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Amherst, VA

Full City Profile · Virginia · Amherst County County

3.3 /5.0
B Good
2,124 Population 433/sq mi density
$71,313 Median Income $37,964 per capita
$213,300 Home Value $282,888 Zillow
$686 Median Rent 26.1% income on rent
51°F Avg Temperature 318 sunny days/yr
138 Violent Crime/100K 643 property/100K
B
Overall
3.3 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.4 / 5.0
$71,313 median income, 0.8% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$213,300 home value, $686/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
138 violent crimes/100K
C+
Education
2.9 / 5.0
23.9% bachelor's degree or higher

Amherst, VA

At a Glance

Median Income
$71,313
5% below
$37,964 per capita
Home Value
$213,300
24% below
Zillow: $282,888
Median Rent
$686/mo
41% below
26.1% of income on rent
Violent Crime
138/100K
64% below
643/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
23.9%
29% below
89.0% high school+
Unemployment
0.8%
78% below
2.1% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
39.8%
24% above
15.7% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
51°F
318 sunny days/yr

How Amherst Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Amherst's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
95%
Home Value
76%
Rent
59%
Poverty
17%
Bachelor's
71%
Unemployment
22%
Crime
36%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Amherst a Good Place to Live?

B
3.3 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Amherst residents earn a median household income of $71,313 , which is 5% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $37,964. The unemployment rate stands at 0.8% (78% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 2.1% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 795 business establishments, including 48 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Amherst is $213,300 , 24% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $282,888. Median rent is $686/month, with 26.1% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 101.1 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1968.

Safety & Crime

Amherst reports 138 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 64% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 643/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

23.9% of adults in Amherst hold a bachelor's degree or higher (29% below the national average). 89.0% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Amherst has an average annual temperature of 51°F (10°C). Winters average 30°F in January while summers reach 72°F in July. The area gets 318 sunny days per year. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 35.

Data Overview

People

Population2,124
Median Age44.6 yrs
Density433/mi²
Male / Female50% / 50%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans7.1%

Economy

A
Median Income$71,313
Per Capita$37,964
Unemployment0.8%
Poverty2.1%
County GDP$1,099M
Avg Weekly Wage$909

Housing

A+
Home Value$213,300
Rent$686
Ownership69.9%
Zillow$282,888
Housing Units1,123
Rent Burden26.1%

Crime

F
Violent138/100K
Property643/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault92/100K
Burglary138/100K

Health

Obesity39.8%
Diabetes11.9%
Smoking15.7%
Heart Disease5.6%
Premature Death10,404/100K

Climate

Avg Temp51°F
Sunny Days318/yr
AQI35 (Good)
Elevation683 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+23.9%
High School+89.0%
Graduate+9.8%
School Score5.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 68% / D 31%
Commute20 min
Broadband86.8%
Internet Speed57 Mbps
EV Stations1
Libraries2

Did You Know?

The median home in Amherst was built in 1968.
The nearest airport is Lynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn Field (20 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.453 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Very Low" by FEMA.
24.1% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 3 fatal vehicle crashes.