Amarillo is in the center of the Texas Panhandle, a 26-county area that is bordered by New Mexico and Oklahoma. Here, the southern plains meet the desert. Founded in 1887 at the intersection of two railroads, today the city is the intersection of Interstates 40 and 27. The city received its name, which means yellow in Spanish, from the yellow sub-soil and the yellow flowers blooming here.
The population of the Amarillo metro area (includes all of Potter and Randall Counties) is 217,858, based on Census 2000. The population within the Amarillo city limits is 173,627, according to Census 2000. Finally, the population of Potter County is 113,546 and Randall County is 104,312, again based on Census 2000. See the table below for complete population data, including estimates. The city covers 88.4 square miles in Potter and Randall counties. Amarillo was recently voted as one of the top cities in the country to start a business and raise a family.
Source: 2000 figures based on Census 2000 data. All other data are moderate growth estimates prepared by the Planning Department of the City of Amarillo.
Amarillo is at an altitude 3,671 ft. and receives about 19.5 inches of precipitation annually. The altitude and constant breeze are responsible for the clean air and low humidity. There are four distinct seasons in the city, yet the temperatures remain comfortable for most of the year. Each year there are over 270 sunny days.
