Compare towns
Amherst vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Boston has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Amherst | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 130,546Highest |
7,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
51.5±3.5Highest 29% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.5%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.3%±3.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Boston and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
32%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2kHighest 9% above NY |
$92,482±$16kLowest 8% above NY |
| Amherst and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY |
$266,900±$18kLowest 37% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY |
$1,347±$49Lowest 17% below NY |
| Amherst and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935Highest 10% below NY |
$4,758Lowest 28% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
62.2%±33.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Boston and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NY: 14% |
4.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
79.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1966Lowest 7 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 39% below NY |
24 minHighest 27% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.5%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #72 of 484 in NY | #414 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | HAMBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.