Signals
Northampton
Amherst Town
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs66 · Top 30%
Climate
60 · Bottom 13%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs38 · Bottom 3%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs76 · Top 18%
Access
98 · Top 15%
vs94 · Top 40%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 39%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Northampton | Amherst Town | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,962 | 38,182 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,288 | $66,968 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,705 | $30,708 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 904/sq mi | 1,382/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $429,700 | $484,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,439 | $1,671 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 44.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.7% | 75.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 21.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.75 | 10.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.3% | 41.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.2% | 53.0% | 2019-20 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
Northampton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Amherst Town
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Northampton
67
Your Score
67
Area Score
Amherst Town
63
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Northampton, MA · Amherst Town, MA · How this is calculated: methodology