City in Massachusetts, United States

Amherst

$514kMedian Home
284Sunny Days/yr
61°FAvg High Temp
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View on MapPopulation40kCenter elevation269 ft
Quick Read

Long cold season, with rain spread fairly evenly through the year. Winter is not just a brief interruption. Noticeable daylight swing. Snow is a real part of winter.

About Amherst

Amherst is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. Amherst has a council–manager form of government, and is considered a city under Massachusetts state law. Amherst is one of several Massachusetts municipalities that have city forms of government but retain "The Town of" in their official names. At the 2020 census, the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County. The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, three of the Five Colleges.Wikipedia

Long winterEven rainfallNoticeable daylight swingThe People's Republic of Amherst
Place

Where It Is

Location Context
Amherst, Massachusetts
Latitude42.37°
Longitude-72.52°
Population40k
Center elevation269 ft

State Context

MassachusettsU.S. state

Massachusetts, officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode Island to its south, New Hampshire and Vermont to its north, and New York to its west. Massachusetts is the seventh-smallest state by land area. With an estimated population of over 7.1 million, it is the most populous state in New England, the 16th-most-populous in the United States, and the third-most densely populated U.S.Wikipedia

Income tax: Flat 5.00%*Avg sales tax: 6.25%Property tax: 1.04%Official school data available

About the Region

New England

New England sits at the northeastern edge of the American continent, where colonial-era brick cities give way to dense forests, rocky coastlines, and some of the sharpest seasonal swings in the country. Harsh winters and short days are offset by world-class autumn foliage and reliably mild summers. Boston anchors a global biotech and university corridor, while smaller cities like Portland (ME), Providence, and Burlington punch well above their demographic weight in food, arts, and startup energy.

Housing costs vary significantly across the region. Greater Boston has moved toward coastal norms, but mid-sized cities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont still represent some of the best value in the Northeast — walkable downtowns, strong school systems, and mountain or ocean access within an hour. Remote workers have accelerated this dynamic, and small lakeside and coastal towns that were once seasonal are now year-round communities.

Outdoors

Nature Access

Nature & Park Feeds

Closest protected landscapes, reserves, and big park systems surfaced from the same nearby feeds used in compare.

Distances in miles
National Park Service feed

Federal Park Sites

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OpenStreetMap feed

Local Nature & Reserves

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Sources: National Park Service and OpenStreetMap
People

City Profile

Median Age21 yrs
College Educated72%bachelor's or higher
Work From Home17%of workforce
Poverty Rate23%
Practical

Cost of Living

Housing
$3k/mo
Median rent
$514k
Median home price
Rent burden55% of income
Household Income
$68k
Median annual
Daily life

Livability

Walkability
47
School Rating
6.4/10
Internet
No internet coverage data yet.
The year

Climate

Sunshine
284
sunny days per year
78% of the year
Avg High Temp
61°F
annual average
Humidity Pattern
Humidity year-round
74% warm season / 71% cool season
Comfort Score
49/100
Mixed
Temp Swing
46°F
seasonal high-temp spread
Annual precipitation
53"
inches per year
Annual snowfall
33"
inches per year
Typical Air Quality
39
Good · 2024 modeled average
How To Read Comfort

Comfort combines temperature band fit, humidity fit, seasonal swing, and penalties for long stretches of extreme heat or cold. Higher scores mean the yearly pattern stays closer to an easier day-to-day climate band.

Monthly Temperature
Daylight Span (Sunrise to Sunset)
Precipitation Distribution
53" of precipitation per year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Humidity Through The Year
Hover any month for the exact RH value. This is measuring monthly relative humidity, not dew point or current weather.
humid summers
Summer 74% · Winter 71% · May-Sep 66-79%
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Hover a month for exact RH and seasonal context.
Right now

Current Conditions

Culture

Sports Footprint

League Snapshot

A quick read on how big the sports footprint is here, without making you squint through tiny chips.

College Programs
UMass Minutemen
Local directory

Local Next Steps

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