Amarillo is a city located in Potter County Texas. Amarillo has a 2024 population of 203,035. It is also the county seat of Potter County. Amarillo is currently growing at a rate of 0.31% annually and its population has increased by 1.25% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 200,526 in 2020.
The average household income in Amarillo is $82,923 with a poverty rate of 15.55%. The median age in Amarillo is 34.4 years: 33 years for males, and 35.9 years for females.
In the Texas Panhandle area, it is the largest city by population.
Over 20% of the adults living in Amarillo have a bachelor’s degree. Almost 80% of residents over the age of 25 have their high school diploma.
Amarillo has seen rapid population growth throughout its history which is only expected to continue. The city’s population by the 1910 census had almost reached 10,000. By 1930, it surpassed 40,000 before growing to over 50,000 in the next decade. By 1960, Amarillo had over 137,000 residents. This number has continued to grow steadily except a 7.9% decline recorded at the 1970 census. Many of the population growths over time exceed 20,000 new residents every ten years. The city’s population is just under 200,000 according to recent estimates and is expected to surpass 204,000 residents this year.
What is currently known as Amarillo was established as a settlement in 1887 when J.I. Berry wanted to create a town located near the main trading center of the region. The townsite was approved and was designated as the county seat for Potter County. Initially, it was named Oneida. The name was later changed to Amarillo and is believed to be nominated for the yellow wildflowers that grow in the area.
In 1888, Joseph Glidden and Henry Sanborn began purchasing land to move the city due to the risk of floods in the current area. He appealed to businesses by offering to trade lots with them and to assist in paying moving expenses. As more people took up these offers, the commercial district of Polk Street began to develop. Growth continued the following year when a flood almost occurred at the original site. The new town was elected as a county seat in the 1890s.
Before the next century, Amarillo had already established itself as a cattle-shipping point. Because of this, the population continued to grow. The 20th century saw an increase in the production of wheat, turning the city into a center for milling, grain, and feed-manufacturing. The early 1900s also brought in oil and gas companies following the discovery of oil and natural gas. In the 1920s, the Cliffside Gas Field was purchased by the U.S. government, and the Federal Bureau of Mines operated the Amarillo Helium Plant. It was the only producer of commercial helium at the time and has earned Amarillo the nickname of “Helium Capital of the World.”
Growth only continued with the introduction of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad also came to the area and employed many of Amarillo’s residents.
The city was affected by an economic depression in the mid-1900s but bounced back after it became a major tourist destination with the introduction of Routes 60, 66, 87 and 287. In 1949, the city was struck by a tornado, killing and injuring residents and destroying much of the city. Another tornado hit in 1982, but no deaths were recorded.
Today, the city is known as Rotor City, USA because of its hybrid aircraft assembly plant. It is also one of the largest meat-packing cities in the country. Amarillo is also the site of the only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility in the U.S. The city’s population continues to grow, especially in the northwestern and southern areas of the city. Though the downtown area has gone downhill, the local government has established partnerships to revitalize this area. Amarillo is an appealing place for residents and visitors alike, boasting over 50 city parks, historic homes and buildings, restaurants, shopping centers, and other attractions.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Amarillo was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 145,417 | 72.58% |
Two or more races | 22,089 | 11.02% |
Black or African American | 14,308 | 7.14% |
Other race | 8,347 | 4.17% |
Asian | 8,218 | 4.1% |
Native American | 1,578 | 0.79% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 403 | 0.2% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 78,616 | 2.52 | 59.6 | 40.4 |
Married | 35,151 | 3.31 | 77.6 | 22.4 |
Non Family | 29,063 | 1.17 | 45 | 55 |
Female | 10,056 | 3.36 | 42.9 | 57.1 |
Male | 4,346 | 3.29 | 50.3 | 49.7 |
3.24
Average Family Size
2.52
Average Household Size
59.6%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 9,200 | 7.16% |
Associates Degree | 11,278 | 8.78% |
