10 Best Independent Living Communities in Amherst, NY

Independent Living

For seniors who would like to live primarily without assistance but would like the advantage of having daily tasks and responsibilities maintained by professionalls, an Independent Living Community could be the perfect fit. Food preparation, recreational activities and housekeeping responsibilities are taken care of while you are free to use your time as you wish. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy an opportunity to be among peers, in a community with others of similar ages and backgrounds. Residents’ quarters consist of private living spaces, each with their own kitchen. The independence of apartment life is still enjoyed, offering opportunities to socialize with guests and visitors in a private and personal setting. While policies differ between communities, many residences allow cats and dogs as well. Nursing and health care services may always be arranged for with independent care providers as desired. There are an assortment of expenses and advantages to consider while selecting an independent living community. It is important to figure out if these services are included in your care plan: laundry, utilities, move-in fee, initial assessment fee, parking, meals, internet access, and transportation. The luxuries associated with independent living include private rental hall, beauty salon & barber shop, concierge services, healthcare center, community activities, transportation, restaurant-style dining hall, and security guards.

Demographics and Values

In Amherst, 6.5% of the population are veterans. In Amherst, 10.5% have some form of disability, 60.8% participate in the labor force, 10.8% live in poverty, and 6.6% are widows. Racially, the population of Amherst is 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 3.7% Hispanic, 8.9% Asian, 2.6% mixed race, 80.6% white, 0.2% Native American, 6.5% black, and 1.0% other or not specified. Currently, the population of Amherst consists of 125,024 people. Amherst has a population density of 907 people per square mile. Out of the total city population, 48.3% are male and 51.7% are female. The median age of Amherst is 40 years old. In terms of education, 55.3% have a college degree, 16.7% have a high-school diploma, and 28.6% have a graduate degree.

Cost of Living

The cost of care for a community is influenced by the destination in which it is located. The median monthly rent in Amherst is about $1,179 and the median price for a home for Amherst is about $186,269. The rent burden for Amherst is about 15.5% of the average monthly income.

State Information

An overview of New York

New York is ranked 25th in quality of life and 13th in healthcare. Residents of New York enjoy its natural beauty which ranks 24th in the United States. In total, New York has 205 general hospitals and 496 health centers that provide care for 19,493,819 citizens. The top three hospitals in the state are considered to be Hospital For Special Surgery, Albany Memorial Hospital, and And Northern Duchess Hospital. In terms of resources, New York has a cost of living index of 135.7, a grocery index rating of 114.8, and a housing index rating of 204.4. These index ratings are based on a system where 100 is considered the national average and anything above 100 is considered more expensive than said average.

Social demographics of the state

The median age in the state is 39, and 30% of the population is over the age of 55. In New York, 29% of the population attend some form of religious service and there are 14,110 different congregations. The top three Christian denominations in the state are Evangelical Protestant-10%, Mainline Protestant-11%, and Historically Black Protestant-5%. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-7%, Muslim-2%, and Buddhist-<1%. In New York there are 72 masonic lodges. In the last presidential election 59% of New York residents voted Democrat and 37% voted Republican. The state of New York ranks 5th in the country for diversity and the state is considered very LGBTQ friendly.

State-wide weather information

The average humidity across the state is 71%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of December at around 77%. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 25F. During the winter, the average high temperature peaks at around 25F during the month of December. In the winter months, the average low temperature falls to around 2F during the month of January. The average temperature in the summer rises to around 68F. Over the summer months the average high temperature peaks at around 86F during the month of July. In the summer, the average low temperature drops to around 48F during the month of June. The most precipitation occurs in October with an average of 6.10 inches of precipitation a month. The average monthly precipitation for the state of New York is around 3.54 inches. On average, New York has an air quality index rating of around 34.2 AQI. The average air quality index rating peaks in the month of May with a rating of around 44.5 AQI. While residents of New York mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in New York can include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and and earthquakes (moderate).

Wildlife to be found in New York

The state of New York has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of smooth blue aster, smooth white beardtongue, sneezeweed, and bluets. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the black bear, the eastern cougar, the Eurasian boar, or the American marten. The state animal of New York is the beaver.