From Fort Cavazos to fast-growing suburbs, Bell County stays busy

Bell County is home to approximately 377,413 residents across twelve incorporated cities, anchored by Killeen, Temple, and Belton. Median home values range from around $180,000 in Killeen to over $400,000 in waterfront Belton and historic Salado. Multiple independent school districts serve the county, including Killeen ISD with 43 campuses, Temple ISD with 22, and Belton ISD with 9. The economy centers on Fort Cavazos military installation, Baylor Scott & White Health, and a diverse manufacturing sector employing over 7,000 workers.

Cities Compared

Killeen offers the lowest home prices in the $180,000 to $250,000 range but comes with military-driven turnover and variable school quality, while Temple provides more stability and better schools in the $200,000 to $350,000 range. Belton commands premium prices for lakefront properties starting around $400,000, and Salado represents the county's priciest market with historic homes and luxury properties exceeding $800,000.

Demographics

The county's median age of 36.5 reflects the young military families in Killeen balanced by older residents in Temple and Belton. The population is notably diverse at 42.3% White, 26.6% Hispanic, and 21.4% Black, with the military installation driving much of this diversity. Homeownership stands at 58%, lower than the Texas average due to the transient military population.

Economy

Bell County's economy balances military employment at Fort Cavazos, healthcare jobs at Baylor Scott & White Health and other medical facilities, and manufacturing operations producing aerospace components and other goods. Healthcare and social assistance leads with nearly 21,000 employees, followed by retail trade and accommodation services supporting the military and medical sectors.

Schools

Killeen Independent School District operates 43 campuses serving the military community, Temple ISD runs 22 schools with generally stronger performance ratings, and Belton ISD maintains 9 campuses with solid graduation rates. Smaller districts including Salado ISD, Academy ISD, and Rogers ISD serve rural portions of the county with single-campus operations.

Cost of Living

Bell County offers significant affordability compared to Austin and other major Texas metros, with a median home value of $227,312 and median rent of $1,144 monthly. The county benefits from Texas's lack of state income tax, though specific property tax rates vary by city and school district. The median household income of $72,938 provides comfortable purchasing power in most county communities.

About Bell County

Bell County stretches across 1,088 square miles of Central Texas where the Blackland Prairie meets the edge of the Hill Country, creating a landscape that shifts from flat military installations to rolling terrain dotted with live oak and limestone outcroppings. The county takes its name from Peter Hansbrough Bell, a San Jacinto veteran who later served as Texas governor, and was carved from Milam County in 1850 when settlers began pushing westward along the Little River and Lampasas River corridors.

The dominant feature shaping Bell County is Fort Hood, now Fort Cavazos, which sprawls across the western portion and employs tens of thousands of military personnel and civilian contractors. This massive installation has turned Killeen into the county's largest city with over 150,000 residents, creating a distinctly military-influenced community where the population turns over frequently and the housing market caters to young families on deployment cycles. Harker Heights developed immediately adjacent to the fort's eastern gates as a planned community for military families seeking newer construction and good schools, while Nolanville sits tucked between the two as a smaller bedroom community.

The eastern half of the county presents an entirely different character. Temple emerged as a railroad town in the 1880s and evolved into a regional medical center, anchored by Baylor Scott & White Health, which employs over 8,000 people and draws patients from across Central Texas. The city's downtown retains its historic grid with the Santa Fe Railroad depot still standing, while newer medical office parks and surgical centers have spread along South 31st Street and the Loop 363 corridor. Temple's housing stock reflects this dual identity, with Craftsman bungalows near downtown giving way to subdivisions built in waves from the 1970s through today.

Belton serves as the county seat and occupies prime real estate where the Leon River flows into Belton Lake, a 12,300-acre reservoir created by damming the river in 1954. The town's historic courthouse square remains the governmental and social center, surrounded by locally-owned shops and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a Baptist university that enrolls 4,400 students and gives the town a college-community feel distinct from the military atmosphere fifteen miles west. Belton Lake State Park and numerous private marinas make this corner of the county popular with retirees and families who prioritize water access.

