Borger receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Borger
Pampa
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
17 · Bottom 6%
vs20 · Bottom 8%
Climate
60 · Bottom 13%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
27 · Bottom 22%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 17%
Access
75 · Bottom 17%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 9%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Borger | Pampa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,226 | 16,659 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,583 | $56,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,565 | $35,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,354/sq mi | 1,847/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $103,400 | $100,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.1% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.3% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.9% | 17.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.6" | 22.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 18.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.85 | 14.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.8% | 62.4% | 2024-25 school 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
Borger
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, hail.
Pampa
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, hail.
Full profiles: Borger, TX · Pampa, TX · How this is calculated: methodology