Amherst, Nebraska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 272, Amherst's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Amherst is a small community located in Nebraska, within Buffalo County. The total population is 272. It ranks as the 303rd most populous out of 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Amherst is 35.9 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 37.2 years. With 32.4% of the population under 18, Amherst has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Amherst is $69,125. This is 10% lower than the state median of $76,475. It is also 14% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.9%. This is 72% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 4.4%. This is 45% higher than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $169,800. Housing costs are 29% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Amherst is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 76.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Amherst has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 12.7%.

Education

37.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Amherst in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 9% higher than the state rate of 34.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.8%. Notably, 16.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Amherst, Nebraska is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Nebraska state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.