The True Cost of Living in Temple, TX
Prices in the Killeen-Temple metro ran about 9% below the U.S. average in 2024, led by lower rents (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis). A home at Temple’s $270,000 median sale price costs about $2,098 a month with 20% down at October 2026 rates; property tax, 2.42% to 2.49% of value before exemptions inside Temple city limits, is the line to plan for.
Guide reviewed October 21, 2026. Price levels: BEA, 2024 data released February 19, 2026 · Sales: CTXMLS closings October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026 · 2026 tax rates: Bell CAD chart dated October 5, 2026 · Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac, October 15, 2026
Downtown Temple at dusk · Taylor Dasch’s aerial, September 18, 2026
What is the cost of living in Temple, TX?
There is no single household total; your rent or mortgage, taxes, insurance and own spending decide it. What can be measured: in 2024, prices in the Killeen-Temple metro ran 8.9% below the U.S. average, 6.1% below Texas and 7.1% below the Austin metro. Rents make the biggest difference: BEA’s rent index was 77.9 here and 120.4 in the Austin metro, 35.3% lower.
Property tax is the line that pushes back. Plan on about 2.42% to 2.49% of value a year inside Temple city limits before exemptions, depending on the school district, or roughly 1.6% to 2.0% for a $250,000 to $500,000 owner-occupied home after them. There is no state income tax, and sales tax is 8.25%.
Ask Taylor to price specific homesSources: BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024, released February 19, 2026 (metro areas, not cities); Bell CAD 2026 tax rate chart; Texas Comptroller, October 2026. A price-level gap is not a promise of household savings.
A month on a $270,000 Temple home
Temple’s median sale price across 1,426 closings, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026. Estimates, not a quote.
| Principal and interest$54,000 down (20%), $216,000 loan, 30-year fixed at 7.40% (Freddie Mac, October 15, 2026) | $1,495.54 |
|---|---|
| Property tax2026 rates for a Temple ISD address inside Temple city limits, homestead exemptions applied; $545.50 without them | $376.62 |
| Homeowners insuranceBell County’s 2025 average premium with wind coverage, $2,708 a year (Texas Department of Insurance) | $225.67 |
| Monthly totalBefore utilities, upkeep and any HOA dues | $2,097.83 |
Renting instead: Temple’s 225 three-bedroom MLS lease records from September 3, 2025 to September 2, 2026 had a $1,550 median rent. Sales: Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026. Leases: Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period September 3, 2025 through September 2, 2026.
What does a home cost each month in each Temple-area neighborhood?
The same arithmetic for every neighborhood: its median sale price over the last twelve months, 20% down, a 30-year loan at 7.40%, the 2026 tax rates for its taxing units with the homestead exemptions (units from a sampled tax bill; for Wildflower Country Club, derived from the Bell CAD rate table), and Bell County’s average insurance premium. A median-priced home runs from about $1,218 a month in the Hospital District to about $3,817 in Wildflower Country Club.
Monthly cost at each neighborhood’s median sale price
Closed sales October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026; 2026 tax rates; mortgage rate as of October 15, 2026. Components are rounded to the nearest dollar; totals add the displayed components.
