Amherst, Virginia

About Amherst

Amherst is a small town in central Virginia with an estimated population of 2,128.

Amherst holds the status of an incorporated town — local government on a neighborly scale. The community covers 4.9 square miles, giving it wide-open spaces and a spread-out, rural feel at roughly 434 residents per square mile.

📰 Amherst News Today

• Ricky Allan Query Obituary | Norris Funeral Services | Amherst, VA Tribute Archive · Aug 18
• Man wanted out of Amherst County taken into custody WSET · Aug 14
• PHOTOS: Amherst County students return to school Lynchburg News and Advance · Aug 17
• Deputies In Search Of Man Wanted In Amherst County WDBJ7 · Aug 12
• Michelle Pineo Creasy Obituary | Norris Funeral Services | Amherst, VA Tribute Archive · Aug 18

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Amherst Unique

• One of 7 places in the US named Amherst — but the Virginia one has a character all its own.
• Part of the fabric of Virginia — one of 688 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• Small-town pace of life: less traffic, more community, and neighbors who wave.
• Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
• Easy reach of Lynchburg (15 mi) — commute to the city, live where it's calm.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Amherst

• Baine's (café)
• Hangout on Main (café)
• The Amherst Corner Restaurant — american
• Vito's Pizza Bar & Grill — italian
• Bonfire Burgers & Bourbon — american
• Daisy’s Café (café)
• Dogwood Cafe (café)
• No. 1 Wok — chinese
• Toy Town Soul Food — american (café)

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

• Amherst County Historical Museum · Museum
• Monacan Ancestral Museum · Museum
• Sweet Briar Museum · Museum
• Train Station and Caboose · Museum
• Saint Paul's Mission School · Museum

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Amherst

• Amherst Wayside reviews ★
• Carry Nature Sanctuary · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Coolwell Park reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Amherst

• Amherst County High
• Amherst Elementary
• Amherst Middle
• Central Elementary
• Temperance Elementary

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Amherst

🏘️ Nearby Communities