Amarillo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lubbock
Amarillo
Opportunity
56 · Top 47%
vs58 · Top 45%
Growth
79 · Top 7%
vs70 · Top 18%
Climate
65 · Bottom 48%
vs68 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 13%
vs37 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
89 · Bottom 35%
vs98 · Top 35%
Access
94 · Top 17%
vs89 · Top 25%
Economic stability
52 · Top 48%
vs56 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Lubbock | Amarillo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 358,708 | 271,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,629 | $69,611 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,300 | $36,873 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 68/sq mi | 53/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $202,700 | $208,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,159 | $1,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.2% | 63.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 27.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,675 | 1,326 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.7% | 5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 27°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.3" | 19.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.4 | 36.3 | 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
Lubbock
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hail, strong wind.
Amarillo
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, wildfire.
Full profiles: Lubbock, TX Metro Area · Amarillo, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology