Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Amarillo, TX
VS
Clearwater, FL
🏆 Amarillo leads 12 of 23 categories
Amarillo
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,628 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
182⚠ High
Population
200,360 ✓ Larger
Clearwater
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,984
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Amarillo, TX
Pros
Homes cost $115k less ($172,700 vs $287,900)
Rent averages $392/mo less ($997 vs $1,389)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (3.5%)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Violent crime (690.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2655.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Clearwater, FL
Pros
43% less violent crime than Amarillo
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 51°F
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,389/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Amarillo
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Amarillo
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Amarillo
Median Income
$1,270
$60,628 vs $59,358/yr
Amarillo
Median Home Value
$115k less
$172,700 vs $287,900
Amarillo
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.5% vs 4.7% unemployment
Clearwater
Violent Crime
43% lower
395.5 vs 690.5 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Amarillo, TX | Clearwater, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $172,700 ✓ Lower | $287,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 ✓ Lower | $1,389⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,628 ✓ Higher | $59,358 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter | 22.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 16.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 160⚠ High | 99 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 182⚠ High | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 90 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B (101) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% | 31.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 86.1% | 90.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AMARILLO ISD | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.7°F | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F ✓ Warmer | 90.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 56.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,360 ✓ Larger | 116,984 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 46.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.6% ✓ Higher | 58.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 23.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Amarillo's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Clearwater's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Amarillo is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Amarillo leads 12 of 23 categories. Amarillo wins 12 and Clearwater wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Amarillo to Clearwater or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($172,700 vs $287,900 median home), income ($60,628 vs $59,358), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Amarillo, TX and Clearwater, FL are about 1,225 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.