| Neighborhood | Median sale price | Principal and interest | Property tax, 2026 | HOA | Insurance, county average | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital District37 sales · City of Temple · Temple ISD | $151,000 | $836 | $156 | None listed in 37 of 37 MLS records | $226 | $1,218 |
| Pecan Creek52 sales · City of Temple · Temple ISD | $228,033 | $1,263 | $299 | Required mandatory in 52 of 52 MLS records; dues not shown | $226 | $1,788plus HOA dues |
| Western Hills23 sales · City of Temple · Temple ISD | $237,000 | $1,313 | $315 | None listed in 23 of 23 MLS records | $226 | $1,854 |
| Liberty Valley11 sales · City of Belton · Belton ISD | $255,000 | $1,412 | $301 | None listed in 11 of 11 MLS records | $226 | $1,939 |
| Canyon Creek42 sales · City of Temple · Temple ISD | $249,000 | $1,379 | $338 | None listed in 41 of 42 MLS records | $226 | $1,943 |
| Westfield53 sales · City of Temple · Belton ISD | $270,000 | $1,496 | $383 | Required mandatory in 50 of 53 MLS records; dues not shown | $226 | $2,105plus HOA dues |
| Wyndham Hill24 sales · City of Temple · Academy ISD | $271,750 | $1,505 | $388 | Required mandatory in 25 of 25 MLS records; dues not shown | $226 | $2,119plus HOA dues |
| Three Creeks130 sales · Belton ETJ · Belton ISD · MUD No. 1 | $311,440 | $1,725 | $453 | $40 $480 a year, listing statements | $226 | $2,444 |
| Hills of Westwood46 sales · City of Temple · Belton ISD | $331,000 | $1,833 | $499 | Required mandatory in 46 of 46 MLS records; dues not shown | $226 | $2,558plus HOA dues |
| Bella Terra24 sales · City of Temple · Temple ISD (most parcels) | $389,500 | $2,157 | $598 | Required mandatory in 24 of 24 MLS records; dues not shown | $226 | $2,981plus HOA dues |
| Wildflower Country Club6 sales · City of Temple · Temple ISD (most parcels) | $502,500 | $2,783 | $808 | Voluntary in 5 of 6 MLS records | $226 | $3,817 |
How each row is built
- Price: the neighborhood’s median closed price in the twelve months to October 2, 2026, from the same CTXMLS cohorts as the Best Neighborhoods comparison. A row appears only where at least five homes sold. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026.
- Loan: 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at 7.40%, Freddie Mac’s national average published October 15, 2026. No mortgage insurance at 20% down.
- Property tax: the 2026 rates for the taxing units on a sampled tax bill from the neighborhood (one or two parcels), applied to the median price, with the exemptions an owner-occupant can claim: $140,000 off the school district’s value and 20% off the City of Temple’s and Temple College’s. Wildflower Country Club’s row uses its majority Temple ISD section, which has no sampled bill; that stack is derived from the Bell CAD rate table. Bell County and the City of Belton offer no general homestead exemption. Three Creeks’ figure includes Bell County MUD No. 1 at 0.783 per $100.
- HOA: dues only where documented: Three Creeks, $480 a year from listing statements. The HOA column counts the MLS HOA field on closed records in the same window (CTXMLS export observed October 12, 2026), so its record count can differ from the sales count (Wyndham Hill: 24 sales, 25 HOA records). Where most of those records list a mandatory HOA but no dues are documented here, the total says “plus HOA dues”; a row that lists none can still include homes with dues (Canyon Creek: one of 42 records lists a mandatory HOA). Get the resale certificate.
- Insurance: one county average for every row: $2,708 a year, the 2025 Bell County average for homeowners policies with wind coverage, on an average of $375,000 of coverage (Texas Department of Insurance). Your quote follows the home’s replacement cost, roof and deductible.
Not priced here: Lago Terra, with four sales in the window (under the five-sale floor; its 2026 rate inside Temple city limits with Belton ISD is 2.4802 per $100), and Belton’s established core, which has no MLS cohort (2.0281 per $100 inside Belton city limits). Salado and Harker Heights have their own guides. A median home is not any particular house: get the parcel’s own tax record, a written insurance quote and the HOA documents before you compare.
Sources: CTXMLS export observed October 3, 2026; Bell County tax database bills and the Bell CAD 2026 tax rate chart (dated October 5, 2026); Freddie Mac PMMS; Texas Department of Insurance homeowners market data (2025 county map). Checked October 21, 2026.
What do homes sell and rent for in Temple?
Temple’s median closed price was $270,000 across 1,426 sales from October 3, 2025 to October 2, 2026. Rents depend on size: a three-bedroom lease recorded in the MLS had a $1,550 median, close to HUD’s $1,576 benchmark for the area.
| Size | Median MLS lease, Temple | HUD Fair Market Rent, Killeen-Temple |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | $81010 leases | $927 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,10033 leases | $1,138 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,550225 leases | $1,576 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,99586 leases | $1,902 |
The two columns measure different things. The MLS column is the median monthly rent on Temple leases closed through the MLS from September 3, 2025 to September 2, 2026 (export observed September 2, 2026). Leases arranged outside the MLS are not in it, so the small one- and two-bedroom samples may not represent the wider rental market, and the export does not establish property type, furnishing or campus proximity. HUD’s fiscal 2027 Fair Market Rents, in effect since October 1, 2026, estimate the 40th-percentile rent including utilities for a standard unit in Bell and Coryell counties; HUD sets them for its housing voucher programs. Neither is an available rental. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period September 3, 2025 through September 2, 2026.
