Amarillo vs Wichita Falls
The short version
- Wichita Falls is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Amarillo area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $156,800 in Wichita Falls and $196,900 in Amarillo.
- Households earn more in Amarillo ($65,912 vs $60,177 median).
- Amarillo gets far more snow: 17 inches a year vs 3.
- Wichita Falls has more scorching days: 105 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 72.
- Amarillo is growing faster: +2.4% since 2020 vs -0.3%.
- Commutes are shorter in Wichita Falls (14 vs 20 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Amarillo, TX | Wichita Falls, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 205,130 | 101,951 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.4% | -0.3% |
| People per square mile | 1,980 | 1,412 |
| Median age | 35.1 | 33.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27% | 25% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $65,912 | $60,177 |
| Median home value | $196,900 | $156,800 |
| Home value to income | 3.0× | 2.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,092 | $1,022 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.8 | 89.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 78.4 | 68.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,900 | $67,100 |
| Homeowners | 60% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.6 | 14.3 |
| Work from home | 7% | 7% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 17.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 52° / 25° | 55° / 30° |
| July high / low | 93° / 66° | 97° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 20 in | 28 in |
| Snowfall per year | 17 in | 3 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 72 | 105 |
| 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 | 81.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 78% | n/a |
| Home prices, past year | +3.1% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +34% | +34.2% |
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. Wichita Falls: April to May and October.
Full monthly tables: Amarillo weather by month and Wichita Falls 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 $67,100 in Wichita Falls. Moving from Amarillo to Wichita Falls, you would need about $73,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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