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
59 · Top 45%
vs59 · Top 45%
Growth
69 · Top 18%
vs68 · Top 19%
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 21%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs96 · Top 18%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs70 · Top 26%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 29%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Lubbock | Amarillo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 264,814 | 201,885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,895 | $65,912 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,237 | $37,126 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,849/sq mi | 1,948/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $212,400 | $196,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,182 | $1,092 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.9% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,109 | 1,196 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.4% | 2.1% | 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 | 8 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.5 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 79 | 83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.94 | 14.72 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.4% | 51.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 45.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.2% | 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
Lubbock
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, strong wind.
Amarillo
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, wildfire.
Full profiles: Lubbock, TX · Amarillo, TX · How this is calculated: methodology