Bachelors Degree | 21,918 | 17.07% |
Graduate Degree | 10,421 | 8.11% |
High School Graduate | 34,515 | 26.88% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 8,663 | 6.75% |
Some College | 32,432 | 25.25% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 76,231 | 71,405 | 23,662 |
Hispanic | 36,801 | 27,653 | 5,166 |
2+ Races | 12,179 | 9,678 | 2,544 |
Black | 7,708 | 6,038 | 1,177 |
Other Race | 5,625 | 4,151 | 852 |
Asian | 4,471 | 2,477 | 1,126 |
Native American | 934 | 788 | 239 |
Islander | 168 | 163 | 29 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 97.02%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 31.04%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $60,364 | $71,293 | $55,170 |
Graduate Degree | $71,840 | $89,715 | $67,500 |
High School Graduate | $35,226 | $42,163 | $27,554 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $29,339 | $34,329 | $23,261 |
Overall | $43,279 | $52,645 | $34,448 |
Some College | $41,425 | $54,083 | $32,690 |
$43,279
Average Earnings
$52,645
Average Male
$34,448
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
76.35% of Amarillo residents speak only English, while 23.65% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 17.79% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 68,085 | 12,914 | 18.97% |
White | 103,144 | 10,752 | 10.42% |
Black | 14,079 | 5,239 | 37.21% |
Multiple | 22,006 | 3,045 | 13.84% |
Asian | 8,165 | 1,468 | 17.98% |
Other | 8,263 | 1,162 | 14.06% |
Native | 1,578 | 273 | 17.3% |
Islander | 403 | 12 | 2.98% |
15.55%
Overall Poverty Rate
14.15%
Male Poverty Rate
16.91%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Amarillo is Black, with 37.21% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Amarillo is Islander, with 2.98% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.49%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.26%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 25.3%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 25.2% |
High School | 15.8% |
Some College | 10.51% |
Bachelors or Greater | 4.3% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 27.08% |
Male Unemployed | 24.14% |
Female Employed | 8.71% |
Male Employed | 6.19% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $76,749 | $99,631 |
Households | $60,628 | $82,923 |
Married Families | $94,985 | $118,851 |
Non Families | $36,397 | $50,830 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
49.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
50.9%
Male Marriage Rate
47.3%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
12,302
Number of Veterans
11,194
Male Veterans
1,108
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 3,759 |
Second Gulf War | 3,249 |
First Gulf War | 2,685 |
Korea | 727 |
World War II | 217 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
35 to 54 | 3,484 |
65 to 74 | 2,666 |
75+ | 2,419 |
55 to 64 | 2,250 |
18 to 34 | 1,483 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 10,014 | 9.09% |
Hispanic | 1,868 | 4.15% |
2+ Races | 878 | 6.04% |
Black | 679 | 7.31% |
Other Race | 433 | 6.83% |
Native American | 179 | 16.24% |
Asian | 74 | 1.38% |
Islander | 45 | 21.13% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.93%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.69%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
65.6%
Labor Force Participation
63.2%
Employment Rate
3.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
66.16%
Born in Amarillo
88.65%
Native Born
11.35%
Foreign Born
6.99%
Non Citizen
4.37%
Naturalized
88.65% of Amarillo residents were born in the United States, with 66.16% having been born in Texas. 6.99% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 206,172 | 628 | 0.31% |
2028 | 205,544 | 627 | 0.31% |
2027 | 204,917 | 627 | 0.31% |
2026 | 204,290 | 628 | 0.31% |
2025 | 203,662 | 627 | 0.31% |
2024 | 203,035 | 627 | 0.31% |
2023 | 202,408 | 1,042 | 0.52% |
2022 | 201,366 | 568 | 0.28% |
2021 | 200,798 | 272 | 0.14% |
2020 | 200,526 | 1,498 | 0.75% |
2019 | 199,028 | 6 | 0% |
2018 | 199,022 | -606 | -0.3% |
2017 | 199,628 | 920 | 0.46% |
2016 | 198,708 | 795 | 0.4% |
2015 | 197,913 | 619 | 0.31% |
2014 | 197,294 | 964 | 0.49% |
2013 | 196,330 | 863 | 0.44% |
2012 | 195,467 | 1,668 | 0.86% |
2011 | 193,799 | 2,539 | 1.33% |
2010 | 191,260 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 173,627 | 16,012 | 10.16% |
1990 | 157,615 | 8,385 | 5.62% |
1980 | 149,230 | 22,220 | 17.49% |
1970 | 127,010 | -10,959 | -7.94% |
1960 | 137,969 | 63,723 | 85.83% |
1950 | 74,246 | 22,560 | 43.65% |
1940 | 51,686 | 8,554 | 19.83% |
1930 | 43,132 | 27,638 | 178.38% |
1920 | 15,494 | 5,537 | 55.61% |
1910 | 9,957 | 8,557 | 611.21% |
1900 | 1,400 | 900 | 180% |
1890 | 500 | -205,672 | -99.76% |