State
Land Area
101.7 sq mi
Density
1,963.2/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
0.09%
Growth Since 2010
4.75%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
266,347
Amarillo is a city located in Texas. With a 2020 population of 199,747, it is the 16th largest city in Texas and the 122nd largest city in the United States. Amarillo is currently growing at a rate of 0.09% annually and its population has increased by 4.75% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 190,695 in 2010. Amarillo reached it's highest population of 199,747 in 2021. Spanning over 103 miles, Amarillo has a population density of 1,963 people per square mile.
The average household income in Amarillo is $71,120 with a poverty rate of 15.08%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $850 per month, and the median house value is $132,500. The median age in Amarillo is 34.2 years, 32.7 years for males, and 35.6 years for females. For every 100 females there are 97.1 males.
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:
2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.
Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 266,347 | 647 | 0.24% |
2020 | 265,700 | 647 | 0.24% |
2019 | 265,053 | 647 | 0.24% |
2018 | 264,406 | 75 | 0.03% |
2017 | 264,331 | 1,344 | 0.51% |
2016 | 262,987 | 1,369 | 0.52% |
2015 | 261,618 | 806 | 0.31% |
2014 | 260,812 | 1,916 | 0.73% |
2013 | 258,896 | 1,094 | 0.42% |
2012 | 257,802 | 1,827 | 0.71% |
2011 | 255,975 | 3,311 | 1.29% |
2010 | 252,664 | 0.00% |
Race | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 163,433 | 82.15% |
Black or African American | 13,126 | 6.60% |
Asian | 8,499 | 4.27% |
Two or More Races | 6,620 | 3.33% |
Some Other Race | 5,575 | 2.80% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 1,165 | 0.59% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 537 | 0.27% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
---|---|---|---|
All | 76,319 | 2.58 | 60.5 |
Married | 35,263 | 3.3 | 77.6 |
Non Family | 26,705 | 1.2 | 46.6 |
Female | 10,291 | 3.45 | 42.8 |
Male | 4,060 | 3.19 | 47.7 |
3.24
Average Family Size
2.58
Average Household Size
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 8,624 | 6.77% |
9th to 12th Grade | 11,397 | 8.95% |
High School Graduate | 34,379 | 27.00% |
Some College | 31,928 | 25.07% |
Associates Degree | 10,887 | 8.55% |
Bachelors Degree | 20,638 | 16.21% |
Graduate Degree | 9,499 | 7.46% |
Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 78,556 | 73,049 | 24,042 |
Hispanic | 34,687 | 23,537 | 3,324 |
Black | 7,289 | 5,975 | 906 |
Asian | 4,888 | 2,959 | 1,333 |
Other Race | 3,540 | 2,321 | 358 |
Multiple Races | 2,656 | 2,326 | 419 |
Native American | 778 | 651 | 197 |
Islander | 381 | 365 | 68 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 95.80%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 30.60%.
$35,798
Average Earnings
$42,991
Average Male
$30,200
Average Female
75.22% of Amarillo residents speak only English, while 24.78% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 19.12% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 65,491 | 14,173 | 21.64% |
White | 105,970 | 9,881 | 9.32% |
Black | 12,736 | 3,542 | 27.81% |
Asian | 8,473 | 1,380 | 16.29% |
Multiple | 6,580 | 1,004 | 15.26% |
Other | 5,561 | 875 | 15.73% |
Native | 1,153 | 212 | 18.39% |
Islander | 528 | 133 | 25.19% |
15.08%
Overall Poverty Rate
13.84%
Male Poverty Rate
16.27%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Amarillo is Black, with 27.81% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Amarillo is White, with 9.32% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.75%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.67%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.80%.
50.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
52.8%
Male Marriage Rate
47.9%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 10,287 | 8.48% |
Hispanic | 1,420 | 3.34% |
Black | 630 | 7.00% |
2 or More | 245 | 7.24% |
Other | 124 | 2.91% |
Indian | 80 | 8.68% |
Asian | 76 | 1.32% |
7.78%
Veteran Poverty Rate
29.23%
Veteran Disability Rate
66.7%
Labor Force Participation
64.2%
Employment Rate
3.6%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
88.19%
Native Born
11.81%
Foreign Born
7.90%
Non Citizen
3.90%
Naturalized
88.19% of Amarillo residents were born in the United States, with 66.08% having been born in Texas. 7.90% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 199,747 | 188 | 0.09% |
2020 | 199,559 | 188 | 0.09% |
2019 | 199,371 | 188 | 0.09% |
2018 | 199,183 | -539 | -0.27% |
2017 | 199,722 | 1,028 | 0.52% |
2016 | 198,694 | 878 | 0.44% |
2015 | 197,816 | 616 | 0.31% |
2014 | 197,200 | 952 | 0.49% |
2013 | 196,248 | 844 | 0.43% |
2012 | 195,404 | 1,641 | 0.85% |
2011 | 193,763 | 2,514 | 1.31% |
2010 | 191,249 | 17,622 | 0.97% |
2000 | 173,627 | 16,012 | 0.97% |
1990 | 157,615 | 8,385 | 0.55% |
1980 | 149,230 | 22,220 | 1.63% |
1970 | 127,010 | -10,959 | -0.82% |
1960 | 137,969 | 63,723 | 6.39% |
1950 | 74,246 | 22,560 | 3.69% |
1940 | 51,686 | 8,554 | 1.83% |
1930 | 43,132 | 27,638 | 10.78% |
1920 | 15,494 | 5,537 | 4.52% |
1910 | 9,957 | 8,557 | 21.67% |
1900 | 1,400 | 900 | 10.84% |
1890 | 500 | 0.00% |