Amarillo vs Odessa
The short version
- Amarillo is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Odessa area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $196,900 in Amarillo and $223,100 in Odessa.
- Households earn more in Odessa ($73,472 vs $65,912 median).
- Odessa has the warmer winter: January highs of 59°F vs 52°F.
- Amarillo gets far more snow: 17 inches a year vs 4.
- Odessa has more scorching days: 115 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 72.
- Odessa is growing faster: +7.2% since 2020 vs +2.4%.
Side by side
| Amarillo, TX | Odessa, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 205,130 | 122,707 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.4% | +7.2% |
| People per square mile | 1,980 | 2,358 |
| Median age | 35.1 | 31.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27% | 19% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $65,912 | $73,472 |
| Median home value | $196,900 | $223,100 |
| Home value to income | 3.0× | 3.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,092 | $1,315 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.8 | 93.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 78.4 | 89.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,900 | $70,400 |
| Homeowners | 60% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.6 | 22.4 |
| Work from home | 7% | 3% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.4% | 5.9% |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 16.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 52° / 25° | 59° / 33° |
| July high / low | 93° / 66° | 96° / 73° |
| Precipitation per year | 20 in | 14 in |
| Snowfall per year | 17 in | 4 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 72 | 115 |
| Nights below freezing | 108 | 58 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 90.5 | 82.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 78% | 72% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.1% | +0.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +34% | +24.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Amarillo: April to May and September to October. Odessa: March to April and October.
Full monthly tables: Amarillo weather by month and Odessa weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,900 in Amarillo and $70,400 in Odessa. Moving from Amarillo to Odessa, you would need about $76,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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