Living in Amherst, CO: what to set up and who to call
Amherst has no town government of its own, so Phillips County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Holyoke School District RE-1J. Power in Amherst comes from Highline Electric Assn, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Amherst, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Amherst.
Power comes from Highline Electric Assn
Highline Electric Assn (Highline Electric Assn), a cooperative utility, serves all of Amherst. Its homes paid an average of 15.2¢ per kWh in 2025, about $137 a month (its average across Colorado).
Start or move service: hea.coop · (800) 816-2236
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
2 home internet providers serve Amherst
100% of 34 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips County Telephone Company | Fiber | 100% | 1,000/1,000 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 56% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Amherst’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Amherst.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Amherst is in Holyoke School District RE-1J.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
Amherst is unincorporated, so Phillips County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Amherst is in ZIP code 80721
ZIP codes where Amherst residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Amherst | ZIP’s residents in Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80721 | Amherst, CO | 100% | 30% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Amherst
Who provides electricity in Amherst?
Highline Electric Assn (Highline Electric Assn), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 15.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Amherst?
Phillips County Telephone Company, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Amherst?
80721. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Amherst in?
Holyoke School District RE-1J.
How do I register to vote in Amherst?
In Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before). Elections here are run by the Phillips County Clerk and Recorder. Check your registration at sos.state.co.us.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.