1st Advantage MortgageIn Potter County, Texas, the typical household earns $53,249 a year and the typical rent is $1,022. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Who lives in Potter County
- Housing costs in Potter County
- What Potter County households earn
- Jobs and commutes in Potter County
- The communities that make up Potter County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- What a median Potter County budget can carry
- Reading the Potter County data as a borrower
- Potter County households compared
- Before you sign
- Who licenses lenders for Potter County residents
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Potter County
With an estimated 115,975 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Potter County ranks 40th of 254 in Texas for population. Land area is 908 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 128 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Amarillo, TX metropolitan area. Of the 3 Census places inside Potter County, Amarillo leads by population with about 201,885; 2 of the 3 are incorporated.
Housing costs in Potter County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,022 in Potter County versus $1,403 statewide. 50% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 21% spend half or more. With a median value of $147,300, a typical Potter County house costs 2.8 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 57% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1963.
| Home costs | Potter County | Texas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,022/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $147,300 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 57% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 33% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 7.7% | 6.4% | n/a |
What Potter County households earn
The median household income in Potter County is $53,249; statewide it is $78,476, so Potter County runs 32% below Texas as a whole. That places it 213th among Texas's 254 county-level areas.
| Band | Potter County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 32.9% | +11.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.8% | +2.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.2% | -6.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.1% | -7.4 pts |
The spread is wide: 25% of Potter County households make $100,000 or more, and 33% make less than $35,000. 20.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.8%). A household earning below the $53,249 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Jobs and commutes in Potter County
By the Census industry count, 21% of employed Potter County residents work in education and health care and 12% in manufacturing. Compared with Texas, the county leans toward manufacturing (12% against 9%). Averaged over the five survey years, 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 9% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 7.7% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Potter County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.1% | -0.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.2% | +3.6 pts |
| Construction | 11.1% | +2.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.4% | +1.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.3% | -0.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.7% | -5.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
The communities that make up Potter County
Here are the 3 most populous of the county's 3 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 100% of Potter County residents live in one of the 3. This guide covers each of the 3 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo | city | 201,885 | $65,912 | $1,092 | 14 mi |
| Bushland | CDP | 2,779 | $146,071 | n/a | 16 mi |
| Bishop Hills | town | 202 | $112,813 | n/a | 10 mi |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Distances run center to center, from Randall County at 30 miles out to Armstrong County at 43. All of the six report a higher median household income than Potter County; Carson County is highest at $85,231 and Moore County lowest at $61,762.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potter County | - | $53,249 | $1,022/mo | 57% |
| Randall County, TX | 30 mi | $83,864 | $1,170/mo | 68% |
| Moore County, TX | 30 mi | $61,762 | $939/mo | 62% |
| Carson County, TX | 30 mi | $85,231 | $956/mo | 79% |
| Oldham County, TX | 40 mi | $79,900 | $1,111/mo | 74% |
| Hutchinson County, TX | 43 mi | $67,228 | $932/mo | 83% |
| Armstrong County, TX | 43 mi | $72,750 | $1,021/mo | 80% |
What a median Potter County budget can carry
How much room does a median Potter County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $4,437 a month: gross income for a household at the Potter County median
- Median rent: $1,022, or 23 cents of every gross dollar
- $575: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- $886: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Potter County's.
Reading the Potter County data as a borrower
Where the Potter County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Health costs. With 19% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Assistance before credit. With a 21% poverty rate, check no-cost options before any Potter County loan.
- Renters under pressure. When 50% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
Potter County households compared
19% of Potter County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 19.3%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| Indicator | Potter County | All of Texas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 18.6% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 21.9% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 19.3% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.7% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 20.8% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.8% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Potter County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 33.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 46.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 10.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.8% |
| 60+ min | 6.6% |
Before you sign
Quick steps for Potter County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Texas.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Who licenses lenders for Potter County residents
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Potter County borrowers answers to the Texas Department of Banking. Consumer lending in Texas is also overseen by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. Statewide data and rules: Texas guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Potter County a high-income county?
Its $53,249 median ranks 213th of 254 Texas counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Potter County rent compare with Texas?
$1,022 locally versus $1,403 for the state, 27% below.
I live in a small Potter County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Amarillo, Bushland, Bishop Hills.
Will a Potter County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Texas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Where can someone in Potter County check a lender's license?
With the Texas Department of Banking. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.