Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Amarillo, TX
VS
Edinburg, TX
🏆 Edinburg leads 13 of 23 categories
Amarillo
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$60,628 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
182⚠ High
Population
200,360 ✓ Larger
Edinburg
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,139
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
100,964
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Amarillo, TX
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.7 pts lower (3.5%)
Households earn $6,489 more per year on average
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
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Edinburg
Edinburg, TX
Pros
61% less violent crime than Amarillo
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 51°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
Rent averages $77/mo less ($920 vs $997)
More college-educated — 28.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Amarillo
Cons
Median income trails Amarillo by $6,489/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Amarillo
Median Income
$6,489
$60,628 vs $54,139/yr
Amarillo
Unemployment
3.7 pp lower
3.5% vs 7.2% unemployment
Edinburg
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 90.8 (100 = US avg)
Edinburg
Violent Crime
61% lower
269.6 vs 690.5 per 100k
Edinburg
Median Home Value
$13k less
$159,600 vs $172,700
Edinburg
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 96.7°F vs 92.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Amarillo, TX | Edinburg, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $172,700 | $159,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 | $920 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,628 ✓ Higher | $54,139 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter | 19.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 9.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 160⚠ High | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 182⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% | 28.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 86.1% ✓ Higher | 79.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AMARILLO ISD | EDINBURG CISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.7°F | 70.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F | 96.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 26.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.2" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,360 ✓ Larger | 100,964 |
| Median Age | 34.4 ✓ Older | 29.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.6% ✓ Higher | 53.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | 27.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 9.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Amarillo's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Edinburg's 85.6 (US average = 100).
Edinburg is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Edinburg leads 13 of 23 categories. Amarillo wins 10 and Edinburg wins 13. 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 Edinburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($172,700 vs $159,600 median home), income ($60,628 vs $54,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Amarillo, TX and Edinburg, TX are about 651 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.