What salary do you need to live in Amarillo, TX?
For a single person: about $61,500/year before taxes to live comfortably. That's the gross income whose TX-taxed take-home covers roughly $1,106 rent plus everyday essentials, with a 20% cushion for savings. Figures include 2025 federal tax, FICA, and no state income tax (Texas doesn't have one).
What jobs here actually pay: the typical Amarillo worker earns about $44,580/year (BLS OEWS, all occupations) — below the $51,000 a single person needs to cover local essentials, so a median local job alone runs 13% short.
Single person — est. essentials $3,592/mo
Tight
take-home covers $3,592/mo
$51,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $4,310/mo
$61,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $5,388/mo
$80,000/yr
2-person household — est. essentials $4,848/mo
Tight
take-home covers $4,848/mo
$67,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $5,818/mo
$81,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $7,272/mo
$103,500/yr
3-person household — est. essentials $5,963/mo
Tight
take-home covers $5,963/mo
$84,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $7,156/mo
$101,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $8,945/mo
$128,500/yr
4-person household — est. essentials $6,872/mo
Tight
take-home covers $6,872/mo
$97,500/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $8,246/mo
$118,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $10,308/mo
$151,500/yr
How we calculate this
Essentials = typical rent ($1,106) + a national non-housing baseline by household size ($2,450 for one person) + Texas's combined sales tax on the taxable share of that spending. We then solve for the gross salary whose after-tax take-home hits each tier, including municipal income tax where the city levies one. These assume adults sharing a home. A household with young children also pays childcare, which in most cities is the largest line after rent — run a search with your own household to price it. Property taxes aren't modeled — see the methodology.
Find jobs in Amarillo
Opens each board's search pre-filled for Amarillo, TX.
Planning a move here?
Get notified when Amarillo gets more affordable, plus relocation tips.
We'll only email you what you asked for. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.