Sales: residential closings with an MLS city of Temple and a price of at least $15,000, one per property and closing date, from the CTXMLS export observed September 2, 2026 (closings through April 30, 2026) and the export observed October 3, 2026 (from May 1). The count follows the MLS city field, not the city limits, and is not a count of unique single-family houses. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026. For price bands, use the Temple buyer guide; for every neighborhood’s sales, the Best Neighborhoods comparison.
Sources: CTXMLS exports observed September 2 and October 3, 2026; HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027 (Federal Register notice of September 1, 2026). Checked October 21, 2026.
How does Temple’s cost of living compare with where you live now?
BEA’s regional price parities compare what the same basket of goods and services cost in each metro area in 2024. HUD’s Fair Market Rents add a rent you can check against a real lease. The metros below are the ones that sent the most people to Bell County in the Census Bureau’s latest county-to-county migration estimates (2016–2020).
| Metro area | Price level, 2024 (U.S. = 100) | Rent index, 2024 | A $1,000 basket there cost here | HUD 2-bedroom rent, FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killeen-Temple (Temple’s metro)BEA metro: Bell, Coryell and Lampasas counties; HUD rent area: Bell and Coryell | 91.1 | 77.9 | $1,000 | $1,138 |
| Texas | 97.1 | 96.5 | $939 | No statewide figure |
| United States | 100.0 | 100.6 | $911 | No national figure |
| Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos | 98.1 | 120.4 | $929 | $1,817 |
| Dallas–Fort Worth–ArlingtonDallas HUD area | 103.1 | 117.9 | $884 | $1,807 |
| San Antonio–New Braunfels | 94.7 | 94.6 | $962 | $1,441 |
| Houston–Pasadena–The WoodlandsHouston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land HUD area | 98.6 | 104.5 | $924 | $1,497 |
| Waco | 92.6 | 83.5 | $985 | $1,297 |
| El Paso | 89.9 | 71.2 | $1,014 | $1,146 |
| Urban Honolulu, Hawaii | 111.0 | 135.5 | $821 | $2,542 |
| Colorado Springs, Colorado | 100.7 | 116.2 | $905 | $1,621 |
| Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue, WashingtonTacoma (Pierce County) HUD area | 111.1 | 151.3 | $820 | $2,064 |
| San Diego, California | 111.9 | 179.3 | $815 | $2,823 |
| Virginia Beach–Norfolk, Virginia | 97.9 | 99.8 | $930 | $1,667 |
| Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, Arizona | 103.3 | 121.2 | $882 | $1,734 |
| Washington, D.C. metro | 108.9 | 151.1 | $837 | $2,438 |
How to read it. A household spending $1,000 a month at Austin’s 2024 price level would have spent about $929 on the same basket at Killeen-Temple’s; one spending $1,000 at San Diego’s, about $815. For Austin, San Antonio, Waco and El Paso, BEA prices goods and most services at the same level as Killeen-Temple, so the whole gap with those four metros comes from rents and utilities. These BEA figures cover metro areas, not individual cities, and compare price levels within 2024.
Why other sites say 13% to 17%. Most of those percentages come from commercial cost-of-living indexes, which price their own basket of goods. The best known, C2ER’s Cost of Living Index, prices 60 goods and services weighted to the spending of professional and executive households, so its results differ from BEA’s, which reflect consumer spending as a whole. This page uses BEA because its data are public and dated.
Comparing Temple with Belton? The two cities share one metro and one price level, so the difference is the house and the tax bill. Inside Belton city limits the 2026 rates add up to 2.0281 per $100, against 2.4244 inside Temple with Temple ISD, but Belton has no city homestead exemption. In the table above, a Liberty Valley home in Belton runs about $1,939 a month at its $255,000 median. The Living in Belton guide prices a Belton household budget at 2026 rates, and Temple vs Belton compares the two cities side by side.
Compare the homes you would actually choose
A metro index cannot tell you what your household will spend. Put the actual rent or price, the parcel’s taxes, a written insurance quote, the commute to your real workplace and your own food, care, health and savings side by side for both places. A shorter drive or a preferred school program can be worth a higher housing cost; price that tradeoff instead of relying on a “cheaper city” label. Confirm a home’s assigned schools with the district for the exact address.