Salado occupies a unique position as Bell County's most picturesque community, straddling Salado Creek along Interstate 35 where the old Chisholm Trail once ran. The village center, really just a few blocks of Main Street, has been carefully preserved with limestone buildings housing art galleries, antique shops, and bed-and-breakfasts that draw weekend tourists from Austin and Dallas. Salado College operated here from 1859 until 1885, and several antebellum homes remain, including the Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson house built between 1856 and 1860. The community fiercely protects its character through strict building codes, making it one of the priciest addresses in the county despite limited commercial development.

The rural portions of Bell County, particularly the northern and southern edges, remain agricultural with cattle ranches, hay operations, and pecan orchards. Small towns like Rogers, Troy, Holland, and Little River-Academy serve these farming communities with populations under 2,000 each. These towns grew up along the railroad lines that crisscrossed the county in the late 1800s, and their main streets still reflect that era with false-front buildings and grain elevators visible from miles away.

The county's growth pattern over the past two decades has been uneven. Killeen and Harker Heights have absorbed most new construction, with subdivisions pushing north and east from the fort's boundaries. Temple has grown more slowly but steadily, with infill development downtown and new construction along the FM 2305 corridor toward Little River-Academy. Belton has seen significant lakefront development and an expansion of its commercial district along Interstate 35. Meanwhile, Salado has grown barely at all by design, with residents actively resisting annexation attempts and fighting to maintain the village's small scale.

The transportation network reflects the county's dual nature. Interstate 35 runs north-south through the eastern portion, connecting Austin to Waco and serving as the main commercial corridor with hotels, restaurants, and big-box retail clustered at every exit. US Highway 190 runs east-west, connecting Killeen to Temple and Belton before continuing toward Bryan-College Station. State Highway 317 provides the main route from Temple south toward Cameron, while FM 2484 connects Harker Heights to Salado through rolling ranch land that offers some of the county's most scenic drives.

Bell County's economy balances military, medical, and manufacturing employment in a way that provides unusual stability for a mid-sized Texas county. When defense spending increases, Killeen thrives. When healthcare demand grows, Temple expands. The manufacturing sector, anchored by companies producing everything from aerospace components to food products, provides a third leg that operates independently of the other two. This diversity has helped the county weather economic downturns better than communities dependent on a single industry.

The county's position in Central Texas, roughly equidistant from Austin, Waco, and College Station, makes it a logical choice for people who work remotely or who want affordable housing within reach of multiple job markets. The drive to Austin takes just over an hour from Salado, while Waco is forty-five minutes from Belton. This accessibility, combined with home values well below Austin's, has made Bell County increasingly attractive to families priced out of the capital city's market.

Bell County's Cities: From Military Hub to Medical Center to Hill Country Village

Killeen dominates Bell County with a population exceeding 150,000, making it the largest city by a substantial margin and the economic engine for the western half of the county. The city grew explosively after Fort Hood was established in 1942, and its character remains deeply tied to the military installation that employs roughly 40,000 active-duty personnel plus thousands of civilian contractors. The housing market reflects military buyer patterns, with a strong rental sector serving soldiers on short-term assignments and an ownership market focused on affordable single-family homes in the $180,000 to $250,000 range. Killeen Independent School District serves most of the city with 43 campuses, though performance varies widely between schools, with some elementary campuses earning high marks while others struggle with the challenges of high student mobility. The city's commercial districts cluster along US 190 and around the Central Texas Marketplace, a regional shopping center that draws from across the county. Killeen suits military families, first-time buyers seeking affordability, and investors targeting the rental market, but the frequent population turnover means community institutions lack the deep roots found in Temple or Belton.

Temple functions as Bell County's medical and professional services hub, with a population around 80,000 and an economy anchored by Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest employer in the county outside the military. The city's downtown has undergone significant revitalization over the past decade, with the historic Santa Fe Railroad depot converted to a museum and new restaurants opening along Main Street. Housing options range from early 20th-century bungalows in the older neighborhoods near downtown, priced from $150,000 to $250,000, to newer subdivisions on the city's south and west sides where homes in the $250,000 to $350,000 range offer modern floor plans and access to Temple Independent School District schools. Temple ISD operates 22 campuses and generally performs better than Killeen ISD, particularly at the elementary level, making Temple attractive to families prioritizing education. The city also hosts Temple College, a community college that provides workforce training and academic transfer programs. Temple suits healthcare professionals, families seeking a more stable community than Killeen offers, and retirees drawn to the medical facilities and small-town feel.

Belton serves as the county seat with a population around 23,000, occupying a strategic position where the Leon River creates Belton Lake and Interstate 35 provides easy access north and south. The historic downtown surrounds the 1884 courthouse, with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus spreading across the southern portion of the city and giving Belton a college-town atmosphere. Housing near the lake commands premium prices, with waterfront properties starting around $400,000 and climbing past $600,000 for homes with private docks, while neighborhoods away from the water offer more affordable options in the $200,000 to $300,000 range. Belton Independent School District serves the city with nine campuses and maintains a strong reputation, particularly at the high school level where graduation rates exceed state averages. The lake draws boaters, fishermen, and families who prioritize outdoor recreation, making Belton popular with empty-nesters and retirees who want small-town character with access to water sports.

Harker Heights developed as a planned community adjacent to Fort Hood's eastern boundary and has grown to roughly 32,000 residents, most of whom have military connections. The city was incorporated in 1960 specifically to provide quality housing for military families, and that mission continues to shape its character. Subdivisions built from the 1980s onward dominate the landscape, with homes in the $200,000 to $300,000 range offering three and four-bedroom floor plans suited to young families. Killeen ISD serves most of Harker Heights, though some neighborhoods fall within other districts. The city has worked to develop its own identity separate from Killeen, with parks, a municipal golf course, and a growing commercial district along FM 2410. Harker Heights suits military families seeking newer construction and a more suburban feel than Killeen's older neighborhoods provide.

Salado stands apart from every other Bell County community as a carefully preserved village of roughly 2,300 residents straddling Salado Creek along Interstate 35. The Main Street historic district, with its limestone buildings housing galleries, shops, and restaurants, draws weekend tourists and supports a small but thriving arts community. Housing options are limited and expensive by county standards, with historic homes in the village center starting around $400,000 and luxury properties on larger acreage pushing past $800,000. Salado Independent School District operates a single campus serving all grades, with strong academics and a tight-knit community feel that appeals to families willing to pay premium prices for small-town schools. The village attracts artists, retirees, and Austin commuters who prioritize character over convenience and who want to live somewhere that feels more like 1950s Texas than 2020s Texas.

The smaller towns scattered across Bell County each serve distinct niches. Little River-Academy, with about 2,000 residents, sits between Temple and Cameron along FM 487 and functions primarily as a bedroom community for Temple workers seeking lower property taxes and larger lots. Holland, with fewer than 1,200 residents, remains an agricultural service center in the county's northeastern corner, with a main street that hasn't changed much since the railroad era. Troy, with about 2,000 residents, occupies the northwestern corner and serves local ranchers while also attracting families seeking rural living within reasonable commuting distance of Temple or Killeen. Rogers, Morgan's Point Resort, Nolanville, and Pendleton round out the county's incorporated places, each with populations under 1,000 and characters shaped by their proximity to either the lake, the fort, or the agricultural economy. These small towns suit people who want acreage, who work remotely, or who prioritize privacy and low cost of living over access to urban amenities.

Identifiers

GEOID

48027

State FIPS

48

County FIPS

027

Statistics

Neighborhoods

2

Population

314,921

Geography

Type

polygon

Area

2,824 km²

Data Source

Primary Source

tiger

Census Reference

QuickFacts

Frequently Asked Questions About Bell County

What is Bell known for?

Bell County is known primarily for Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, one of the largest military installations in the world, which shapes the economy and character of the western half of the county. The fort employs tens of thousands of military personnel and civilian contractors, making Killeen the county's largest city and creating a distinctly military-influenced housing market and culture. The county is equally recognized for Baylor Scott & White Health in Temple, a massive medical complex that serves as a regional healthcare hub drawing patients from across Central Texas and employing over 8,000 people. Salado has gained fame as one of Texas's most charming small towns, with its preserved Main Street historic district attracting tourists and artists. Belton Lake, created by damming the Leon River in 1954, makes the county a destination for boating, fishing, and water sports. The county's position in Central Texas, roughly equidistant from Austin, Waco, and College Station, gives it strategic importance as a crossroads community. Historically, Bell County played a role in Texas's frontier settlement, with markers commemorating the 1839 Bird Creek Indian Battle where Captain John Bird and Texas Rangers fought a much larger force. The county takes its name from Peter Hansbrough Bell, a San Jacinto veteran and later Texas governor, reflecting its deep roots in Texas history.

What cities are in Bell County?

Killeen is the largest city with over 150,000 residents, developed around Fort Cavazos and serving as home to military families with affordable housing and extensive retail infrastructure. Temple, with roughly 80,000 residents, functions as the county's medical and professional services center, anchored by Baylor Scott & White Health and offering a more stable, established community than Killeen. Belton serves as the county seat with about 23,000 residents, positioned on Belton Lake and hosting the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, combining government functions with college-town atmosphere and lake recreation. Harker Heights, with approximately 32,000 residents, was purpose-built as a planned community for military families seeking newer construction adjacent to the fort. Salado stands out as a preserved village of roughly 2,300 residents along Interstate 35, famous for its historic Main Street and carefully protected small-town character. Little River-Academy, with about 2,000 residents, serves as a bedroom community between Temple and Cameron. The smaller towns of Troy, Rogers, Holland, Nolanville, Morgan's Point Resort, and Pendleton each maintain populations under 2,000, serving agricultural areas and offering rural living options with larger lots and lower costs.

Is Bell County growing?

Bell County has experienced steady growth over the past two decades, though the pattern has been uneven across different communities. Killeen and Harker Heights have absorbed the majority of new construction, with subdivisions spreading north and east from Fort Cavazos as military employment has remained strong and the installation has resisted closure through multiple Base Realignment and Closure rounds. Temple has grown more gradually but consistently, with both downtown revitalization and new suburban development along the southern corridors. Belton has seen significant lakefront development as retirees and Austin commuters have discovered the area's combination of water access and relative affordability. Salado has grown minimally by design, with residents actively resisting annexation and larger-scale development to preserve the village character. The county's overall population has increased as people priced out of Austin's market have looked to Central Texas communities within commuting distance, and as the healthcare sector in Temple has expanded to serve the broader region.

What is the cost of living in Bell?

Bell County offers substantial affordability compared to major Texas metros, with a median home value of $227,312 well below Austin, Dallas, and Houston prices. Killeen provides the most affordable housing in the county, with typical homes ranging from $180,000 to $250,000, while Temple's market runs $200,000 to $350,000 for most neighborhoods. Belton commands premium prices for lakefront properties starting around $400,000, and Salado represents the county's priciest market with historic homes and luxury properties exceeding $800,000. Median rent of $1,144 monthly remains reasonable, particularly given the lack of state income tax in Texas. Property tax rates vary by city and school district, with rates typically ranging from 2.0% to 2.5% of assessed value annually when combining county, city, and school district levies. The median household income of $72,938 provides comfortable purchasing power for most housing options in Killeen, Temple, and Belton, though Salado's premium prices require higher incomes. Everyday expenses including groceries, utilities, and healthcare track close to Texas averages, with the Baylor Scott & White presence in Temple actually providing competitive healthcare costs.

How are the schools in Bell?

Killeen Independent School District operates 43 campuses serving the majority of the county's students, with performance varying significantly between schools due to the challenges of high student mobility in military communities. Some elementary campuses earn strong ratings while others struggle, and families often research specific attendance zones carefully. Temple Independent School District runs 22 campuses and generally maintains better overall performance than Killeen ISD, particularly at the elementary level, making Temple attractive to families prioritizing education. Belton Independent School District operates 9 campuses and maintains solid graduation rates and test scores, with the high school particularly well-regarded. Salado Independent School District runs a single campus serving all grades with strong academics and a tight-knit community feel that appeals to families willing to pay premium housing prices. Smaller districts including Academy ISD, Rogers ISD, Holland ISD, and Troy ISD serve rural portions of the county with single-campus operations that provide small class sizes but limited course offerings. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton and Temple College provide higher education options within the county.

What is the job market like in Bell?

Bell County's job market centers on three major pillars: military employment at Fort Cavazos, healthcare employment at Baylor Scott & White Health and related medical facilities, and manufacturing operations. Fort Cavazos employs roughly 40,000 active-duty military personnel plus thousands of civilian contractors in logistics, maintenance, and administrative roles, making it the single largest employer in the region. Baylor Scott & White Health employs over 8,000 people in Temple across hospitals, clinics, and administrative offices, with continued expansion in specialized medical services. The manufacturing sector employs more than 7,000 workers across 203 establishments producing aerospace components, food products, and other goods, with average pay of $66,621. Healthcare and social assistance leads all sectors with nearly 21,000 employees and average pay of $95,040. Retail trade employs over 16,000 workers serving the military and civilian populations. Construction employs 6,581 workers with average pay of $77,323 as residential and commercial development continues. Professional, scientific, and technical services employ 5,311 workers with average pay of $77,287, reflecting Temple's role as a regional business center. The diverse employment base provides unusual stability, as downturns in one sector rarely affect all three pillars simultaneously.

Is Bell good for families?

Bell County offers strong options for families, though the right choice depends on priorities and which part of the county you consider. Temple provides the best combination of stable neighborhoods, solid schools through Temple ISD, and family amenities including parks, youth sports leagues, and the Temple Public Library system. Belton appeals to families who prioritize outdoor recreation, with Belton Lake offering boating, fishing, and swimming, plus Belton ISD schools that perform well. Harker Heights attracts military families with newer construction, planned neighborhoods, and proximity to the fort, though school quality through Killeen ISD varies by campus. Salado suits families willing to pay premium prices for small-town schools and a tight-knit community where everyone knows the teachers and coaches. The county overall offers lower crime rates than major metros, particularly in Temple, Belton, and the smaller towns, though Killeen's crime statistics reflect challenges common to military communities. Housing affordability makes homeownership achievable for young families, with good options in the $200,000 to $300,000 range in Temple and Belton. Youth sports, 4-H programs, and outdoor recreation opportunities abound, particularly in communities near the lake and in the rural areas where kids can still experience ranch life.

How does Bell compare to nearby areas?

Bell County offers more affordable housing than Williamson County to the south, where Georgetown and Round Rock have seen explosive growth and median home values now exceed $400,000, making Bell County attractive to Austin-area workers willing to commute. Compared to McLennan County and Waco to the north, Bell County provides more economic diversity with the military and medical sectors balancing Waco's education-focused economy around Baylor University. Coryell County to the west remains more rural and less developed, with smaller towns and fewer employment options outside ranching and some spillover from Fort Cavazos. Milam County to the east and Falls County to the northeast are significantly more rural and agricultural, with smaller populations and limited commercial development, making Bell County the clear urban center of this region. Compared to Brazos County and College Station to the southeast, Bell County offers lower housing costs and a more diverse economy beyond the university sector, though College Station's Texas A&M presence creates a stronger college-town atmosphere than Temple or Belton provide. Bell County's position as a crossroads between these larger markets gives it unique appeal for people who want Central Texas accessibility without Austin prices.

Find Your Place in Bell County

Whether you're drawn to Killeen's military community, Temple's medical hub, or Salado's Hill Country charm, Bell County offers diverse options at prices well below Austin. Connect with a Texas Ally advisor who knows the county's neighborhoods, school boundaries, and market conditions to find the community that fits your needs.