Compare towns
Boston vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Boston | Amherst |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,948Lowest |
130,546Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+5.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 51.5±3.5Highest 29% above NY |
39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.5%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.2%±1Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±3.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±0.9Lowest 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+ | 32%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $92,482±$16kLowest 8% above NY |
$93,483±$2kHighest 9% 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 | $266,900±$18kLowest 37% below NY |
$311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,347±$49Lowest 17% below NY |
$1,393±$45Highest 14% 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 | $4,758Lowest 28% below NY |
$5,935Highest 10% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±33.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
53.1%±4.3Lowest 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 | 4.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 7 yrs newer than NY |
1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 27% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.5%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #414 of 484 in NY | #72 of 484 in NY |
| School district | HAMBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL |
| 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.