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View of downtown Amherst, Massachusetts, seen from above the Amherst College quad.

Living in Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst is a town in Hampshire County in the Pioneer Valley, settled in 1703 and incorporated in 1759. It is home to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst College and Hampshire College, part of the Five College Consortium, and its town common and Main Street form the center of a downtown built around the colleges. Mount Norwottuck, part of the Holyoke Range, rises along the town's southern edge.

Amherst centerNorth AmherstSouth Amherst

By James Allen, NMLS 1216446 · Updated

Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0

Amherst at a glance

Amherst's villages and zip codes

Amherst center uses 01002, North Amherst has its own ZIP code, 01059, and the UMass Amherst campus uses 01003.

Amherst villages and zip codes
AreaZip codeWhere it is
Amherst center01002The downtown around the Town Common, Main Street and South Pleasant Street, where Town Hall, the library and Amherst College are located.
North Amherst01059A village in the northern part of town with its own center and post office along North Pleasant Street.
South Amherst01002The southern part of town toward the Holyoke Range and the Granby line.

Things to do in Amherst, MA

Start with Emily Dickinson Museum and Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, then 4 more below.

  1. Emily Dickinson Museum

    Two historic houses on Main Street: the Dickinson Homestead, the poet's birthplace and home from 1855 to 1886, and the Evergreens, built next door in 1856 for her brother Austin. Both are open for guided tours.

    Year-round

    280 Main St, Amherst, MA

    Plan a visit

  2. Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

    A museum dedicated to picture-book illustration, founded by the author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, with galleries, an art studio and a theater.

    Year-round

    125 West Bay Rd, Amherst, MA

    Plan a visit

  3. Mead Art Museum

    Amherst College's art museum, with a collection spanning American, European and Asian art, open to the public free of charge.

    FreeYear-round

    Amherst College, Amherst, MA

  4. W.E.B. Du Bois Library

    The University of Massachusetts Amherst's 26-story main library, among the tallest academic library buildings in the country, with public exhibit space.

    Year-round

    UMass Amherst campus, Amherst, MA

  5. Amherst Cinema Arts Center

    A nonprofit arthouse and independent movie theater in downtown Amherst showing first-run independent, documentary and foreign films.

    Year-round

    28 Amity St, Amherst, MA

    Plan a visit

  6. Norwottuck Rail Trail

    An 11-mile paved rail trail running from Northampton through Hadley and Amherst to Belchertown, part of the state-maintained Mass Central Rail Trail, used for walking, biking and cross-country skiing.

    FreeYear-round

    Multiple access points, Amherst, MA

More worth a visit

  • Beneski Museum of Natural HistoryAmherst College's natural history museum, with dinosaur track fossils and geology exhibits.
  • Jones LibraryThe town's main public library on Amity Street, with local history archives.Website
  • Hitchcock Center for the EnvironmentAn environmental education center with trails and programs on a former town-owned farm site.
  • Yiddish Book CenterA center preserving and translating Yiddish literature, located on the Hampshire College campus.Website

Around the calendar

  • April
    Amherst Sustainability Festival

A little history

Amherst was settled by Europeans in 1703 as part of Hadley, and was incorporated as its own town on February 13, 1759, named for Jeffery Amherst, a British Army officer.

Amherst College was founded in 1821, and the Massachusetts Agricultural College, the forerunner of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, opened in the town in 1867.

The poet Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst in 1830 and lived most of her life at the family home on Main Street, now the Emily Dickinson Museum.

Parks, trails and outdoors in Amherst

The Holyoke Range along Amherst's southern edge and the Norwottuck Rail Trail give the town both hill trails and a flat, paved route connecting to neighboring towns.

  • Norwottuck Rail TrailAn 11-mile paved rail trail from Northampton through Amherst to Belchertown, with a former rail bridge crossing the Connecticut River near Hadley.
  • Mount Norwottuck / Holyoke Range State ParkA summit of about 1,100 feet on the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail along Amherst's southern border, shared with neighboring towns, with ridge-top views.
  • Puffer's PondA town-owned pond and conservation area in North Amherst used for swimming and walking trails.
  • Lawrence SwampA town conservation area in South Amherst with wetland walking trails.

Where to eat in Amherst: restaurants and coffee

4 places in Amherst to try, including deli and bakery and coffee shop and bar. No one paid to be listed.

Walkability and getting around Amherst

Downtown Amherst around the Town Common, Main Street and South Pleasant Street is dense and walkable, with the Amherst College and UMass campuses connected by sidewalks and bike lanes, but North and South Amherst's residential areas are more spread out and generally require a car.

Amherst center

4 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002

Check any Amherst address

Drive times

  • Springfield, about 22 miles35-40 min
  • Bradley International Airport, about 40 miles55-65 min

Approximate, without traffic.

