Amherst, Massachusetts, is a vibrant, intellectual hub and home to three prestigious colleges, Amherst College, Hampshire College, and UMass Amherst. There is a lively downtown known for its art and food, including farm stands with fresh food.
Massachusetts is in the New England region of the U.S. It shares borders with the Atlantic Ocean, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Boston is the capital and the most populous city, with about 7,033,469 residents. It is the seventh-smallest state spanning only 10,555 square miles, 25.7% of which is water.