Massachusetts · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Amherst Town, MA

Prices around Amherst Town, MA run 0.2% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $66,968 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $2,004 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $80,160 a year.

Amherst Town, MA at a glance

Median household income

$66,968$5,581 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$2,004HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)100.2+0.2% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity29.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential MA
Population38,182Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Amherst Town, MA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$2,004Monthly market rent
Share of gross income35.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$80,160To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,674At 30% of $66,968
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Amherst Town, MA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Amherst Town-Northampton, MA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Amherst Town, MA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,382$16,584$55,28024.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,580$18,960$63,20028.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$2,004$24,048$80,16035.9%
3-Bedroom Home$2,504$30,048$100,16044.9%
4-Bedroom Home$2,702$32,424$108,08048.4%

Rent in Amherst Town, MA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Amherst Town, MA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $66,968 a year ($5,581 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,790/moRent ($2,004 2-BR), utilities (~$266/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,674/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,116/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $66,968 leaves after Massachusetts taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Massachusetts tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$66,968
$25,000$135,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$66,968
Net 79%
Fed 9%
MA 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$52,914After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,409Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,035Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,903 / yr
Massachusetts state income tax$3,028 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,123 / yr

Living in Amherst Town, MA: common questions

What is the median household income in Amherst Town, MA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Amherst Town, MA is $66,968 per year (approximately $5,581 per month).

What is the average rent in Amherst Town, MA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,382 for a studio, $1,580 for one bedroom, $2,004 for two, $2,504 for three and $2,702 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Amherst Town, MA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 0.2% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 100.2, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Amherst Town, MA?

To keep a $2,004 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $80,160 a year, or $6,680 a month. That is 120% of what the typical household in Amherst Town, MA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Amherst Town, MA?

On the local median income of $66,968 ($5,581 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,790 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,674 for everything else and $1,116 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $2,004 takes 72% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Amherst Town, MA?

Homes in Massachusetts paid 29.6¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $266. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.