Living in Belton, TX
Seven questions, then three neighborhoods to look at first.
Before you move to Belton, answer these seven questions
Each one links to the part of this page that answers it.
What’s the most you want to pay a month, all in?
Illustration: a $344,000 home with 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at 7.32% (October 22, 2026), plus Belton city-limits 2026 tax with the $140,000 school homestead exemption, is about $2,341 a month before insurance, HOA and utilities. Build the budget
Where will you drive on a weekday morning?
Modeled from the Bell County Courthouse, with no traffic (October 12, 2026): BSW’s main entrance averages 12 minutes, the Fort Hood main gate 24; Austin City Hall takes 54–67 minutes. Test the trips · The drive figures
Do you need Belton ISD, one particular campus, or neither?
In TEA’s 2026 ratings, Belton ISD is B; the campuses described in this guide range from F to A. Verify the district and campus for the full address. Which school serves the home · The ratings
Would you buy a home with an HOA?
Taylor tells every Belton client: “It’s going to be hard to find a home in Belton that doesn’t have an HOA.” Under $300,000, most no-HOA listings on October 12 were built before 2000. What was listed without one
New construction further out, or an older home in the middle of the city?
Ridge at Belle Meadows (new construction) and Three Creeks sit further out; River Place has “the older homes” in the middle of the city; Dawson Ranch is “that older kind of luxury feel.” Where his clients land
How often would you really go to the lake: most weekends, a few times a summer, or never?
Westcliff Park’s ramp averages 13 minutes from the courthouse without traffic (October 12, 2026). Taylor’s October 26 impression of his clients in a normal month: “next to zero” use the lake. Choose the lake facility · The lake evidence
If the same house in Temple shortened your drive, would you take it?
Taylor’s rule from the video: when the homes in your budget and the places you use line up with Temple, “keep the search in Temple.” His answer on camera
Send me your answers and I’ll tell you the three neighborhoods to look at first, and what each costs a month.
Taylor Dasch · EG Realty · texts go to 254-718-4249
CTXMLS closed sales September 1–30, 2026 · 41 Belton sales · export observed October 3, 2026 · guide reviewed October 26, 2026
Downtown Belton and the Bell County Courthouse · Taylor Dasch’s aerial, September 2026
What is living in Belton like?
“I like Belton. I like the parks. I think it’s cool if you can be near downtown or if you can be kind of in that West Adams pocket.” And the catch: “Compared to Temple, Belton does feel a little bit more stuffy on the roads,” especially, he says, after school.
Taylor Dasch, October 26, 2026, from his transcribed walk notes for this guide.
Belton is the Bell County seat: a courthouse square with Nolan Creek running past it, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at the far end of the creek trail, Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Lake on two sides, and I-35 a few minutes from the square. The Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimate puts the incorporated city at 25,964 people on July 1, 2025; the Belton mailing area and the Belton ISD attendance area are both larger than the city, which is why the checks below start at the address. Census QuickFacts: Belton city.
- Median closing price, September 2026
- $344,000 41 Belton sales in screened CTXMLS records, observed October 3, 2026
- Loan and 2026 tax on that price, each month
- about $2,341 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026), plus city-limits tax with the school homestead exemption; before insurance, HOA and utilities
- Drive from the courthouse, no traffic
- 12 minto Baylor Scott & White’s main entrance24 minto the Fort Hood main gateModeled on OpenStreetMap road data, no traffic, October 12, 2026; your driveway and shift time will differ
Is Belton, TX a good place to live?
Taylor’s answer, October 26, 2026: “I think Belton is a great place to live.” In those notes, he described well-built newer homes on decent-size lots for $260,000–$300,000 in some places. Confirm current listings and the particular home’s condition. The price does not decide it, though. In the video below he puts it this way: “If the homes that fit your budget and the places that you actually use line up more with Temple, that’s whenever I would tell you: keep the search in Temple. Pick the house and the location that make your week work.” The six things further down are where Belton wins or loses that test.
Source: Taylor Dasch’s October 26, 2026 notes for this guide and his video of October 17, 2026; his opinion, not a measurement. For the price range he names, the October 12, 2026 listing snapshot counted 47 Belton-listed homes asking $250,000–$299,999, 26 of them with an HOA and a 2025 median build year (the price-range table).
