Barnstable, MA vs Amherst-Northampton, MA: cost of living compared

Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).

The short answer

Overall, Amherst-Northampton, MA is 1.9% more expensive than Barnstable, MA (BEA, 2024).
To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Barnstable works out to about $76,400 in Amherst-Northampton, before taxes.
Most of the difference is housing, which costs 8.4% more in Amherst-Northampton. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
Zillow does not publish typical rent for Amherst-Northampton, so rents are not compared here.
The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Amherst-Northampton was 6.2% less expensive than Barnstable.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

I live in

Moving to

Yearly salary ($)

Share of your spending that goes on housing: 18% 18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.

Housing drives the gap: 8.4% higher in Amherst-Northampton than in Barnstable

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

Barnstable, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

All items

98.4 100.2

Goods

97.0 97.0

Housing (rents)

90.0 97.5

Utilities

158.5 155.7

Other services

101.2 101.2

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Barnstable, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
All items	98.4	100.2
Goods	97.0	97.0
Housing (rents)	90.0	97.5
Utilities	158.5	155.7
Other services	101.2	101.2

Category	Barnstable	Amherst-Northampton	Amherst-Northampton vs Barnstable
All items	98.4	100.2	+1.9%
Goods	97.0	97.0	0.0%
Housing (rents)	90.0	97.5	+8.4%
Utilities	158.5	155.7	−1.7%
Other services	101.2	101.2	0.0%
Salary to match $75,000 in Barnstable	$75,000	$76,400	+1.9%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Barnstable and Amherst-Northampton has been fairly stable since 2008

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

Barnstable, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Barnstable, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	102.8	99.7
2009	102.7	103.7
2010	105.2	96.7
2011	99.4	100.1
2012	100.9	99.3
2013	100.0	100.0
2014	104.5	99.3
2015	105.7	103.1
2016	105.8	99.7
2017	105.8	102.3
2018	101.1	100.8
2019	105.2	98.7
2020	101.3	101.8
2021	101.4	99.0
2022	108.8	101.1
2023	106.5	102.8
2024	98.4	100.2

Goods

Barnstable, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Barnstable, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	99.8	99.8
2009	101.1	101.1
2010	98.0	98.0
2011	97.9	97.9
2012	97.4	97.4
2013	97.3	97.3
2014	97.6	97.6
2015	98.8	98.8
2016	98.3	98.3
2017	99.5	99.5
2018	100.8	100.8
2019	97.9	97.9
2020	98.8	98.8
2021	96.9	96.9
2022	100.8	100.8
2023	98.8	98.8
2024	97.0	97.0

Housing (rents)

Barnstable, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Barnstable, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	106.8	88.5
2009	104.9	112.8
2010	127.3	80.6
2011	99.3	104.9
2012	107.0	99.6
2013	97.6	96.0
2014	126.8	102.4
2015	126.0	116.0
2016	123.3	90.0
2017	119.3	101.8
2018	101.7	101.0
2019	124.9	88.2
2020	100.4	103.0
2021	107.9	94.9
2022	125.2	83.8
2023	124.2	107.0
2024	90.0	97.5

Utilities

Barnstable, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Barnstable, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	139.4	140.6
2009	137.1	138.9
2010	122.5	121.0
2011	121.5	120.7
2012	119.4	118.0
2013	123.6	121.9
2014	127.9	126.3
2015	133.8	132.4
2016	132.8	131.0
2017	137.0	138.0
2018	147.6	146.4
2019	144.7	145.0
2020	155.0	156.5
2021	148.9	150.5
2022	149.1	142.9
2023	158.7	156.9
2024	158.5	155.7

Other services

Barnstable, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Barnstable, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	101.3	101.3
2009	101.4	101.4
2010	99.8	99.8
2011	99.4	99.4
2012	99.8	99.8
2013	101.9	101.9
2014	98.7	98.7
2015	101.4	101.4
2016	102.1	102.1
2017	102.9	102.9
2018	99.5	99.5
2019	100.9	100.9
2020	101.6	101.6
2021	99.9	99.9
2022	105.6	105.6
2023	102.1	102.1
2024	101.2	101.2

More about each city

What this comparison leaves out

Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.