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024 data released February 19, 2026 (“RPPs: Services: Housing” is the rent index); HUD fiscal 2027 Fair Market Rents, effective October 1, 2026 (where HUD splits a metro, the HUD area named under it); Census Bureau county-to-county migration flows, 2016–2020; C2ER, “What is COLI”. Checked October 21, 2026.
What does a monthly household budget look like in Temple?
This compares a hypothetical rental with a hypothetical purchase for the same household spending plan. It is not the same property, a typical family budget or a current quote, and it leaves five categories for you to fill in.
Renting: $1,550 a month, informed by the median of 225 Temple three-bedroom MLS lease records (September 3, 2025–September 2, 2026); no available rental at that price is promised. Renters insurance at $25 a month is an assumption.
Buying: a $300,000 home, a little above the $270,000 median; $60,000 down (20%), a $240,000 loan, 30-year fixed at 7.40%, Freddie Mac’s average as of October 15, 2026. No financed fees or mortgage insurance. Property tax uses the 2026 rates for a Temple ISD address inside Temple city limits with the homestead exemptions (see the tax section). Homeowners insurance is Bell County’s 2025 average premium, not a quote. The $250 a month maintenance reserve is a planning assumption; actual repairs are irregular and may exceed it.
| Monthly line | Renting example | Owning example |
|---|---|---|
| Rent / mortgage principal and interest | $1,550.00 | $1,661.71 |
| Renters / homeowners insurance | $25.00 | $225.67 |
| Property-tax set-aside | Included in the landlord’s costs; no separate tax assumed | $432.23 |
| Owner maintenance reserve | No separate owner-repair reserve assumed; check lease duties | $250.00 |
| Utilities: electricity, water/sewer, trash and gas if used | $350.00 | $350.00 |
| Internet | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Mobile phones | $100.00 | $100.00 |
| Groceries and meals | $700.00 | $700.00 |
| Transport: fuel, auto insurance and routine maintenance | $600.00 | $600.00 |
| Household supplies and personal spending | $100.00 | $100.00 |
| Subtotal of priced rows only | $3,485.00 | $4,479.61 |
| Health premiums and out-of-pocket costs | Add your amount — not assumed zero | Add your amount — not assumed zero |
| Childcare or dependent care | Add your amount — not assumed zero | Add your amount — not assumed zero |
| Debt payments including vehicle loans | Add your amount — not assumed zero | Add your amount — not assumed zero |
| HOA, separate assessments, parking, pet or other required housing fees | Add your amount — not assumed zero | Add your amount — not assumed zero |
| Savings goals and emergency reserve contributions | Add your amount — not assumed zero | Add your amount — not assumed zero |
These are incomplete subtotals, not income requirements
Add every unpriced row before comparing either column with your actual take-home pay. Use zero only after confirming that a category does not apply. Health costs, dependent care, debt and savings can change the result substantially. Transport here excludes vehicle-loan payments, which belong in the debt row. Do not count payroll deductions again if they are already removed from the take-home amount you use.
The ownership subtotal includes principal repayment and a maintenance reserve, so it is a monthly cash-flow plan, not the economic cost of owning or a claim about investment returns. No appreciation, sale costs or future repair forecast is included. See the rent-versus-buy decision guide for its separately stated assumptions.
Make one change at a time. A quote that is $100 a month higher adds $1,200 a year. Replacing the assumed rent, insurance, route costs or childcare line makes the consequence visible without declaring an entire city cheap or expensive. Different homes may need different utility and maintenance allowances even for the same household.
How do I turn this example into my own monthly budget?
- Start with what you know
Use the worked example to see which costs belong in your plan. You can start before every quote is in hand.
- Replace the assumptions
Use a current lease quote or lender’s written Loan Estimate, then check the home’s taxes, insurance, utilities and your travel costs.
- Fill the remaining gaps
Add every unpriced category before comparing the total with your actual take-home pay. A blank does not mean zero.
The two examples compare monthly cash flow; they do not establish whether renting or buying is the better long-term choice. Taylor can help you work through the housing questions.
Build your monthly budget — optional
Compare renting and owning using your own household costs. Start with blank fields or choose the worked example. Blank amounts stay unknown.
Open budget worksheet
Enter shared household costs once, then add renting and owning costs separately, including their own utilities and internet. Open each group as you need it. The subtotals show only what you have entered.
Start blank, or deliberately load the page’s illustrative example. This tool does not transmit your entries or save them to browser storage. Your browser may retain visible entries when you return with history navigation; use the clear button when you want to remove them.
Your figures · starting blank
Replace your current entries?
Illustrative example assumptions, not current quotes or a typical budget. All loaded amounts are monthly. Rent $1,550 reflects the page’s dated September 2025–September 2026 lease sample; no rental is promised. Mortgage principal and interest $1,661.71 assumes a $240,000 loan, 30 years and Freddie Mac’s 7.40% average as of October 15, 2026. Tax $432.23 applies the 2026 Temple ISD rates and homestead exemptions to a $300,000 value. Homeowners insurance $225.67 is Bell County’s 2025 average premium (Texas Department of Insurance). Renters insurance, maintenance and everyday spending are planning assumptions. Four shared household categories and each housing-fees category stay unknown. Edits remain labeled as an edited example.
Every amount can be monthly or annual. Changing frequency keeps the number you typed and changes its monthly equivalent; it does not convert the entered number. Blank means unknown. Enter 0 only when you have confirmed a category does not apply.
The same shared household costs appear in both scenarios. Utilities and internet are entered separately for each housing path. Do not add the two scenario subtotals together. Annual amounts are divided by 12; subtotals round once to the nearest cent.
1. Everyday household costsShared by both scenarios · 4 categories
2. Costs specific to your householdShared by both scenarios · 4 categories
3. Renting housingSeparate rental costs · 5 categories
Check lease inclusions and duties. Avoid adding a separately entered utility twice.
4. Owning housingSeparate ownership costs · 7 categories
Use itemized amounts from an all-in or escrow quote: principal and interest here, taxes and insurance in their own rows. Do not enter the all-in payment as principal and interest.
A planning subtotal, not an affordability decision. Even with every field entered, this is your entered monthly budget for these categories. It is not a complete lifetime cost, lender approval or required income. It excludes upfront moving and closing costs, future sale costs and a forecast of irregular repairs. Ownership includes principal repayment and a maintenance reserve.
Check itemized taxes, insurance and separate assessments for the actual address. Count a MUD tax once; confirm whether any PID or other assessment is separate. Avoid counting payroll deductions again when comparing with take-home pay.
What do 2026 property taxes add to a Temple budget?
Inside Temple city limits the 2026 rates add up to $2.4244 per $100 of taxable value with Temple ISD, $2.4802 with Belton ISD and $2.4946 with Academy ISD, before exemptions and before any MUD or PID. For an owner-occupied $300,000 home in Temple ISD that is about $5,187 a year, or $432 a month, after the homestead exemptions; $7,273 without them.
| Taxing unit | 2026 rate per $100 | Homestead exemption | Taxable value | Annual tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell County | 0.2995 | None | $300,000 | $898.50 |
| Bell County Road District | 0.0468 | None | $300,000 | $140.40 |
| City of Temple | 0.7500 | 20%, at least $5,000 | $240,000 | $1,800.00 |
| Temple ISD | 1.0619 | $140,000 | $160,000 | $1,699.04 |
| Temple College | 0.2498 | 20%, at least $5,000 | $240,000 | $599.52 |
| Temple Health & Bioscience District | 0.014228 | None | $300,000 | $42.68 |
| Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District | 0.002216 | None | $300,000 | $6.65 |
| Total | 2.424444 | Owner-occupant | By unit | $5,186.79$432.23 a month |
For a Temple address in Belton ISD, replace the school line with 1.1177 (total 2.4802 per $100); in Academy ISD, 1.1321 (total 2.4946). That is about 4 cents per $100 more than the 2025 total of 2.3877 for a Temple ISD address: the City of Temple rose to 75.00 cents from 69.99, Temple College to 24.98 from 20.17 and the road district to 4.68 from 1.99, while Temple ISD fell to $1.0619 from $1.1372 and Bell County to 29.95 cents from 31.28. Inside Belton city limits the stack is 2.0281 per $100 (Bell County, the road district, Clearwater UWCD, the City of Belton at 0.5619 and Belton ISD at 1.1177), and only the school exemption applies.
The example assumes the $140,000 school homestead exemption and the City of Temple’s and Temple College’s 20% exemptions, which an owner-occupant claims by filing with the Bell County Appraisal District; the other lines stay at full value. It models no appraisal cap, over-65 or disability relief, tax ceiling or proration, and it is not your bill. Your bill uses each unit’s own taxable value for the parcel. The Temple property-tax guide walks through a parcel and lets you enter your own lines.
