NAICS 62

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA

Metro Market Score 49.1 (Challenging), ranked #127 of 248 metros. 1,276 establishments, 10,341 jobs.

Metro Market Score 49.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national healthcare and social assistance average.

Labor costs are a clear advantage in Amherst Town-Northampton's healthcare and social assistance sector. The wage competitiveness index of 12.5 puts it among the lowest-cost metros, and wage pressure at 26.2 suggests that gap is holding steady.

Industry Concentration

54.4

LQ: 1.10

Rank #135 of 248 metros

Wage Competitiveness

12.5

$54,464 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 9.7

Employment growth index

Rank #225 of 248 metros

Wage Pressure

26.2

YoY wage change index

1,276 Healthcare and Social Assistance Firms in Amherst Town-Northampton

1,276

Establishments

+100.0% YoY

10,341

Total Employment

+0.0% YoY

$54,464

Average Annual Wage

+0.0% YoY

1.10

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Massachusetts

#1 of 6

healthcare and social assistance metros in state

Massachusetts state rank

#40 of 51

for healthcare and social assistance entry risk

vs State Median

-21.3

better than median (70.3)

Amherst Town-Northampton vs Massachusetts Statewide

How this metro's healthcare and social assistance market compares to Massachusetts overall. The state ranks #40/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Amherst Town-Northampton	MA Statewide
Overall Score	49.1 Challenging	48.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#127 of 248 metros	#40 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Amherst Town-Northampton

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 35.1 Finance and Insurance 37.8 Information 43.3 Construction 44.4 Administrative and Support Services 45.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 48.1 Retail Trade 50.5 Accommodation and Food Services 53.6 Other Services 66.3

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other Massachusetts Metros

Barnstable Town 68.2 #232/248 Pittsfield 69.7 #238/248 Boston-Cambridge-Newton 70.3 #239/248 Springfield 71.4 #240/248 Worcester 84.9 #248/248

Healthcare and Social Assistance Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Amherst Town-Northampton's 49.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Harrisonburg, VA 49.1 #128/248 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 49.2 #129/248 Lewiston-Auburn, ME 49.3 #130/248 Gadsden, AL 48.8 #126/248 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 48.6 #125/248 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL 49.5 #131/248 Albuquerque, NM 48.6 #124/248 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA 48.3 #123/248 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 49.9 #132/248 Altoona, PA 49.9 #133/248

Healthcare and Social Assistance in States Bordering Massachusetts

State-level entry risk for healthcare and social assistance in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Connecticut 30.9 #8/51 Rhode Island 36.0 #17/51 New Hampshire 36.6 #19/51 Vermont 36.7 #20/51 New York 48.2 #39/51

Browse Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for healthcare and social assistance across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Amherst Town-Northampton's healthcare and social assistance sector, the employment growth component (90.3) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment