Loading listings
Amherst, Massachusetts is a classic New England college town in the Pioneer Valley, where the student population rivals the year-round residents and academic life sets the whole pace. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is the giant here, with tens of thousands of students, while the smaller, highly regarded Amherst College sits right in the center of town, and together they anchor the broader Five College area. Students gather around the Town Common and the walkable downtown, where bookstores and cafes line the streets. The valley setting means green space everywhere: Puffer's Pond for summer swims, the Norwottuck Rail Trail for biking, and the Holyoke Range rising to the south for hiking.
Around the Town Common and downtown, Amherst Center is the walkable heart of student life, close to shops and cafes, and stays in high demand.
Directly north of the UMass campus, North Amherst holds a cluster of large apartment complexes that pull a heavy student crowd and offer easy PVTA access to class.
A bit further from downtown, South Amherst stays popular for its straightforward PVTA route to UMass, a solid pick for students who don't mind trading walkability for a calmer setting.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Amherst.
Amherst is a transit standout for a town its size, thanks to the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, or PVTA, which runs frequent and free bus service connecting UMass Amherst, Amherst College, the broader Five College area, and nearby Northampton. Routes like the 30, 31, and 38 are student staples, and the free fares mean many students skip a car entirely. Because the colleges sit so close together and the buses link them tightly, you can take classes or visit friends across the Five Colleges without driving. The free service makes transit the default for getting around.
The town center and the UMass campus are highly walkable, so daily errands and class are easy on foot. Amherst is genuinely bike-friendly, with the Norwottuck Rail Trail cutting through toward Northampton. The trail makes cycling between towns pleasant and practical. Most students close to the center can rely on walking and biking for everyday needs.
Because PVTA is free and the town is compact, many students skip a car entirely. A car is mainly useful for trips beyond the Five College area. Parking near campus and the town center is limited during the school year. If you live close in, you likely will not need to drive day to day.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Amherst runs pricey for a small town, driven by heavy demand from UMass Amherst and the Five Colleges. One-bedrooms often range from $1,500 to $1,800 a month, and two- or three-bedrooms commonly run $1,800 to $2,500. Splitting a larger unit in North Amherst or South Amherst with roommates is how most students bring their individual share down to something manageable.
Browse student housing near each Amherst-area university.