Canyon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Canyon
Amarillo
Opportunity
70 · Top 22%
vs59 · Top 45%
Growth
83 · Top 3%
vs68 · Top 19%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 34%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs96 · Top 18%
Schools
86 · Top 7%
vs70 · Top 26%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 34%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Canyon | Amarillo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,723 | 201,885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,772 | $65,912 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,182 | $37,126 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,947/sq mi | 1,948/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $240,300 | $196,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $984 | $1,092 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.1% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.7% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 98 | 1,196 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.2 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 104.2% | 2.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.7" | 19.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.7 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.36 | 14.72 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 65.5% | 51.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 60.8% | 45.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.1% | 61.1% | 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
Canyon
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, wildfire.
Amarillo
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, wildfire.
Full profiles: Canyon, TX · Amarillo, TX · How this is calculated: methodology