Taylor’s Belton test, on camera
“Living in Belton TX: Great on Saturday, But What About the Rest of the Week?” Filmed October 17 and published October 20, 2026 on Taylor’s Living in Temple channel. Pressing play loads the YouTube player.
“Belton sounds great on a Saturday afternoon, but you’re buying the rest of the week too.”
0:00“Took me like 11 and a half minutes, but we got 12:26 on the timer.”
1:37, the drive from Belton to Baylor Scott & White“I probably wouldn’t do this on a regular basis, but it’s great for a Saturday outing.”
6:03, after the walk along Nolan Creek“If the homes that fit your budget and the places that you actually use line up more with Temple, that’s whenever I would tell you: keep the search in Temple.”
11:04
Six things to know before you move to Belton, and the catch in each
Most reasons people give for Belton hold at the city level and fail at some addresses. Each item pairs the reason with dated evidence and the one check that settles it for a particular home. The figures come from the records read on October 12, 2026 and the three example homes; Taylor’s lines are from his October 26, 2026 notes for this guide and are his opinion.
The district is a B. The campus is what you are buying.
BBelton ISD, TEA 2026 rating (80)F to Athe campuses a Belton address feedsBelton ISD is rated B (80) in TEA’s 2026 ratings, and the campuses a Belton address feeds run from F (Hubbard Branch Elementary) to A (Lake Belton High School). The 2024 elementary redraw moved lines inside the city, one subdivision can feed two middle schools, and Liberty Valley, Three Creeks and Ridge at Belle Meadows all feed the same D-rated middle school.
Taylor’s October 26, 2026 notes, paraphrased: when the only requirement is Belton ISD, his clients have plenty of options, new builds included, about the same as Temple with fewer of them; two clients who wanted Lake Belton High School and no HOA found the search much more restricted.His experience with his own clients, not a rule.
The check: run the full address in the district’s 2026–27 lookup; record all three campuses and whether the address is bus-eligible. See which school serves the home.
The tax stack is shorter than Temple’s. Three Creeks swaps the city line for a MUD line.
2.02812per $100 inside Belton city limits, 2026 rates2.24922Three Creeks: ETJ plus MUD No. 12.42444a City of Temple parcel in Temple ISDAt the 2026 rates on Bell CAD parcel records, a parcel inside Belton city limits sums to 2.02812 per $100; a Three Creeks parcel in the ETJ with Bell County MUD No. 1 to 2.24922; a Morgan’s Point Resort parcel to 2.10602. A City of Temple parcel in Temple ISD sums to 2.42444: Temple College (0.2498) and the higher city rate (0.75 against 0.5619) make the difference, partly offset by Temple ISD’s lower school rate (line by line). Neither the City of Belton nor Bell County offers a general homestead exemption, so only the $140,000 school exemption applies. Two of the three example parcels carried 2025 bills far below what a new owner would pay, because the prior owner’s exemptions and ceilings do not transfer.
In his October 26, 2026 notes, Taylor named Hubbard Branch as another option when the payment matters: good builders, priced like the rest of Belton, with a lower tax rate.Hubbard Branch is inside city limits with no MUD or PID; 30 recorded closings at a $332,238 median, October 3, 2025 to October 2, 2026 (CTXMLS). Verify the taxing units for the home.
The check: open the parcel on Bell CAD and read its taxing units and exemptions, then build the ownership budget from your own taxable value, never from the seller’s bill.
From downtown, Westcliff Park’s ramp averages 13 minutes without traffic. Ask how often you would go.
13 minto Westcliff Park’s ramp from the square, no traffic14public ramp sites on Belton Lake, per the CorpsThe Corps lists 14 public ramp sites on Belton Lake, several free and open 24 hours. No private docks or piers are allowed anywhere on the lake, and the city marina at Morgan’s Point Resort reported an average wait of about two years for a slip. From the courthouse square with no traffic, Westcliff Park’s ramp averages 13 minutes (12–15 across the two engines) and Rogers Park’s free ramp 16 (15–18).
“On a completely normal month, I’d say next to zero that are actually using the lake. If you talk about a summer month, I’d say of my clients in Three Creeks, I would say probably 50% are gonna go up to the lake at some point and do something.”Taylor Dasch, October 26, 2026; source: his transcribed notes for this guide. His impression of his own clients, not a count of Belton owners.
The check: name the ramp, park or trail you will use, route from the home, and check the facility’s status page. A lake view is not water access; see choose the lake facility.
