Honors for Amherst

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) - One college town in Hampshire County is starting off the year with a special award.

Amherst has been named one of America's top college towns.

The national hotels and travel reservations website put Amherst alongside such college towns as Princeton, New Jersey and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

22News asked some people in downtown Amherst about this special distinction.

“I think that the colleges are integrated directly to the community,” said Conny Morrison, an Amherst College Student, “you can walk to everywhere all the stores are right within our grasp, and I'm really proud of Amherst even thought I've only lived here a year”

“Well part of it is just the atmosphere. I've almost never had anyone be unfriendly to me, that's definitely go to be a factor there,” said Michael Luechtenberg of Amherst.

This is the second time since May that a prestigious website has named Amherst one of America's top college towns.