Decatur receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Amarillo
Decatur
Opportunity
58 · Top 45%
vs66 · Top 29%
Growth
70 · Top 18%
vs69 · Top 21%
Climate
68 · Top 45%
vs77 · Top 12%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 26%
vs48 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 35%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
89 · Top 25%
vs88 · Top 29%
Economic stability
56 · Top 43%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Amarillo | Decatur | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 271,917 | 157,747 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,611 | $68,116 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,873 | $35,213 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 53/sq mi | 124/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,700 | $202,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,086 | $847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 74.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,326 | 374 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.4% | 67.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.7" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.3 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Amarillo
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, wildfire.
Decatur
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Amarillo, TX Metro Area · Decatur, AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology