Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Amarillo, TX
VS
Montgomery, AL
🏆 Montgomery leads 13 of 22 categories
Amarillo
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$60,628 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
182⚠ High
Population
200,360 ✓ Larger
Montgomery
Alabama
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$54,166
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
199,819
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 $6,462 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
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
Montgomery, AL
Pros
14% less violent crime than Amarillo
Homes cost $31k less ($141,900 vs $172,700)
More college-educated — 33.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 51°F
Cons
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Amarillo by $6,462/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Amarillo
Median Income
$6,462
$60,628 vs $54,166/yr
Amarillo
Unemployment
3.7 pp lower
3.5% vs 7.2% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 90.8 on the COL index
Montgomery
Violent Crime
14% lower
594.6 vs 690.5 per 100k
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$31k less
$141,900 vs $172,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Amarillo, TX | Montgomery, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 | 90.8 |
| Median Home Value | $172,700 | $141,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 ✓ Lower | $1,026 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,628 ✓ Higher | $54,166 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter | 19.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 6.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 160⚠ High | 136⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 182⚠ High | 156⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (93) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% | 33.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 86.1% | 87.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AMARILLO ISD | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.7°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.2" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,360 ✓ Larger | 199,819 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.6% ✓ Higher | 53.5% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 23.7% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Amarillo's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Montgomery's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Montgomery leads 13 of 22 categories. Amarillo wins 9 and Montgomery 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 Montgomery or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($172,700 vs $141,900 median home), income ($60,628 vs $54,166), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Amarillo, TX and Montgomery, AL are about 914 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.