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Amarillo, TX


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Amarillo, Texas

Introduction to Amarillo, Texas

The Texas city of Amarillo, located near the middle of the Texas Panhandle in the northern part of the state, is the county seat of Potter County. The city is almost equidistant from Albuquerque, New Mexico (285 miles to the west) and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (245 miles to the east), both of which are accessible via Interstate I-40. Interstate I-27 also services the city, as do U.S. Routes 60, 66, 87, and 287. Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, named after the NASA astronaut and Amarillo native who commanded the Space Shuttle Columbia, provides air transportation by several major air carriers.

First settled in 1887, the settlement originally called Oneida would later change its name to Amarillo, the Spanish language translation of "yellow". The name was based on the color of the sub-soil in the channel of the Amarillo Creek and in the town's early days many of its houses were painted yellow to commemorate the name. Industry in Amarillo prospered in its early years largely due to railroading, cattle and merchandising. By the turn of the 20th century, Amarillo had established itself as one of the world's busiest cattle shipping centers. In more recent years, Amarillo has become a major world force in the development of natural gas, providing pipelines to many large cities and towns throughout the U.S. Amarillo today boasts a diversified economy which includes heavy manufacturing, petrochemicals, farming, modern ranching, and a burgeoning tourism industry.

Attractions in Amarillo

Amarillo has a wide variety of attractions in and around the city. The English Field Air & Space Museum offers visitors a unique perspective on our aerospace past and features the only Mars Lander on Earth (the other two are on the surface of Mars). The American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame & Museum showcases the history of the world’s most popular breed of horse. The Don Harrington Discovery Center & Space Theater features interactive exhibits, educational programs, and the only planetarium in the Texas Panhandle. The Harrington House Historic Home, built in 1914, was acquired in 1940 by Don and Sybil Harrington, local philanthropists who were leaders in the oil and gas industry. One of Amarillo's newest attractions is the Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum & Performance Center, a large facility designed in the style of an Indian Pueblo and housing an expansive museum and a dance performance theater. One of the city's most unique attractions is Cadillac Ranch, where ten Cadillacs are buried nose down in a field at the same formation as the Cheops Pyramid. Other attractions in and around the city include the Amarillo Zoo, the Palo Duro Canyon State Park, and the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. Annual events in Amarillo include the Tri-State Fair & Rodeo, held every September, and November's World Championship Ranch Rodeo.

Amarillo is home to a small number of professional sports teams. The Amarillo Dillas are a minor league baseball team playing in the independent United League Baseball (ULB). Fans of Arena Football can cheer for the Amarillo Dusters, a professional team belonging to the Af2 (arenafootball2) League. The Amarillo Gorillas are a minor league hockey team playing in the Central Hockey League (CHL).

High Points

Amarillo strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Texas):

CategoryTrophy
Short Commute Times
(vs. Peers)
Top 2%trophyAmarillo Short Commute Times
Affordability of Rents
(vs. Peers)
Top 9%Amarillo Affordability of Rents

Comparative Profile of Amarillo, TX

Comparing Amarillo to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Texas (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Senior Citizens85
Children Under 5 Years Old88
Female Share of the Population86
Age of the Population74
Racial Diversity57
Well-Paid Single Women38
Well-Paid Single Men38
Male Share of the Population35

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Portion of People Married83
Average Household Size64

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
People Above Poverty66
People in Middle Class or Better46
Median Family Income47
College Educated Adults48

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Short Commute Times109
Working at Home46
Walking and Biking to Work17
Public Transportation Use18

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Affordability of Rents105
Affordability of Property Taxes74
Housing Recently Built43
People Living Alone47
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals39
Seasonal and Vacation Housing33

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Low Violent Crime41
Low Property Crime42

Detailed pages on related topics: Amarillo collegesAmarillo travelAmarillo mortgage and property.

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Additional Details

Amarillo CareersAmarillo Careers
Amarillo career and employment information.
Amarillo CollegesAmarillo Colleges
Amarillo colleges and trade schools.
Amarillo Hotels & TravelAmarillo Hotels & Travel
Amarillo hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.
Amarillo MortgageAmarillo Mortgage
Amarillo property, mortgage, and real estate.

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