Signals
Amherst Town
Cheney
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs57 · Top 48%
Climate
60 · Bottom 13%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
38 · Bottom 3%
vs48 · Bottom 9%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Amherst Town | Cheney | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,182 | 12,804 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,968 | $54,503 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,708 | $28,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,382/sq mi | 2,949/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $484,900 | $395,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,671 | $1,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.2% | 34.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.6% | 38.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.7% | 31.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 18.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 21.4 | 24.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.12 | 18.10 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Amherst Town
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Cheney
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Your best match
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Amherst Town
63
Your Score
—
Area Score
Cheney
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
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Full profiles: Amherst Town, MA · Cheney, WA · How this is calculated: methodology