From downtown, BSW is 12 minutes and Fort Hood 24 with no traffic. Austin is about an hour.
12 minto BSW’s main entrance, 7.7 road miles24 minto the Fort Hood main gate, 22.0 road miles54–67 minto Austin City Hall, 60.8 road milesFrom the Bell County Courthouse with no traffic: BSW’s main entrance averages 12 minutes (7.7 road miles); the Fort Hood main gate averages 24 (21–27 across the two routing engines; 22.0 road miles). Across the three example homes, averages are 14–18 minutes to BSW and 24–32 to the gate; the full engine estimates span 13–20 and 21–36. Taylor’s own timed run from the appraisal district office to BSW, in the video, took 12 minutes 26 seconds. Harker Heights and Killeen sit closer to the post. Austin City Hall is 60.8 road miles, 54–67 minutes with no traffic across the two engines.
The check: drive the trip at your shift time from the actual driveway to the actual entrance, and add gate and parking time. If a weekly Austin trip is part of the plan, time it on a weekday in the direction you will drive.
After school, the roads feel more crowded than Temple’s.
6–9 a.m.the weekday morning peak the Killeen-Temple MPO uses4–7 p.m.the weekday evening peakThis is Taylor’s firsthand line at the top of the page, not a measurement: “Compared to Temple, Belton does feel a little bit more stuffy on the roads,” especially, he says, after school. The weekday peaks the Killeen-Temple MPO uses in its congestion analysis run 6–9 a.m. and 4–7 p.m., and I-35 construction adds time on anything that crosses it; the Liberty Valley guide covers the Loop 121 widening on the city’s west side.
The check: drive your route once at your shift time and once at school dismissal on a school day, and note which campuses sit on it.
West Adams adds dining and shopping options with Temple addresses.
5places named here, all with Temple mailing addressesTaylor’s read: “This is kind of Temple and Belton, honestly.” His October 26 notes describe new commercial projects, restaurants and shopping along West Adams. Checked October 26, 2026: Chick-fil-A at 7545 W. Adams Avenue opened October 24, 2024; Chipotle is at 7121 and Summer Moon Coffee at 7075; QuikTrip stands at Old Waco Road and FM 2305, the road West Adams becomes (state permit completion March 2023); and The Commonwealth at 11830 W. Adams, near Belton Dam, is a restaurant and cocktail bar with three pickleball courts, which Taylor had not yet visited when he wrote this. Those are Temple addresses: the corridor runs west from Temple’s medical district toward the lake.
The check: decide which of these you would use in a normal week, then route from the home. The businesses listed here use Temple mailing addresses; a mailing address does not establish a home’s taxing units or school district, so check the parcel and the district’s address lookup.
Routes: modeled on OpenStreetMap road data, no traffic, October 12, 2026; a range shows where the two routing engines differ by three minutes or more, and gates and parking add time (method under How was this guide checked?; © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Ratings: Texas Education Agency 2026 accountability ratings, re-checked on TEA’s own listing October 20, 2026. Tax rates: Bell CAD parcel records (October 12, re-checked October 20, 2026) and Bell CAD’s 2026 tax rate chart dated October 5, 2026. Ramps: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Belton Lake boat ramps page (14 sites, re-checked October 20, 2026). Dock rule: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Belton Lake Master Plan (December 2018). Marina wait: city marina page, re-checked October 20, 2026. Businesses: each business’s own site or listing, checked October 26, 2026 (Chick-fil-A’s opening date from the company’s October 2024 announcement; QuikTrip from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation project record); hours and openings change. Taylor’s lines: his October 26, 2026 notes for this guide; his video, filmed October 17, 2026.
What do Belton homes cost?
In screened CTXMLS Residential records with the MLS City field Belton, 41 observed closing events from September 1–30, 2026 had a median closing price of $344,000. Those records were observed October 3, 2026; late reporting or corrections may change the September sample. This MLS-city cohort is not a complete municipal-market count or a matched comparison of otherwise identical homes.
In the snapshot observed October 3, 2026, the separate screened MLS City Belton Residential snapshot contained 234 Active properties, with a median asking price of $336,500. Of those, 90 were asking under $300,000, or 38.5%. Asking prices and availability can change. This is asking stock, not completed sales; its difference from the September closing median does not show appreciation or an expected discount.
A typical Belton home sold for $344,000 in September 2026 (the median of 41 closings). About one in three sold under $300,000.
Sold in September41 closings, September 1–30, 2026
$344,000median sale
14 under $300,000 (34.1%) · 27 at $300,000 or more (65.9%)
For sale October 3234 active listings, observed October 3, 2026
$336,500median asking price
90 under $300,000 (38.5%) · 144 at $300,000 or more (61.5%)
Under $300,000$300,000 or moreEach bar is its whole group; the medians are the middle prices.
Show the same numbers as a table
| Measure | September 1–30 closings | Active stock observed October 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Included records | 41 closing events | 234 properties |
| Median price | $344,000 closed price | $336,500 asking price |
| Under $300,000 | 14 · 34.1% | 90 · 38.5% |
| $300,000 or more | 27 · 65.9% | 144 · 61.5% |
Source: Taylor Dasch’s calculation from CTXMLS Bell County Residential export, observed October 3, 2026. Read the filters, identity method and limitations. Asking prices and availability can change. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period September 1–30, 2026 (closings) and the active snapshot observed October 3, 2026.
The two price ranges show there were options on both sides of $300,000 in this snapshot. They do not identify which homes meet your condition, lot, layout or financing needs. Start with the Belton home-buying guide, then confirm the current status and details of specific listings. For a city comparison, use the Temple versus Belton guide alongside actual addresses, rather than treating a difference between city medians as the cost of the same home.
Build the ownership budget before the shortlist
Ask for property-specific costs; an asking price alone cannot establish a monthly payment. Five things to get in writing for any home before it goes on the list.
- Mortgage and cash to closeA written Loan Estimate using the actual price, down payment, fees, credits and loan terms. Compare the payment after any temporary subsidy.
- Property taxesThe parcel’s taxing entities and applicable year, plus an estimate suited to your purchase and exemptions. A seller’s prior bill is a starting record, not your guaranteed future bill.
- InsuranceA quote for the address, roof and coverage you need. Ask separately about flood coverage and exclusions.
- HOA and other chargesCurrent governing documents, dues, transfer charges and any special assessments that apply to that property.
- Utilities and upkeepConfirm each provider and service date; compare available usage history and the home’s inspection findings. Budget separately for maintenance.
Print this with the Address Check and take both to the two homes you are deciding between.
Use the CFPB Loan Estimate explainer for financing comparisons and the property-tax guide’s address-level worksheet for the tax questions. For a property served by Belton’s municipal utilities, check the City utility billing information for the schedule effective during your service period. Record the provider, tax year and service period beside each estimate.
What a $344,000 Belton home can cost each month — an illustration, not a quote
Loan principal and interest, $1,890Property tax, about $451Insurance, HOA and utilities: quotes, not shown
| Line | Each month |
|---|---|
| Loan principal and interest$344,000 price, 20% down, $275,200 loan, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac PMMS, October 22, 2026; 7.40% the two prior weeks) | $1,890 |
| Property taxes, after the $140,000 school homestead exemptionTax year 2026 rates per $100 as shown on a Bell CAD parcel record inside Belton city limits on October 12, 2026: Belton ISD 1.1177 (on $204,000); City of Belton 0.5619, Bell County 0.2995, Road District 0.0468 and Clearwater UWCD 0.00222 (each on $344,000); total 2.02812. Without the exemption, about $581. On the 2025 adopted table the same lines came to about $441 | about $451 |
| Homeowners insuranceCentral Texas hail belt; roof age drives the number | quote needed |
| HOA, MUD or PID, utilities, upkeepGoverning documents, parcel records, provider bills | property-specific |
| Before insurance, HOA and utilitiesAdd the quote lines before comparing with rent | about $2,341 |
Belton ISD adopted $1.1177 on August 17, 2026 and the City of Belton $0.5619 with its September 15, 2026 budget. Bell CAD’s 2026 tax rate chart (dated October 5, 2026) and its parcel records carry the same 2026 rates, including the county (0.2995) and the road district (0.0468); the three example parcels agree (re-checked October 20, 2026). The City of Belton and Bell County offer no general homestead exemption; only the school-district exemption is applied here. Verify the parcel’s own taxing units and exemptions on Bell CAD before you budget.
What does it cost to live in Belton, TX?
