%
−1.1 ptsvs 2021
vs 45.6% in 2021
US average: 43.9%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information10.4%
Retail trade3%
Other services2.7%
Wholesale trade1.9%
Public administration1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
Finance & insurance1.6%
Professional, scientific, technical1.5%
Transportation & warehousing0.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
Construction0.3%
Education & health services0.1%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$369,600
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2021
vs $392,900 in 2021
US average: $265,253
2020 – 2024
6.5
+1%vs 2021
vs 6.4 in 2021
2020 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2021
White, non-Hispanic66.9%(26,382)
Black5.5%(2,185)
Hispanic / Latino8.2%(3,246)
Asian13.1%(5,154)
Other6.2%(2,449)
2020
White, non-Hispanic61.5%(24,135)
Black5.7%(2,228)
Hispanic / Latino9.7%(3,807)
Asian17.8%(6,975)
Other6.1%(2,409)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican2.3%(928)
South American1.4%(570)
Central American1.1%(423)
Mexican0.8%(321)
Salvadoran0.7%(296)
Ecuadorian0.6%(227)
Colombian0.4%(152)
Cuban0.4%(146)
Dominican0.4%(141)
Spaniard0.3%(104)
Peruvian0.2%(66)
Argentine0.1%(56)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(33)
Chilean0.1%(33)
Costa Rican0.1%(31)
Guatemalan0.1%(20)
Bolivian0%(15)
Honduran0%(11)
Paraguayan0%(11)
Venezuelan0%(10)
Asian origin
Chinese5.9%(2,354)
Asian Indian3.3%(1,330)
Korean1.2%(496)
Vietnamese1.1%(431)
Thai0.3%(134)
Laotian0.3%(128)
Filipino0.3%(122)
Japanese0.2%(98)
Sri Lankan0.2%(98)
Pakistani0.2%(84)
Cambodian0.1%(46)
Taiwanese0.1%(22)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Ancestry
Irish14.4%(5,779)
Italian10.3%(4,137)
English9.3%(3,717)
German8.1%(3,236)
Polish4.8%(1,920)
Subsaharan African2.8%(1,107)
French2.5%(993)
French Canadian1.8%(711)
American1.5%(594)
Scottish1.4%(571)
Welsh1.4%(542)
Russian1.3%(521)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Portuguese1.1%(457)
Cape Verdean1%(408)
Swedish1%(396)
Greek1%(394)
West Indian0.9%(378)
Lithuanian0.9%(352)
Dutch0.8%(305)
Norwegian0.8%(305)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(276)
British0.6%(255)
Brazilian0.6%(235)
Austrian0.6%(231)
Ukrainian0.5%(214)
Danish0.4%(176)
Nigerian0.4%(146)
Jamaican0.4%(140)
Romanian0.3%(132)
Haitian0.3%(132)
Iranian0.3%(127)
Hungarian0.3%(121)
Armenian0.3%(115)
Finnish0.3%(106)
Israeli0.2%(99)
Slovak0.2%(98)
Canadian0.2%(97)
Lebanese0.2%(83)
Syrian0.2%(72)
Czech0.2%(71)
Turkish0.2%(67)
Croatian0.1%(58)
Egyptian0.1%(51)
Kenyan0.1%(47)
Swiss0.1%(42)
Guyanese0.1%(40)
Belgian0.1%(34)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(32)
Ghanaian0.1%(28)
Barbadian0.1%(24)
Ethiopian0.1%(21)
Australian0%(18)
Arab0%(16)
Serbian0%(13)
Palestinian0%(8)
Macedonian0%(5)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
96.5%
−0.9 ptsvs 2021
vs 97.4% in 2021
US average: 88.5%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.7%
US average: 73.3%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
98.0%
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married74.8%(13,154)
Married19.9%(3,505)
Widowed0.4%(73)
Divorced4.9%(862)
Women 15+
Never married72.8%(13,557)
Married20.2%(3,768)
Widowed2.4%(441)
Divorced4.5%(846)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
22.5%
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
0.7%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
84.9%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
22.1%
US average: 35.2%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)32%(206)
Gulf War (1990s)27.7%(178)
Vietnam era36.4%(234)
Korean War5.3%(34)
World War II7.6%(49)
Share of the 643 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Amherst, Massachusetts?
Amherst, Massachusetts has about 39,263 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Amherst, Massachusetts?
The typical household in Amherst, Massachusetts earns about $56,906 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Amherst, Massachusetts expensive?
In Amherst, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $369,600, and the typical rent is about $1,275 a month.
How educated are people in Amherst, Massachusetts?
About 71.0% of adults age 25 and over in Amherst, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Amherst, Massachusetts?
About 25.1% of people in Amherst, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.
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MassachusettsDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024