By bus or train

The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) runs multiple routes through Amherst connecting downtown, the UMass campus, Amherst College and Hampshire College with Northampton, Hadley and Holyoke; several routes are free to ride. Amherst has no train station of its own; the nearest Amtrak Valley Flyer service is at Holyoke or Northampton station.

Amherst property taxes

Amherst's FY2026 residential tax rate is $16.91 per $1,000 of assessed value. Massachusetts assesses homes at full value, so each $100,000 of assessed value costs about $1,691 a year. The average single-family tax bill was $9,957, on an average assessed value of $588,826.

Amherst's FY2026 tax rates

$16.91per $1,000, residential

  • Residential$16.91 per $1,000
  • Average single-family assessed value$588,826
  • Average single-family tax bill$9,957
  • Motor vehicle excise (statewide)$25 per $1,000 of value

Source: Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Tax Rates by Class and Average Single Family Tax Bill.

Amherst property tax calculator

$
Assessed value (100%)
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Taxes a year
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About this much a month
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Estimate at the FY2026 residential rate; the assessor's value sets the bill.

Add it to a full payment estimate

How the residential rate has changed

Fiscal yearResidential rate
FY2022$21.27
FY2023$20.10
FY2024$18.51
FY2025$17.95
FY2026$16.91

Look up a Amherst property

Buying a home in Amherst

What we check on a Amherst purchase: MassHousing limits, the flood map, the smoke certificate, smoke & co certificate, college-area rentals.

MassHousing

First-time buyer programs

MassHousing sets its own income and price limits for Hampshire County. We check them with you before you shop.

MassHousing home loans
Flood maps

Check the flood zone first

Amherst is not directly on the Connecticut River, but low-lying areas near the Fort River and Mill River tributaries can fall within FEMA-mapped flood zones. We check FEMA's map before you offer.

FEMA's flood map for Amherst
Before closing

Smoke and CO certificate

Massachusetts requires the seller to get a smoke and carbon monoxide certificate from the Amherst Fire Department before the sale closes.

Smoke & CO certificate

Massachusetts requires a smoke and CO certificate before closing

Sellers in Massachusetts need a smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm compliance certificate from the local fire department before a home sale can close. Amherst's Fire Department handles these inspections.

Amherst Fire Department
College-area rentals

Parts of town mix owner-occupied homes with student rentals

Areas near the Amherst College, UMass and Hampshire College campuses include a mix of owner-occupied homes and off-campus student rentals, which can affect a neighborhood's character and turnover. Ask about a property's rental history if that matters to you.

All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property and program requirements. MassHousing limits and eligibility are set by MassHousing and change from time to time.

James Allen

Thinking about buying in Amherst?

We're licensed in Massachusetts. Send us a Amherst address and we'll run the numbers, taxes included.

Call (860) 398-5268 Text us Email the team

Compare loan optionsOur process

Moving to Amherst: utilities, trash and town hall

Who to call in Amherst: Eversource for power.

Amherst Transfer Station & Recycling Center

Old Belchertown Rd, Amherst, MA

Transfer station details

Town Hall offices and contacts

Amherst Town Hall is at 4 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM. Main line: 413-259-3333.

Amherst, MA FAQ: taxes and town services

What is the property tax rate in Amherst, MA?

Amherst's FY2026 residential tax rate is $16.91 per $1,000 of assessed value. Massachusetts fiscal years run July 1 to June 30.

How much are property taxes on a $400,000 home in Amherst?

Massachusetts taxes homes on their full assessed value. If a home is assessed at $400,000, that's about $6,764 a year at $16.91 per $1,000. The bill uses the assessor's value, not the sale price.

Does Amherst have a split tax rate?

No. Amherst uses a single rate of $16.91 per $1,000 for all property classes.

What is the average single-family tax bill in Amherst?

The average single-family tax bill in Amherst was $9,957 for FY2026, on an average assessed value of $588,826.

What county is Amherst, MA in?

Amherst is in Hampshire County, in the Pioneer Valley.

What ZIP codes does Amherst use?

Amherst center uses 01002, North Amherst has its own ZIP code, 01059, and the UMass Amherst campus uses 01003.

How far is Amherst from Springfield?

Amherst is about 22 miles from Springfield, roughly a 35-40 minute drive.

Is there a train station in Amherst?

No. Amherst has no train station of its own; the nearest Amtrak Valley Flyer service is at Holyoke or Northampton station.

Who supplies electricity in Amherst?

Eversource provides electric service in Amherst; the town does not have a municipal light plant.

Is trash pickup curbside in Amherst?

Residents can arrange curbside collection through a licensed private hauler or use the town's Transfer Station & Recycling Center on Old Belchertown Road, which requires a vehicle sticker.

Towns near Amherst

Neighbors of Amherst, including across the Connecticut line where it applies. All Massachusetts town guides.

Sources