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Living in
Amarillo.
About
Life in Amarillo
Life here centers on a fundamentally different Texas than what you'll find down south—the panhandle operates at its own pace, with its own weather, economy, and character. The job market is stable, anchored by major employers like Tyson Foods (meat packing), Pantex (the nation's only nuclear weapons assembly facility), Bell Helicopter, and healthcare systems, plus a healthy unemployment rate around 3.1%. This is cattle country and oil country—about a quarter of America's beef gets processed here—so if you work in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, or healthcare, you'll find established career paths; the economy diversified significantly between 2020 and 2021 with Amazon and Texas Tech's veterinary school arriving.
Amarillo at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.8%
Foreign-Born
11.0%
Broadband Internet
89.2%
of households
Population Growth
+2.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Amarillo: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Amarillo, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (48.7%), and 18.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.0%
of residents
65 and Older
15.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.4%
of households
Married Couples
44.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.50
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 22% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Amarillo
In Amarillo, rent runs 22% below the TX average, and home values are 31% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,000
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $209,627 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below TX average
Unemployment in Amarillo
Unemployment in Amarillo is 1.1 percentage points lower than the TX average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Amarillo Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.6 min avg
How Amarillo residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Amarillo, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA)
Regional airport · few flights402k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 67% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Amarillo runs 67% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
550.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,420.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Amarillo Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Potter County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Potter County, which includes Amarillo, the most common type is hail, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $123,500 |
| 2024 | 18 | Hail | $27,000 |
| 2023 | 41 | Thunderstorm Wind | $40,000 |
| 2022 | 43 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2020 | 27 | Hail | $18.1M |
| 2019 | 32 | Hail | None reported |
| 2018 | 22 | Wildfire | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
7 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Potter County, county-wide
Air Quality16 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Potter County, which includes Amarillo, is typically good — 301 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
16
Good Days
301
per year
Moderate Days
19
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Potter County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 26°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Amarillo has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and cold winters (avg low 26°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/26°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
19.7"
Annual Snowfall
17.2"
Hot Days/Year
82
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
117
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
69
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 25°F | 0.71" |
| Feb | 56°F | 28°F | 0.53" |
| Mar | 65°F | 35°F | 1.27" |
| Apr | 72°F | 43°F | 1.45" |
| May | 81°F | 53°F | 2.27" |
| Jun | 90°F | 62°F | 2.85" |
| Jul | 93°F | 66°F | 2.82" |
| Aug | 91°F | 65°F | 2.86" |
| Sep | 84°F | 58°F | 1.69" |
| Oct | 73°F | 45°F | 1.75" |
| Nov | 61°F | 34°F | 0.75" |
| Dec | 52°F | 26°F | 0.71" |
Healthcare5 hospitals, avg 3.3/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Amarillo
Amarillo has 5 hospitals, averaging 3.3 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
5
within city limits
Uninsured
15.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.3 / 5
VA Amarillo Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available
Northwest Texas Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Northwest Texas Hospital · 1501 S Coulter St
- Emergency department: Northwest Emergency on Georgia · 4121 S Georgia St, Amarillo
- Outpatient center: Northwest Physician's Group · 3501 S Soncy Rd Ste 118, Amarillo
- Emergency department: Northwest Emergency at Tascosa · 4207 W Amarillo Blvd, Amarillo
- Outpatient center: Northwest Women’s and Children’s Clinic · 1411 E Amarillo Blvd, Amarillo
- Hospital campus: The Pavillion Hospital · 7201 Evans St, Amarillo
- Emergency department: Northwest Emergency at Town Square · 8960 Hillside Rd, Amarillo
Bsa Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Quail Creek Surgical Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education14.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Amarillo
Amarillo's student/teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 26.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
74
within city limits
Private Schools
9
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Amarillo
Public · 2-year · 7,399 students · in-state tuition $2,136 · 37% graduate · median earnings $44,820 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, 28 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Amarillo
Amarillo has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument (28 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
National Monument
28 mi awayLake Meredith National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
30 mi awayPublic Libraries in Amarillo
Amarillo Public Library
413 E 4th Ave, Amarillo
East Branch Library
2232 E 27th Ave, Amarillo
North Branch Library
1504 Ne 24th Ave, Amarillo
Northwest Branch Library
6100 Sw 9th Ave, Amarillo
Southwest Branch Library
6801 W 45th Ave, Amarillo
Cities Near Amarillo
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Amarillo?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Amarillo FAQ
Is Amarillo, Texas affordable?⌄
Amarillo's median rent is $1,092/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $65,912/year. Median home value is $196,900.
Is Amarillo, Texas safe?⌄
Amarillo's violent crime rate was 551 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2421 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Amarillo, Texas?⌄
Amarillo has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Amarillo, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Amarillo is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,092/month and median household income is $65,912/year. The median home value is $196,900. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Amarillo, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Amarillo is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from