Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Amarillo, TX
VS
Knoxville, TN
🏆 Amarillo leads 17 of 22 categories
Amarillo
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,628 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
182⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
200,360 ✓ Larger
Knoxville
Tennessee
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8
Median Household Income
$48,309
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High
Population
191,857
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Amarillo, TX
Pros
7% less violent crime than Knoxville
Households earn $12,319 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (3.5%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Knoxville
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
Knoxville, TN
Pros
More college-educated — 33.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
Cons
Violent crime (740.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Amarillo by $12,319/yr
Property crime (2721.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Amarillo
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 92.8 (100 = US avg)
Amarillo
Median Income
$12,319
$60,628 vs $48,309/yr
Amarillo
Violent Crime
7% lower
690.5 vs 740.3 per 100k
Amarillo
Median Home Value
$12k less
$172,700 vs $184,200
Amarillo
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
3.5% vs 4.8% unemployment
Amarillo
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 92.0°F vs 88.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Amarillo, TX | Knoxville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper | 92.8 |
| Median Home Value | $172,700 ✓ Lower | $184,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 ✓ Lower | $1,043 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,628 ✓ Higher | $48,309 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter | 20.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 9.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 160⚠ High ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 182⚠ High ✓ Safer | 195⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% | 33.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 86.1% | 90.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AMARILLO ISD | Knox County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.7°F ✓ Warmer | 47.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 55.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.2" | 4.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,360 ✓ Larger | 191,857 |
| Median Age | 34.4 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.6% ✓ Higher | 46.2% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 18.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 14.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Amarillo's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Knoxville's 92.8 (US average = 100).
Amarillo is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Amarillo leads 17 of 22 categories. Amarillo wins 17 and Knoxville wins 5. 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 Knoxville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($172,700 vs $184,200 median home), income ($60,628 vs $48,309), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Amarillo, TX and Knoxville, TN are about 1,005 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.