Check every district and assessment
A MUD levy can be part of the rate-based tax list; a PID or other assessment may have a separate schedule. Bell County MUD No. 1, which serves part of Three Creeks, adds 0.783 per $100 for 2026; MUD No. 2 adds 0.911. Obtain the actual documents and avoid adding a district charge twice. The neighborhood name alone does not establish membership. New construction also needs a value assumption that reflects the completed home. Annual tax divided by twelve is a budget set-aside, not the lender’s complete escrow payment.
Looking at a particular neighborhood? Start with the MUD and PID guide or the Three Creeks neighborhood guide, then confirm the records for the exact address. For an existing over-65 ceiling or a planned transfer, see the retiring in Temple guide and confirm with the appraisal district.
Sources: Bell CAD 2026 tax rate chart (dated October 5, 2026; rates and homestead columns), matched on Bell CAD parcel records read October 20, 2026; 2025 rates from the Bell CAD 2025 tax rate chart; City of Temple rate adopted August 27, 2026 and Temple ISD rate adopted September 14, 2026; Texas Comptroller exemption guidance. Checked October 21, 2026.
Cost of Living in Temple TX (2026) — What You’ll Actually Pay
Historical video, published March 20, 2026, on the Living in Temple channel.
This March 20, 2026 video is historical context; use the written guide on this page for budgeting. Its roughly 2.35% tax shortcut is not a property-specific bill, and the stated school-tax difference of $3,411 to $1,819 is about $133 per month, not $100. A tax protest does not guarantee a reduction. The video’s Belton rent and school comparisons are not established by matched rental data or address-specific school evidence here. Contact starts a conversation about your needs; the form does not automatically deliver the comparison table or guide mentioned in the video.
How much is homeowners insurance in Temple, and what should a quote show?
Bell County homeowners paid an average of $2,708 a year in 2025 for policies that include wind coverage, about $226 a month, on an average of $375,000 of coverage, the Texas Department of Insurance reports. That is up from $2,564 in 2024 and about 22% below TDI’s preliminary 2025 statewide average of $3,489. It is an average across 78,865 policies, not a quote.
Get a written quote for the actual address and occupancy. Your premium follows the home’s replacement cost, roof, deductible, coverage and claims history; the purchase price is not a substitute for the insurer’s replacement-cost estimate. The $25 a month renters figure in the worked example is an assumption, not an average.
| Ask the insurer | Why it affects your budget |
|---|---|
| What coverage and limits apply? | Compare the same dwelling, belongings and liability coverage. |
| How would a roof claim be settled? | Replacement cost and actual cash value can leave different out-of-pocket amounts. |
| What are the deductibles in dollars? | Convert a percentage deductible using the policy’s stated coverage basis. |
| What is excluded or separately insured? | Check flood and other relevant exclusions; a low premium may cover less. |
The Texas Department of Insurance home insurance guide explains how condition, location, replacement cost, claims and policy terms can affect coverage and premiums. Compare actual quotes rather than assuming a roof age produces a fixed surcharge. If location risk matters to your decision, the Temple crime and safety guide is a separate starting point; it does not establish a property’s insurance terms.
A useful question before choosing a home
What would the household have to pay after a claim, in addition to the monthly premium? Compare the deductible, roof settlement terms and emergency reserve alongside the house payment.
Taylor Dasch · EG Realty · Home-search questions and manual follow-up
Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Texas homeowners insurance market overview (county map data for policies active December 31, 2025, read October 21, 2026; statewide average from an archived October 14, 2026 copy of the TDI page). Checked October 21, 2026.
What do utilities cost in Temple?
