Amarillo vs Salt Lake City: Cost of Living (2026)

A side-by-side comparison of Amarillo, TX and Salt Lake City, UT, using US Census Bureau data.

MetricAmarillo, TXSalt Lake City, UT
Population200,360201,269
Median household income$60,628$72,357
Median home value$172,700$458,600
Median rent (/mo)$997$1,254

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Highlighted cell = more affordable / higher income.

Comparing Amarillo, TX and Salt Lake City, UT comes down to what you value most. Amarillo has the lower median home value, and Amarillo has the lower median rent.

Salt Lake City has the higher median household income, which affects how far a paycheck stretches against local housing costs. The table below breaks down the key numbers side by side, all sourced from the US Census Bureau.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to live in Amarillo or Salt Lake City?
By median home value, Amarillo is the cheaper of the two ($172,700 vs $458,600). Rent and income differ too — see the full comparison above.
Which has higher salaries, Amarillo or Salt Lake City?
Median household income is $60,628 in Amarillo versus $72,357 in Salt Lake City, per the US Census Bureau.

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