HUD FY2026 · ACS 2019–2023 generous top-quartile

High-rent metro gap - Amherst Town-Northampton, MA MSA

Displayed gap in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA MSA: +39.4% (HUD $2,004 vs ACS $1,438) · counties in FMR rows: Hampshire County .

FMR gap dispatch plate

CBSA 11200 · Amherst Town-Northampton, MA -39.4% shortfall

GAP-GENEROUS · FMR-TOP · SPREAD-PLUS · PHOTO-FINISH · COUNTY-SPARSE · BOOK-FULL

  • GAP-GENEROUS 39.4% surplus
  • FMR-TOP #366/396 · P92
  • SPREAD-PLUS +$566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Rocky Mount
  • COUNTY-SPARSE 1 county
  • BOOK-FULL HUD+ACS pair

Nearest shortfall peer: Rocky Mount, NC Metro Area (+0.1pp)

HUD's reference overshoots the ACS median by $566/mo. Lease-up odds are usually better than in shortfall markets, though still compare Rocky Mount, NC Metro Area before assuming portability helps.

Instrument codes from this metro’s HUD FMR vs ACS shortfall band, national FMR quartile, dollar spread, gap peer, county footprint, and book completeness, not a moving recommendation.

Shortfall neighbourhood around Amherst Town-Northampton, MA

Metros nearest this CBSA on voucher-vs-market shortfall (HUD FMR vs ACS 2-BR median). Full ladder: /gap/.

% shortfall
Source HUD USER FMR + Census ACS median gross rent As of 2026-08-25

How does Amherst Town-Northampton, MA compare with nearby FMR areas?

These are the twelve metros closest to Amherst Town-Northampton, MA on the displayed voucher-vs-market margin. Their county lists are HUD FMR-area coverage, not a claim that the markets are interchangeable.

  1. Rocky Mount, NC Metro Area

    -39.2% shortfall · HUD $1,143 vs ACS $821 · $+$322/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Edgecombe County, Nash County.

  2. Great Falls, MT Metro Area

    -39.0% shortfall · HUD $1,284 vs ACS $924 · $+$360/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Cascade County.

  3. Yuma, AZ Metro Area

    -40.0% shortfall · HUD $1,382 vs ACS $987 · $+$395/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Yuma County.

  4. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area

    -38.3% shortfall · HUD $1,895 vs ACS $1,370 · $+$525/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Warren County.

  5. Burlington, NC Metro Area

    -38.0% shortfall · HUD $1,348 vs ACS $977 · $+$371/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Alamance County.

  6. Jackson, TN Metro Area

    -40.9% shortfall · HUD $1,260 vs ACS $894 · $+$366/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Chester County, Madison County.

  7. Goldsboro, NC Metro Area

    -37.6% shortfall · HUD $1,244 vs ACS $904 · $+$340/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Wayne County.

  8. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area

    -37.6% shortfall · HUD $1,095 vs ACS $796 · $+$299/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Alexander County, Burke County, Caldwell County, Catawba County.

  9. Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ Metro Area

    -37.3% shortfall · HUD $1,365 vs ACS $994 · $+$371/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Mohave County.

  10. Johnstown, PA Metro Area

    -37.3% shortfall · HUD $1,035 vs ACS $754 · $+$281/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Cambria County.

  11. Barnstable Town, MA Metro Area

    -41.5% shortfall · HUD $2,422 vs ACS $1,711 · $+$711/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Barnstable County, Barnstable County, Barnstable County, Barnstable County, Barnstable County, Barnstable County.

  12. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area

    -41.6% shortfall · HUD $2,941 vs ACS $2,077 · $+$864/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Essex County, Essex County, Essex County, Essex County, Essex County, Essex County.

Source: HUD USER FY2026 Fair Market Rent area records and Census ACS 2019–2023 median gross rent.

MA FMR scale context

These are the closest FY2026 2-BR FMR values in MA; they help place this HUD reference on its state scale, but do not substitute for each metro’s ACS rent comparison.

  1. Fitchburg-Leominster, MA HUD Metro FMR Area $1,749 (−$255)
  2. Springfield, MA MSA $1,734 (−$270)
  3. Pittsfield, MA HUD Metro FMR Area $1,626 (−$378)
  4. Barnstable Town, MA MSA $2,422 (+$418)
  5. New Bedford, MA HUD Metro FMR Area $1,527 (−$477)
  6. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area $2,941 (+$937)

Low-FMR contrast (scale only)

Boone County, IA HUD Metro FMR Area ($1,026 2-BR); Amarillo, TX HUD Metro FMR Area ($1,106 2-BR); Anniston-Oxford, AL MSA ($962 2-BR); Alexandria, LA MSA ($994 2-BR) . Opposite-quartile FMR metros for scale, not gap substitutes for Amherst Town-Northampton, MA MSA.

Amherst Town-Northampton, MA MSA gap inputs

  • HUD 2-BR FMR (FY2026): $2,004/mo
  • ACS 2019–2023 2-BR median: $1,438/mo
  • Displayed gap: +39.4%
  • National FMR percentile: 92 (#366/396)

displayed % = (HUD 2-BR − ACS 2-BR median) / ACS median × 100

MA HCV agencies (scale-keyed)

Full payment standards for Amherst Town-Northampton, MA MSA · Payment standards vs FMR

Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2026, Census ACS median gross rent. Gap is PlainVoucher-derived. Methodology.

Disclaimer. For informational purposes only, not a substitute for PHA counseling or legal advice. Median gross rent reflects rents paid by current tenants; asking rents for available units typically run higher. Actual PHA payment standards can differ from HUD FMR by ±10%. Always confirm the current payment standard with your PHA. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or any PHA.

Verify with HUD → · Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Source and method. PlainVoucher compiles public HUD and U.S. Census release data into a searchable reference. Release periods and source boundaries are identified on each data surface; PlainVoucher does not determine eligibility, waitlist status, payment standards, or local PHA rules. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy, methodology, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-25.