It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

[3] Amherst College is in the center of the CDP, south of College Street and east of Pleasant Street, while the University of Massachusetts Amherst is in the northwestern part of the CDP.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 17,050 people, 3,055 households, and 1,209 families residing in the CDP.

40.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

This makes Amherst Center the poorest community in Massachusetts.