The Town FilesAmarillo, Texas
City in Potter County · population 200,393 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $196,900
- Household income
- $65,912
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 42
- Median age
- 35.1
Amarillo is a city of 200,393 people in Potter County, Texas. The median home is worth $196,900, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more walkable than 94% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 94% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 86% of Texas towns.
How Amarillo ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Amarillo is worth $196,900, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $65,912, which is more affordable than 49% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,092 a month. 59.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Amarillo | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,900 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,092 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $65,912 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 59.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Amarillo
| People | Amarillo | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Amarillo
July highs average 92.9°F and January lows 24.9°F. About 19.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 72 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Amarillo since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 14, 1988 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 3, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 589 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 24, 1979.
Severe weather in Potter County since 1996
Potter County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2026 | Fire | FM-5634: Stinky Fire |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Potter County
Potter County had 77,805 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,781 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Amarillo itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Amarillo
82 public schools with 41,160 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASCOSA H S | 9-12 | 2,208 | 16.6 |
| AMARILLO H S | 9-12 | 2,170 | 16.8 |
| CAPROCK H S | 9-12 | 2,137 | 16.1 |
| PALO DURO H S | 9-12 | 1,902 | 15.0 |
| WEST PLAINS H S | 9-12 | 1,162 | 16.6 |
| RANDALL H S | 9-12 | 1,081 | 14.0 |
| BONHAM MIDDLE | 6-8 | 868 | 17.7 |
| CROCKETT MIDDLE | 6-8 | 860 | 17.2 |
| BOWIE MIDDLE | 6-8 | 740 | 15.1 |
| AUSTIN MIDDLE | 6-8 | 687 | 16.4 |
| TRADEWIND EL | PK-5 | 683 | 15.9 |
| CITY VIEW EL | PK-4 | 675 | 17.3 |
Towns near Amarillo
- Canyon, TX15.3 mi · 14,836 people · home $240,300
Amarillo questions
Is Amarillo, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Amarillo scores better for retirees than 19% of Texas towns and quieter than 8%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.1).
How much does a house cost in Amarillo?
The median owner-occupied home in Amarillo is valued at $196,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,912, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,092 a month.
What is the weather like in Amarillo?
July highs average 92.9°F and January lows 24.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.7 inches of precipitation a year and 17.2 inches of snow.
Does Amarillo get tornadoes?
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Amarillo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 14, 1988. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)