Section 8 in Amherst Town, MA, MA: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metro area. FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90 to 110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,382 | $1,244 to $1,520 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,580 | $1,422 to $1,738 |
| 2-bedroom | $2,004 | $1,804 to $2,204 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,504 | $2,254 to $2,754 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,702 | $2,432 to $2,972 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Amherst Town covers up to $2,004 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,804 to $2,204.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.
Housing authorities serving Amherst Town
3 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Northampton Housing Authority
Northampton , MA · MA026 · 862 HCV units
4135844030 - Status unknown
Amherst Housing Authority
Amherst , MA · MA085 · 444 HCV units
4132560206 - Status unknown
Hanssen
Ware , MA · MA088 · 103 HCV units
4139674477
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Amherst Town, MA?
No. Massachusetts law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Amherst Town, MA. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.
MGL Ch 151B §4(10)
Massachusetts General Laws Ch 151B §4(10) prohibits housing discrimination based on lawful source of income statewide. Enforcement by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).
View statute →Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Counties in the Amherst Town metro
County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Amherst Town?
- In the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $2,004 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,804 to $2,204 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Amherst Town?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,382, 1-bedroom $1,580, 2-bedroom $2,004, 3-bedroom $2,504, 4-bedroom $2,702. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Amherst Town?
- Section 8 in Amherst Town is administered by Northampton Housing Authority, Amherst Housing Authority, Hanssen. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.
Find Section 8 apartments in Amherst Town
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.
Other Section 8 markets in MA
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.