On City of Temple service, water, sewer, trash and drainage come to about $118 a month at 5,000 gallons and $164 at 8,000 gallons under the rates in effect since October 1, 2026. For electricity, the City points residents to Power to Choose, the state’s retail comparison site; Texas homes averaged $163.72 a month in 2024, and the average Texas residential price was 15.88 cents per kilowatt-hour in July 2026.
| Monthly charge | At 5,000 gallons | At 8,000 gallons |
|---|---|---|
| Water$14.65 for the first 2,000 gallons on a standard meter, then $4.85 per 1,000 | $29.20 | $43.75 |
| Sewer$27.90 for the first 2,000 gallons, then $10.25 per 1,000, billed on your winter average | $58.65 | $89.40 |
| Trash and recycling, one cartplus sales tax | $24.50 | $24.50 |
| Drainage fee | $6.00 | $6.00 |
| Monthly total, before tax on trash | $118.35 | $163.65 |
Sewer is billed on the average water use on your January, February and March bills; a new customer is billed as if using 6,000 gallons ($68.90 at the new rates) until that average exists. Outside city limits the City charges 25% more for water and sewer. The City takes a $75 deposit and a $25 new-account fee. In the worked example, the $350 utility allowance covers about these two references together plus a little for gas; a summer power bill or a larger home can run well above it.
| Cost | What to check |
|---|---|
| Electricity | Confirm the delivery/service territory and whether retail choice applies. Compare the plan documents at your expected usage, including fees, term and cancellation conditions. |
| Water, sewer and trash | Confirm the provider, service address, meter and billing structure. Ask about deposits and which services are included in rent. |
| Gas | Check whether the home uses gas and what appliances depend on it; Atmos Energy is the gas utility the City lists for Temple. |
| Internet and mobile | Check address-level availability, installation, equipment charges and the price after any introductory term. |
Where retail choice applies, Power to Choose is a starting shopping route. A delivery utility and a retail seller serve different roles; do not assume one provider covers every Temple mailing address. For a property served by the city, contact the City of Temple Utility Business Office about service and billing. Gasoline, for the transport line: Texas regular averaged $3.70 a gallon the week of October 19, 2026.
Ask for a full year of usage when available
A prior household’s bills can show seasonality, but not your exact spending. Compare usage and the applicable plan, not only one low monthly bill. If a lease includes water or trash, remove those costs from your separate allowance to avoid counting them twice. Follow property-specific inspection or specialist guidance for foundation care rather than assuming every home needs a fixed watering expense.
Sources: City of Temple rates and billing information, rates effective October 1, 2026 (Resolutions 2026-0242-R and 2026-0243-R, adopted August 27, 2026); EIA average monthly residential bill, 2024; EIA Electric Power Monthly, July 2026 data (released September 24, 2026); EIA weekly Texas retail gasoline prices. Bills computed here from the published rates. Checked October 21, 2026.
What should you budget for the move and closing?
| Upfront item | Renting | Buying |
|---|---|---|
| Housing cash | Get the lease’s deposit, application, first-payment and pet-fee requirements. | $60,000 down in this example, plus actual closing costs and prepaids; this is not the complete cash to close. |
| Moving and setup | Price the move, utility deposits, internet setup and essential purchases. | Price the same move/setup costs plus any immediate repairs or replacements. |
| Timing overlap | Budget any overlap with the old lease or temporary housing. | Budget overlap or temporary housing if possession and your move date do not align. |
| Reserves | Keep a reserve appropriate to the lease and household obligations. | Keep a reserve for deductibles, repairs and household obligations after closing. |
Use the lender’s Loan Estimate to compare the loan amount, payment, taxes/insurance and cash to close. Deposits already paid and credits can affect the closing balance; avoid adding the same money twice. Ask the lender which costs are escrowed and which you pay separately.
Planning a move to Temple?
Whatever brings you here, use the moving to Temple guide to plan the move and the Temple buyer guide to compare homes. If your housing budget is still taking shape, ask Taylor for help. You don’t need a finished worksheet to start.
If your move involves BSW or military orders
BSW move: Start with the actual employment terms, deductions, reporting location and date. A profession or salary headline does not establish loan approval or the better housing choice. Use the BSW relocation guide and physician mortgage questions for that planning.
Military move: Confirm your actual allowance and orders, then compare the lease or full ownership budget and route to the required duty location. No rank alone establishes that a home is affordable. Run your pay grade and dependency status through the Fort Hood BAH calculator, and see the Fort Hood housing guide for related moving questions.
Cost of living in Temple: common questions
What is the cost of living in Temple, TX?
There is no single household total. Prices in the Killeen-Temple metro ran about 8.9% below the U.S. average in 2024 (BEA price level 91.1, published February 19, 2026), led by lower rents. A home at Temple’s $270,000 median sale price costs about $2,098 a month with 20% down for the loan, 2026 taxes and average insurance. This page’s same-household example totals $3,485.00 renting and $4,479.61 owning before health, care, debt, housing fees and savings.
