Amherst Town-Northampton cost of living
Prices in the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metro area run at 100.2 against a national average of 100, ranking it #84 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 97.5.
What drives the number
Amherst Town-Northampton sits at 100.2, which is as close to the national average as this series gets. Places at the average are rarer than people assume, and it means a dollar here goes about as far as a dollar anywhere. Against Massachusetts as a whole it is 5.6 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 97.0, rents at 97.5, other services at 155.7. That is less common than it sounds. In most places rents sit well away from the other two, and the overall figure is really a housing figure in disguise.
A salary offer here is worth less than the same offer somewhere at 100, and the parity is the arithmetic that says by how much. Divide the offer by 100.2 and multiply by 100 to get the nationally comparable figure.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Amherst Town-Northampton is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,550 | $38,530 | $38,453 | $34,900 |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,960 | $35,340 | $35,269 | $34,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,910 | $34,260 | $34,192 | $30,480 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,840 | $97,920 | $97,725 | $102,950 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,570 | $50,710 | $50,609 | $43,630 |
| Cashiers | 1,390 | $34,180 | $34,112 | $31,190 |
| Registered Nurses | 1,360 | $99,780 | $99,581 | $93,600 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,260 | $49,620 | $49,521 | $46,290 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 100.2.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | 108.3 | 148.4 | #19 |
| Worcester | 102.5 | 113.0 | #52 |
| Providence-Warwick | 101.8 | 103.9 | #59 |
| Barnstable Town | 98.4 | 90.0 | #103 |
| Springfield | 96.1 | 75.8 | #144 |
| Pittsfield | 95.1 | 73.5 | #166 |
Amherst Town-Northampton: common questions
Is Amherst Town-Northampton expensive?
Prices are 0.2% above the national average, a parity of 100.2 where the country is 100. It ranks #84 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Massachusetts as a whole it is 5.6 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Amherst Town-Northampton?
The median worker there earns $56,860, which buys what $56,747 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 97.5 against goods at 97.0. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.