Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Amarillo, TX
VS
Columbia, MO
🏆 Amarillo leads 12 of 22 categories
Amarillo
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$60,628 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
182⚠ High
Population
200,360 ✓ Larger
Columbia
Missouri
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,455
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
126,172
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Amarillo, TX
Pros
Homes cost $76k less ($172,700 vs $248,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.5%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 39°F
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
Columbia, MO
Pros
50% less violent crime than Amarillo
More college-educated — 55.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Amarillo
Median Home Value
$76k less
$172,700 vs $248,600
Amarillo
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.5% vs 4.0% unemployment
Amarillo
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 92.0°F vs 88.6°F
Columbia
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 89.3 vs 90.8 (100 = US avg)
Columbia
Violent Crime
50% lower
347.5 vs 690.5 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Amarillo, TX | Columbia, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 | 89.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $172,700 ✓ Lower | $248,600 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 | $997 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,628 ✓ Higher | $60,455 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 4.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.5 min | 16.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 7.6% ✓ 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 | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | A (123) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% | 55.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 86.1% | 95.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AMARILLO ISD | COLUMBIA 93 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.7°F ✓ Warmer | 39.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 44.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.2" ✓ Less | 17.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,360 ✓ Larger | 126,172 |
| Median Age | 34.4 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.6% ✓ Higher | 48.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 19.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 11.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Amarillo's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Columbia's 89.3 (US average = 100).
Columbia is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Amarillo leads 12 of 22 categories. Amarillo wins 12 and Columbia wins 10. 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 Columbia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($172,700 vs $248,600 median home), income ($60,628 vs $60,455), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Amarillo, TX and Columbia, MO are about 584 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.