Nearly 1 In 5 People Who Live In This City Moved In The Past Year—here’s Why It’s A Newcomer’s Paradise

Momentum is building in Amarillo, TX, and a big driver is a not-yet-built project slated to bring thousands of tech jobs.

The city is seeing a surge in people moving to the metro. Right now, the domestic mobility rate in Amarillo climbed to roughly 17.9% in 2024, up from 16.5% a decade earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors®. That figure sits well above the national average of 11% and outpaces many larger metropolitan areas.

"Amarillo stands out because mobility has been declining nationally—but here, it increased, and that's rare," NAR senior economist Nadia Evangelou tells Realtor.com®. "That tells us there’s still movement happening locally, and movement is what keeps housing markets dynamic."

According to Evangelou, mobility is closely tied to housing market activity.

"When households move, homes are listed," she says. "When homes are listed, buyers engage. In markets where people continue to relocate—whether for jobs, lifestyle changes, or family reasons—there tends to be more natural turnover. That creates opportunities even during slower national cycles."

Nearly 1 in 5 residents in the Amarillo metro area moved within the past year, according to NAR.

"Its moderate size, affordability, and employment base make it attractive to families and retirees," says Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com.

Data center near Amarillo under construction

A big draw to the area is what's been dubbed Project Matador—a data center development that is being built about 35 miles north of the Amarillo city limits. It is expected to span 5,800 acres and include 18 million square feet of capacity.

The developer, Fermi America LLC, estimates it will need between 5,000 and 10,000 employees in the project’s construction phase, and between 1,000 and 2,000 employees to run the facility.

"The upcoming Project Matador data center is absolutely contributing to the mobility boom we’re seeing," Amarillo real estate agent Rheannon Pierce-Logan, of eXp Realty, tells Realtor.com. "Large-scale developments like this create significant employment opportunities, which naturally attract out-of-state buyers and investors looking to relocate for long-term career growth."

"By supporting higher-paying positions, data centers can strengthen the local economy, though they may also contribute to home price growth over time," says Jones.

But last week, the project was paused. Fermi America said in a statement to local news station KFDA that the company is awaiting a final clean air permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

"Construction at the Project Matador site has been happening at Fermi speed. We completed our first phase so fast that we paused construction temporarily because we didn't want to risk getting a speeding ticket from TCEQ while awaiting our final Clean Air Permit. We had an incredible 150 days and plan to complete the next phase even faster," Toby Neugebauer, co-founder and CEO of Fermi America, said in the statement.

Inside Amarillo's real estate market

"The housing market in Amarillo is steady and affordable," says Jones, "creating opportunities for households looking to move."

The median listing price was $290,500 in January, down 2.3% year over year.

"That affordability, paired with strong and stable industries, makes our city very attractive," says Pierce-Logan. "We have diverse employment opportunities where many residents build lifelong careers."

Douglas A. Campbell, chairman of the board for the Amarillo Association of Realtors, tells Realtor.com that the city is transitioning from a booming health care and agricultural hub to a tech-adjacent destination, where low-cost entry and high-industrial investment are attracting a permanent, diverse population. 

Amarillo also serves as a regional economic hub in the Texas Panhandle, providing jobs and amenities to surrounding rural communities.

According to Pierce-Logan, the local real estate market is gaining steam.

"In 2026, we’re already seeing momentum increase," she says. "The last four homes I’ve listed have all gone under contract within a week."

At the same time, the average home spent 64 days on the market—roughly two weeks less than the national norm.

Why people move to Amarillo

"I've had a lot of people come in lately and say they were moving here. There has been a big influx of people," Chip Hunt, who has lived in Amarillo since 1985 and owns 6th Street Antique Mall, tells Realtor.com.

Beyond the job market, Hunt says she hears many different reasons for their moves.

"A lot of people move here from bigger cities in California, because the cost of living is so much cheaper here," she explains. "You get so much more for your money, especially when it comes to housing. Others move here because it's such a great place to raise kids. The people are so friendly and willing to help each other."

"Amarillo offers a strong sense of community, real opportunity, and a high quality of life," Hope Stokes Hoeffner, director of marketing for Visit Amarillo, tells Realtor.com. "As a thriving city of just over 200,000 people, we provide the amenities of a larger market while maintaining the connection and accessibility of a close-knit community."

Hunt says the city's central location is another big draw.

"We're within 4.5 hours of Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Albuquerque. You can drive to go skiing in New Mexico and be home by nighttime. Everything is just right within reach."

Business owners like Hunt are benefiting from Amarillo's growing popularity.

"Local businesses now have a strong reason to prepare for what could be a major surge in Amarillo’s growth," says Paul Simpson, director of business retention and expansion at Amarillo Economic Development Corp. "This momentum is giving businesses confidence to expand and innovate."

Greensboro, NC, also had a spike in domestic mobility

Evangelou says Greensboro, NC, also saw an increase in domestic mobility over the past decade, rising from 11.5% in 2014 to 12.5% in 2024.

"The increase there was more moderate than Amarillo’s, but it still stands out in a period when mobility has declined in most areas," she says. "It suggests there are parts of the country where households are still actively relocating."

The median listing price in Greensboro was $319,900 in January.

"Greensboro, NC, experienced strong price growth during the [COVID-19] pandemic," says Jones. "While that pace has cooled, home values remain elevated, and price-per-square-foot growth has persisted."

According to Jones, the Greensboro market has steadied from its pandemic-era activity: "Homes are spending more time on the market, and price growth is slowing."