Western Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts is a region made of relatively rural communities. Springfield (population 154,000), Holyoke (population 38,000) and Amherst (population 37,000) are the largest cities in the region between the Berkshires and central Massachusetts.

As in much of the United States, Western Massachusetts is experiencing a housing crisis. Many students are now searching for housing within a 30 minute driving radius of UMass Amherst. In addition to the resources listed below, you can reach out to Registered Student Organizations for housing leads and visit the UMass off-campus housing website to find an apartment, find information for rental requirements, and review best practices for renting an apartment.

To the left is a map of towns in that radius, an overview of the towns/cities in the radius, and a list of large housing complexes within those towns/cities. Many communities in Western Massachusetts are rural and accessing housing and resources is much easier with a car.

Surrounding Areas

Large Housing Complexes

Please note that none of the information below is a recommendation of or vetting for apartments or housing units.

Temporary Accommodations

For students arriving early, there are a number of temporary accommodations available in the region:

• Hotel UMass (located on campus)
• Hotels

What to Bring

Packing for your move to Amherst is deeply personal, but this guide can offer a broad overview of categories of what to pack. It is recommended that you reach out to your department’s program manager and connect with students in campus Registered Student Organizations (Indian Students Association, Chinese Student Association, Vietnamese Student Association, etc.) for more specific advice.

• Household Items/Food
• Electronics
  • Bring your laptop!
  • If you do not have a laptop and need to borrow one for a short period of time, the UMass Library has a limited number to be borrowed.
  • If you need to purchase a laptop, you can purchase online and shipped to your home, online and shipped to store for pickup, or in person in a store. Most of the department stores in Hadley sell HP, Dell, and Lenovo laptops.
• Clothing
  • Temperatures in Amherst can range between -8°C to 28°C. Click here for a yearly overview of the temperatures to expect while living in Amherst, MA.
• Personal Care Items
  • Soap/body wash
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Contact lens solution and case
  • Period products
• Personal Care Items Only Available by Prescription in the U.S.
  • Hormonal birth control
  • Contact lenses
  • Prescription eyeglasses