Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Amarillo, TX
VS
Tallahassee, FL
🏆 Amarillo leads 13 of 20 categories
Amarillo
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,628 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
182⚠ High
Population
200,360 ✓ Larger
Tallahassee
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.3
Median Household Income
$52,899
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,259
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Amarillo, TX
Pros
Homes cost $84k less ($172,700 vs $256,400)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (3.5%)
Rent averages $168/mo less ($997 vs $1,165)
Households earn $7,729 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
Tallahassee, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 49.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Amarillo by $7,729/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 3.5%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Amarillo
Key Differences at a Glance
Amarillo
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 95.3 (100 = US avg)
Amarillo
Median Income
$7,729
$60,628 vs $52,899/yr
Amarillo
Median Home Value
$84k less
$172,700 vs $256,400
Amarillo
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
3.5% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Amarillo, TX | Tallahassee, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper | 95.3 |
| Median Home Value | $172,700 ✓ Lower | $256,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 ✓ Lower | $1,165 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,628 ✓ Higher | $52,899 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter | 18.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 11.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 160⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 182⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | A- (113) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% | 49.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 86.1% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AMARILLO ISD | LEON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.7°F | 63.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 57.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,360 ✓ Larger | 198,259 |
| Median Age | 34.4 ✓ Older | 27.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.6% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 16.7% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Amarillo's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Tallahassee's 95.3 (US average = 100).
Amarillo is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Amarillo leads 13 of 20 categories. Amarillo wins 13 and Tallahassee wins 7. 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 Tallahassee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($172,700 vs $256,400 median home), income ($60,628 vs $52,899), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Amarillo, TX and Tallahassee, FL are about 1,070 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.