Amarillo, Texas
City in the United States in Potter County
About Amarillo
Amarillo ( AM-ə-RIL-oh; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Potter County, though most of the southern half of the city extends into Randall County. It is the 17th-most populous city in Texas and the most populous city in the Texas panhandle. The estimated population of Amarillo was 203,729 as of 2024, comprising nearly half of the panhandle's population. The Amarillo metropolitan area had an estimated population of 308,297 as of 2020.
The city of Amarillo, originally named Oneida, is situated in the Llano Estacado region. The availability of the railroad and freight service provided by the Fort Worth and Denver Railway contributed to the city's growth as a cattle-marketing center in the late 19th century.
Amarillo was once the self-proclaimed "Helium Capital of the World" for having one of the country's most productive helium fields. The city is also known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" (as the city takes its name from the Spanish word for yellow), "Yellow City" for its name, and "Rotor City, USA" for its V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft assembly plant. Amarillo operates one of the largest meat-packing areas in the United States. Pantex, the only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility in the country, is also a major employer, with the location of this facility giving rise to the nickname "Bomb City".
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Amarillo is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
1 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Amarillo
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
- Cole Stanley per Wikidata
The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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- Website
- amarillo.gov
Looking for your county, state and federal representatives too? See who represents 79101 or everyone in Texas.
Population over time
From 482 in 1890 to 200,393 in 2020 (+41,475.3%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 200,393 |
| 2010 | 190,695 |
| 1890 | 482 |