Start with the house. At Belton’s September 2026 median closing price of $344,000, a 20%-down, 30-year loan at 7.32% (Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026) is about $1,890 a month in principal and interest, and 2026 property tax inside Belton city limits with the $140,000 school homestead exemption adds about $451, for about $2,341 before insurance, HOA dues and utilities (Bell CAD 2026 rates: Belton ISD 1.1177, City of Belton 0.5619, Bell County 0.2995, road district 0.0468, Clearwater UWCD 0.00222). Belton has no city homestead exemption and Bell County no general one, so only the school exemption lowers the bill. A Three Creeks parcel in this example carries Bell County MUD No. 1 at 0.783 per $100 but no City of Belton line: on the same $344,000 assumptions the MUD line is about $224 a month and the absent city line would have been about $161, so the net property-tax difference is about $63 a month above the city-limits example, before HOA dues and other costs. Verify the actual parcel’s taxing units.
Renting: HUD’s fiscal-2027 Fair Market Rent, a metro-wide gross-rent benchmark rather than a Belton asking rent, is $1,138 for a two-bedroom and $1,576 for a three-bedroom in the Killeen-Temple area, effective October 1, 2026. Prices overall: in 2024 the Killeen-Temple metro, which includes Belton, ran 8.9% below the U.S. average (BEA regional price parities, released February 19, 2026), with rent the line where the gap is widest. The Temple cost-of-living guide carries the monthly cost by area, rents by size and the origin-metro comparison; the Temple versus Belton guide puts the two tax stacks side by side.
“I think you’re gonna get a fairly similar house with $300,000 in Belton versus Temple, especially once you start looking at those newer homes. So it kind of just depends on what your vibe is, what you like, where you’re going.”
Taylor Dasch, October 26, 2026. The September 2026 medians were $344,000 in Belton (41 closings) and $270,000 in Temple (105 closings; both from the October 3 CTXMLS export).
Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, October 22, 2026 (30-year fixed 7.32%). Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, Killeen-Temple area (Federal Register notice of September 1, 2026). Price levels: BEA regional price parities, 2024 data released February 19, 2026. Tax rates: Bell CAD 2026 chart dated October 5, 2026. Belton and Temple medians: Taylor Dasch’s calculation from CTXMLS exports observed October 3, 2026; based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period September 1–30, 2026. Checked October 26, 2026.
Which school serves the home?
For a home represented as being in Belton ISD, enter the complete address in the district’s 2026–27 attendance-boundary lookup. Record the school year and assigned campuses, then ask the district to resolve any ambiguous result. City names, ZIP codes and subdivision names are not a substitute for the district’s address result.
If a program, transfer, transportation option or future enrollment date matters, ask the district about that specific situation before making a purchase decision. A current assignment does not establish admission to a particular program or guarantee a future boundary. Use the school assignment and program answers alongside your own housing criteria.
Test the trips you will make each week
A city-center drive time is a weak substitute for the trip from your driveway to the correct entrance. For each candidate home, save the exact destination, departure time and weekday. Test the route in the direction and time you expect to use it, including the return trip. Add parking, gates or the walk from the lot when those are part of the trip.
- Compare the grocery, medical, recreation and other stops you choose, not just one highway route.
- Try the backup route before relying on it. Check current construction and closures close to the trip date.
- If transit matters, check The HOP’s current service information against the actual origin, destination and travel time; a county service area is not proof of a usable trip from every home.
For a first visit, build a loop around two candidate homes, downtown and the particular park or lake facility you want to use. Notice the driveway access, crossings and parking yourself. Those observations are more useful than a universal “minutes from everything” claim.
Choose the lake facility, not just the lake on the map
Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Lake offer different destinations around their shorelines. Plan around a named park, ramp or trail and the activity you want to do. A nearby-looking shoreline does not establish public entry, a working ramp, a beach, or access rights from a home.
Use the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Belton Lake status page and Stillhouse Hollow Lake status page before leaving. Check the named facility’s status, permitted activity, entry requirements and any operating notices. Save the actual entrance in your route plan. A lake view and a usable public launch are separate features to investigate.
Include weather in the home inspection questions
The Stillhouse Hollow Dam station’s 1991–2020 climate normals show an August average daily high of 96.0°F and a January average daily low of 35.7°F. These are historical station averages, not forecasts or conditions at every Belton home. They are a useful reason to ask about cooling, shade, roof condition and weather-related maintenance when reviewing a property. NOAA station normals, checked October 20, 2026.
