Amarillo, Texas Population 2023

201,910

Amarillo is a city located in Potter County and Randall County Texas. Amarillo has a 2023 population of 201,910. It is also the county seat of Potter County.Amarillo is currently growing at a rate of 0.17% annually and its population has increased by 0.5% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 200,897 in 2020.

The average household income in Amarillo is $76,316 with a poverty rate of 15.76%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Amarillo is 34.1 years, 33.1 years for males, and 35.2 years for females.

In the Texas Panhandle area, it is the largest city by population.

Amarillo Age, Gender, and Education Statistics

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 Population Growth

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.

Amarillo Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Amarillo was:

  • White: 76.65%
  • Two or more races: 7.46%
  • Black or African American: 7.12%
  • Asian: 4.23%
  • Other race: 3.57%
  • Native American: 0.82%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.14%
State
Texas
Land Area (mi²)
101.7 sq mi
Density (mi²)
1,984.50/sq mi
Growth Rate
0.17% (338)
Growth Since 2020
0.5% (1,013)
The current population of Amarillo, Texas is 201,910 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 200,897.

Amarillo, Texas Population 2023

Population by Race

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White

Two or more races

Black or African American

Asian

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Amarillo Population by Race

Amarillo Population Pyramid 2023

Amarillo Median Age

34.1

Total

33.1

Male

35.2

Female

Amarillo Adults

There are 146,015 adults, (27,522 of whom are seniors) in Amarillo.

Amarillo Age Dependency

69.1

Age Dependency Ratio

23.2

Old Age Dependency Ratio

45.9

Child Dependency Ratio

Amarillo Sex Ratio

Female101,73950.78%
Male98,63249.22%

Amarillo Population by Age

Amarillo Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.2

Average Family Size

2.53

Average Household Size

58.7%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Amarillo Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Amarillo Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Amarillo Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 82.77%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 34.04%.

Amarillo Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$38,921

Average Earnings

$46,782

Average Male

$31,568

Average Female

Amarillo Earnings by Educational Attainment

Amarillo Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Amarillo Language

75.86% of Amarillo residents speak only English, while 24.14% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 17.89% of the population.

Amarillo Language

Amarillo Poverty by Race

rate

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15.76%

Overall Poverty Rate

14.52%

Male Poverty Rate

16.96%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Amarillo

The race most likely to be in poverty in Amarillo is Black, with 47.05% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Amarillo is White, with 12.71% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.96%. Among those working part-time, it was 17.34%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 25.71%.

Amarillo Poverty

rate

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Amarillo Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Amarillo Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Amarillo Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Amarillo Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

50.0%

Overall Marriage Rate

52.1%

Male Marriage Rate

48.0%

Female Marriage Rate

Amarillo Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Amarillo Marriage

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.

Amarillo Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Amarillo Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

11,949

Number of Veterans

10,999

Male Veterans

950

Female Veterans

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Amarillo Veterans by War

count

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Amarillo Veterans by Age

count

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Amarillo Veterans by Race

Amarillo Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

9.76%

Veteran Poverty Rate

29.46%

Veteran Disability Rate

Amarillo Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

65.6%

Labor Force Participation

63.1%

Employment Rate

3.6%

Unemployment Rate

Amarillo Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Amarillo Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Amarillo Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

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.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

65.7%

Born in Amarillo

87.9%

Native Born

11.67%

Foreign Born

7.43%

Non Citizen

4.24%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

87.9% of Amarillo residents were born in the United States, with 65.7% having been born in Texas. 7.43% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Amarillo Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change

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Amarillo Population by Year