Amherst, Texas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 902, 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 Texas, within Lamb County. The total population is 902. It ranks as the 1061st most populous out of 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Amherst is 37.3 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Amherst is $63,611. This is 19% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 47.9%. This is 248% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Amherst, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $35,500. Housing costs are 87% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 0.6x, Amherst is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 67.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Amherst is Hispanic or Latino, making up 76.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 21.9%. The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (76.2% vs 39.7%). The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

10.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 68% lower than the state rate of 33.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 75.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Amherst, Texas 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 Texas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.