Amherst is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, making it one of America's premier "college towns." It is also noted for its liberal leanings, with about 50% of its residents registered with the Democratic Party, and for its active role in the anti-war movement and intellectual society in the United States.

Particularly due to the presence of its three colleges, Amherst has also been home to some of the world's most prominent thinkers and artists, including Emily Dickinson (an Amherst native), Robert Frost, Noah Webster, Chinua Achebe, Martín Espada, and even Uma Thurman.