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Suburb
Buffalo

Amherst

  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb of Buffalo, NY
  • 161 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    B-
  3. Housing
    A-
  4. Nightlife
    A
  5. Good for Families
    A+
  6. Diversity
    A-
  7. Jobs
    A-
  8. Weather
    C-
  9. Cost of Living
    B-
  10. Health & Fitness
    A
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A-
  12. Commute
    A-
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Amherst is a suburb of Buffalo with a population of 125,024. Amherst is in Erie County and is one of the best places to live in New York. Living in Amherst offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Amherst there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals and retirees live in Amherst and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Amherst are highly rated.
About Amherst...
Population
125,024

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$186,600
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,020
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    29%
  • Own
    71%
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View Places to Live Rankings

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B-
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    49.5
    282.7
  • Murder
    0
    6.1
  • Rape
    10.7
    40.7
  • Robbery
    42.1
    135.5
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    161
    500.1
  • Theft
    1,347.1
    2,042.8
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    33.8
    284
Home Security Options for Amherst
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
A-
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    9%
  • 10-17 years
    10%
  • 18-24 years
    14%
  • 25-34 years
    11%
  • 35-44 years
    10%
  • 45-54 years
    13%
  • 55-64 years
    13%
  • 65+ years
    19%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    29%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    27%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    23%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    17%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    5%
    13%

Working in Amherst

Jobs
A-
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$72,459
National
$55,322
Search for Jobs in Amherst
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  • Private Schools
  • Colleges
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Amherst Reviews

161 reviews
All Categories
I’ve lived in Amherst all my life. I didn’t have a good school life at Smallwood, Amherst Middle and Amherst high, but I still graduated. Plenty of jobs are always hiring, plenty of nice/friendly people and I’ve never been robbed/assaulted before. I never want to move away. The winters can be extremely unforgiving but it also gives people side jobs of snow removal. Spring, summer and fall is always beautiful! We have beaches, festivals, concerts, etc all in nearby Buffalo (only a 15-20 minute drive away). Traffic can be bad, but most people are usually nice enough to let other cars through, letting most traffic flow smoothly. I will always love my town.
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Growing up in Amherst provided me a good education, stable work opportunities, and a safe environment. Returning here 10 years later, circumstances are a little different for me, I am a single mother, a returning college student, and also a server in the restaurant industry. All of these things are positive in area that is still safe, has growth for opportunities, with the opening of many new restaurants, I am able to continue my education at Erie Community College and then transfer to another school that is close to me. I have also up until recently been a traveler of public transportation. In many suburbs this is hard to come by or there are few and far between, the one thing that has made my transition back here easier is that there is public transportable that is easy and accessible. My son has been able to attend a pre-school program that has suited me financially, and will start to continue his education in the Amherst school district, which I look forward to.
Great area! Super good for kids, real suburb-y feel. Super safe. Diversity isn't great, despite being close to UB.