Amherst is a town in Amherst County, Virginia, home to about 1,865 people across 4.9 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 24521.
Homes sold for a median of $191 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Amherst. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Amherst’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Richmond International Airport (RIC)95 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field (LYH)21 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Winston-Salem, NC123 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA268 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Amherst; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Amherst had 2,110 residents in the 2020 census, down 6% since 2000.
It’s the 290th largest of 669 towns in Virginia by population.
Amherst County grew from 17,864 residents in 1900 to 31,307 in 2020.
Amherst County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 87°F in summer, and winter lows average 26°F. About 46.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Tye Rvr 1 Se, VA weather station (7 miles away).
5,959 jobs at 553 businesses in Amherst County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
42 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Amherst.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 3 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 14 |
| Mental health providers | 10 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 11 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 2 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Amherst County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst ElementaryAmherst | Pre-K–5 | 307 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Central ElementaryAmherst | Pre-K–5 | 268 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Temperance ElementaryAmherst | Pre-K–5 | 93 | Public | 6.5 mi |
| Amherst MiddleAmherst | 6–8 | 371 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| Amherst County HighAmherst | 9–12 | 1,240 | Public | 2.3 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.