Try an ordinary day in Belton
Taylor lived in Carriage House Trails and spent most of his days in Belton. His ordinary day there, as described in his October 26, 2026 notes: a workout at Planet Fitness, then a run the length of Yettie Polk Park’s creek trail, out at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, along the college’s main road to Main Street and back, about four to four and a half miles by his estimate; lunch at JNeely’s Burrito Bar on Lake Road, “a really really good version of Chipotle, in my opinion”; dinner most often at Narunya’s Modern Thai Cuisine on East Central Avenue downtown (the name he confirmed October 27, 2026), “a little bit expensive, but it’s some really good Thai food”; and, when his mother visits, Arusha Coffee downtown and shopping. The Gin at Nolan Creek, the creek itself and Yettie Polk Park are the three places he names when someone asks what makes downtown work, and the courthouse is what makes it feel like a downtown.
Routines are personal; the point is to try yours at the hour you would keep it. Parking, crossings, shade and business hours can change whether a place becomes part of your routine.
The City of Belton lists the Nolan Creek Hike and Bike Trail as 1.26 miles, running from Liberty Park to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus and passing through Harris Community Park and Yettie Polk Park. That is the City’s listed trail length checked September 29, 2026, not a distance from any home. Use the City parks directory to pick an entrance and check current details.
- Harris Community Park312 N. Alexander Street. The City lists trail access, restrooms and picnic tables.
- Yettie Polk Park101 S. Davis Street. The City lists a creek-side park with the hike-and-bike trail, picnic tables and parking.
- Liberty Park700 Veterans Way. The City lists green space and the hike-and-bike trail running through the park.
Addresses and features: City of Belton parks directory, checked September 29, 2026. Business names and addresses (JNeely’s Burrito Bar, 127 Lake Road; Narunya’s Modern Thai Cuisine, 316 E. Central Avenue; Planet Fitness Belton; Arusha Coffee and The Gin at Nolan Creek downtown) checked against their own pages or listings October 26, 2026, Narunya’s again October 27; hours change, so check before you go. Check current notices before visiting.
A visit can combine the trail with the downtown area, while a stadium event calls for its own schedule and parking check. Before describing a home as “walkable,” trace the actual route from its entrance: a short map distance can still involve missing sidewalks or an inconvenient crossing.
What changes from one Belton address to another?
Use neighborhood names to organize the search, then verify the property itself. Lot shape, slope, trees, drainage, driveway access, condition and governing documents can matter more to a decision than a neighborhood’s promotional description. Ask which features are included with the home and which are nearby public or separately controlled amenities.
The Three Creeks guide is a starting point for its own documented property and recurring-cost questions. For other starting points, open the River Place guide and the Belton-area neighborhood comparison. Read the source dates and verify current charges for the particular parcel. Do not transfer a cost or restriction from one property to another because the street names or listing descriptions look similar.
Most buyers Taylor meets who want Belton ISD decided before the first showing, on what people told them rather than ratings, and price rarely moves that decision. The requirement that does move is the HOA: many start out wanting none, then accept one to widen the list, and newer construction can sometimes offer better value once the full cost is counted. Rank the requirement you will not flex before the search, then test the rest against actual addresses.
Where Taylor’s Belton clients land, and why
His picks, October 26, 2026, with the dated sample behind each from the Belton neighborhood comparison (CTXMLS recorded closings, October 3, 2025 to October 2, 2026): Three Creeks, the master-planned community in Belton’s ETJ with the MUD line, “for sure” on his list (131 closings, $313,980 median); Hubbard Branch inside city limits with no MUD or PID (30 closings, $332,238 median); River Place if you want to be more in the middle of the city: “you got River Place for the older homes, but they’re a little bit more expensive”; Dawson Ranch for “that older kind of luxury feel” (Dawson Ranch and Dawson Ridge together, 37 closings, $390,000); Ridge at Belle Meadows, where “you’re still further out on that one” (18 closings, $264,950). Two more options from the same dated comparison, not on his list that day, with no HOA recorded on their sales: Liberty Valley (11 closings, $255,000) and Sendero Estates (15 closings, $310,000). Two of his three favorites for Belton ISD have Temple addresses, The Groves at Lakewood Ranch and Carriage House Trails; the Belton ISD neighborhoods guide lists the rest. Verify the parcel, the district lookup and the recorded restrictions for the home.
