Amherst Town vs Northampton
Amherst Town, Massachusetts versus Northampton, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Amherst Town and Northampton score about the same overall (48 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Amherst Town | Northampton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $68k | $81k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $56k |
| Home Value | $443k | $388k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.87% | 1.37% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.20% | 17.61% |
| Unemployment | 9.3% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.6 in | 52.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.5 in | 36.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 185 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 78 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 38.4 | 28.6 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 95.0 |
| Violent Crime | 423/100k | 1238/100k |
| Property Crime | 334/100k | 1252/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 33,389 | 28,245 |
| Median Age | 21.3 | 42.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.49 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.74 |
| Political Leaning | D+48 | D+48 |
| White (%) | 67.0% | 82.0% |
| Black (%) | 4.2% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.0% | 7.9% |
| Asian (%) | 13.4% | 3.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.4% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 12.9/20 | 11.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 31 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.8% | 87.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 44.03 | 50.63 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Amherst Town or Northampton more affordable?
- Northampton has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Amherst Town's $56k and Northampton's $56k. Median rent is $1k in Amherst Town versus $1k in Northampton.
- Is Amherst Town or Northampton safer?
- Amherst Town has the lower violent crime rate. Amherst Town reports 423/100k and Northampton reports 1238/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Amherst Town or Northampton?
- The median home value is $443k in Amherst Town and $388k in Northampton, so homes are more affordable in Northampton.