It would be easy to mistake the town for a somewhat gentrified rural community. But once the school year begins, Amherst becomes a bustling, energetic, youthful small city, with all of the activity that one would expect from nearly 30,000 college students. Many of those students are drawn from the eastern part of the state in addition to the local area, due to the flagship status of the University in the state system. The private colleges draw students from all across the country, and together the five colleges enroll a large number of foreign students. Pioneer Valley Transit Authority buses, operated by the University in conjunction with area towns, link the five colleges and the towns surrounding Amherst with frequent service during the school year.
Service continues at a reduced level during school vacations.
Use of these buses is free to the public as well as five-college students. The Amherst public school system is well regarded and the majority of its graduates enter colleges and universities around the country. It is part of a larger regional school system that includes the towns of Leverett, Shutesbury, and Pelham. Class sizes are kept small, and the regional system provides a high degree of special-needs support. A major expansion of the senior high school should be completed by the year 2000.