One of the things we really like about Amarillo is the affordable housing market. Houses average $121,000 and rent averages around $650. There are single family homes, apartments, condos and mobile home parks to choose from that won’t cost you and arm and a leg. The South side of town has more new construction, while the North side has older, more traditional homes. The neighborhoods are friendly and, although it is a bigger city, it still maintains a small town feel. Top rated schools also make Amarillo family friendly.
Amarillo extends into both Potter County and Randall County, Texas. Although Amarillo is located in the panhandle, and a bit far from a major metro area, I can get to Dallas/Fort Worth in 3 to 4 hours or travel to Albuquerque in about 4 hours. Amarillo has two major highways that run through town. Interstate 27 runs North and South, and Interstate 40 runs East and West, making it easy to go anywhere in the area easily. If I need to fly anywhere, the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is just East of town on E. Amarillo, Blvd. Traffic jams are non-existent in Amarillo, and getting to and from work is a breeze.
Unlike most of the South, Amarillo has four distinct seasons. It is far enough North to experience a cold winter, a wet spring, a hot summer and a cool fall. A lot of Texas is notorious for being really hot in the summer, but the winds in Amarillo keep the air moving, so it’s not as bad as other parts of the state. Palo Duro State Park South of town offers me fishing, hiking and lots of outdoor activities. It is one of the most beautiful natural parks in the state. Palo Duro is known as the Texas Grand Canyon and, with the many rock formations and canyons, it lives up to this reputation. Amarillo has the best of everything Texas has to offer: friendly people, great weather and relaxed urban living.