Is Temple cheaper than Austin?
In 2024 the same basket of goods and services cost about 7.1% less in the Killeen-Temple metro than in Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos (BEA price levels 91.1 and 98.1, published February 19, 2026), and BEA’s rent index was about 35.3% lower (77.9 and 120.4). HUD’s two-bedroom Fair Market Rent, effective October 1, 2026, is $1,138 in Killeen-Temple and $1,817 in Austin. Compare the actual homes and commute before counting savings; a difference between unrelated median prices does not establish your personal savings.
How much are property taxes in Temple, TX?
Inside Temple city limits the 2026 rates total $2.4244 per $100 of taxable value with Temple ISD, $2.4802 with Belton ISD and $2.4946 with Academy ISD, plus any MUD or PID, per Bell CAD’s 2026 rate chart dated October 5, 2026. On a $300,000 Temple ISD homestead that is about $5,187 a year ($432 a month) after the homestead exemptions, or $7,273 without them. Check the parcel’s own taxing units and values with Bell CAD.
What is the sales tax in Temple, TX?
8.25%: the 6.25% state rate, 1.5% for the City of Temple and 0.5% for Bell County, per the Texas Comptroller’s October 2026 local rate table. Belton’s combined rate is also 8.25%. Texas has no state personal income tax.
How much is rent in Temple, TX?
Temple’s 225 three-bedroom MLS lease records from September 3, 2025 to September 2, 2026 had a $1,550 median rent; two-bedroom leases had a $1,100 median across 33 records. HUD’s Fair Market Rents for the Killeen-Temple area, effective October 1, 2026 and including utilities, are $1,138 for two bedrooms and $1,576 for three. These are measures, not available rentals.
Are the insurance and utility amounts local averages?
The $225.67 monthly homeowners figure is Bell County’s 2025 average premium for policies with wind coverage, from the Texas Department of Insurance, not a quote. The $25 renters insurance and the $350 utility allowance are planning assumptions. For scale, City of Temple water, sewer, trash and drainage come to $118.35 a month at 5,000 gallons under the October 2026 rates, and the average Texas home paid $163.72 a month for electricity in 2024 (figures checked October 21, 2026).
What is the median household income in Temple, TX?
$68,204 (margin of error ±$2,488) in the Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey, checked October 21, 2026, against $78,476 for Texas and $80,734 for the U.S. Temple’s median gross rent was $1,231. These describe current residents, not the income a particular home or budget requires.
Does buying cost less than renting in Temple?
The answer depends on the actual homes, financing, time you expect to stay, repairs, transaction costs and household needs. This page compares monthly cash-flow assumptions only; principal repayment is included and no resale value or investment return is modeled. A lower subtotal does not establish the better long-term choice.
What cash do I need before buying or moving?
The hypothetical purchase uses a $60,000 down payment, plus unpriced closing costs, prepaids, moving/setup costs and reserves. Rental deposits and fees also need a written quote. Use the actual lease or Loan Estimate and account for deposits or credits without counting them twice.
What happens when I request budget follow-up?
The form requests a manual conversation with Taylor about your home search and budget questions. Share the area, move date and costs you still need to confirm. It does not generate a personalized calculation, provide lender approval or promise a delivery deadline.
Answers repeat figures sourced in the sections above: BEA 2024 price parities; CTXMLS sales and lease records with their periods; Bell CAD’s 2026 rate chart; Freddie Mac (October 15, 2026); Texas Department of Insurance 2025 county data; Texas Comptroller, October 2026; City of Temple rates from October 1, 2026; EIA; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024.
Let’s work out what a Temple move could cost you
Send me a home you like, or just your price range and move timing. I’ll help you compare the housing costs and sort out which numbers still need a current quote. You don’t need a finished budget to get started.
Guide reviewed October 21, 2026. Each figure carries its own source period (BEA 2024 price parities; CTXMLS closings October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026; MLS leases September 3, 2025–September 2, 2026; Bell CAD’s 2026 rate chart; Freddie Mac, October 15, 2026; TDI 2025 county data; HUD fiscal 2027 rents; City of Temple rates from October 1, 2026; EIA; Census ACS 2020–2024). Budget lines are labeled as estimates or assumptions. Content owner and correction contact: Taylor Dasch, EG Realty.