Belton ISD, a lower budget and no HOA: what was listed on October 12, 2026
| Asking price | Listed | No HOA | Share with no HOA | HOA | No HOA and Belton ISD | Median build year, no HOA | Median build year, HOA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $250,000 | 39 | 28 | 72% | 11 | 27 | 1977 | 2025 |
| $250,000–$299,999 | 47 | 21 | 45% | 26 | 20 | 1992 | 2025 |
| $300,000–$399,999 | 72 | 22 | 31% | 50 | 21 | 2005 | 2024 |
| $400,000 and up | 72 | 26 | 36% | 46 | 21 | 1995 | 2020 |
230 Active listings with the MLS City field Belton, Residential, price of $15,000 or more and no positive lease price, observed October 12, 2026; 217 of them show Belton ISD in the district field. HOA status and district are agent-entered fields, not legal findings; the recorded restrictions and a resale certificate decide. Listings change daily. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period observed October 12, 2026.
In the October 12, 2026 snapshot, most no-HOA homes asking under $300,000 (33 of 49) were built before 2000. In both price ranges under $300,000, homes with an HOA had a newer median build year than homes without one. Deciding which of the three requirements can flex is the search.
The canopy view spans mixed neighborhood context near River Place, Red River and Stoney Brook. Use it to study the housing and tree cover; verify the subdivision and access rights for the particular home.
For a recently built or unfinished home, confirm whether it has been occupied, the present construction stage, the completion and possession terms, and the inspection plan. Compare written incentives with the total price and financing costs. An aerial or a recent build year cannot establish that a home is new, ready for occupancy or offered on particular terms.
Three Belton homes, checked at the address on October 12, 2026
Each is a real house on public records; the house numbers are left off. What follows is what anyone can read for any address from Bell CAD, the district lookup, FEMA and a routing engine, with what it means. The asking price is not the point; the stack behind it is.
A. Liberty Valley, inside Belton city limits: built 2017, 1,756 sq ft, 0.178 acre
- Taxing units, 2026 rates (Bell CAD): Bell County 0.2995, Road District 0.0468, Belton ISD 1.1177, City of Belton 0.5619, Clearwater UWCD 0.00222; total 2.02812 per $100. No MUD, PID or HOA found. 2026 appraised value $260,915.
- Budget for the buyer: A prior owner’s tax bill does not establish yours. Verify the parcel’s current taxable value, taxing units and the exemptions you qualify for.
- Schools (Belton ISD lookup, 2026–27): Hubbard Branch Elementary (TEA 2026: F), South Belton Middle (D), Belton High (B); bus stops listed for all three.
- Flood: FEMA Zone X at the parcel center; the Mitchell Branch floodway runs along the subdivision’s south edge, so check the exact lot.
- Trips, no traffic: BSW main entrance 14 min (9.3 mi); Fort Hood main gate 24 min (21–27; 20.9 mi); downtown Belton 5 min (2.0 mi); H-E-B Plus Belton 9 min (4.7 mi); Westcliff Park ramp 15 min (14–17; 9.0 mi).
- Taylor on this pocket (September 30, 2026): “I like pockets like this. They are great for first-time home buyers as the properties are a little newer, good bones, and from what I remember a decent price for being in Belton.” Liberty Valley’s median closed price from August 21, 2025 through September 1, 2026 (12 sales) was about 20% under Belton’s (660 sales). Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period August 21, 2025 through September 1, 2026. Liberty Valley guide.
B. Three Creeks, in Belton’s ETJ with Bell County MUD No. 1: built 2019, 1,600 sq ft, 0.137 acre
- Taxing units, 2026 rates (Bell CAD): Bell County 0.2995, Road District 0.0468, Belton ISD 1.1177, MUD No. 1 0.783, Clearwater UWCD 0.00222; total 2.24922 per $100. No city line. HOA mandatory; 2026 listings state $480 a year, so confirm it in the resale certificate. 2026 appraised value $270,851.
- Budget for the buyer: The record carries an exemption that does not transfer to a buyer, so the prior owner’s bill does not establish yours.
- Schools: Chisholm Trail Elementary (TEA 2026: C), South Belton Middle (D), Belton High (B); bus stops listed.
- Flood: FEMA Zone X at the parcel center.
- Utilities: the district’s December 2025 statement names the City of Belton as wastewater provider, with water from the City or Dog Ridge WSC depending on the phase. Confirm for the lot. Three Creeks guide.
- Trips, no traffic: BSW 18 min (17–20; 13.3 mi); Fort Hood main gate 25 min (22–28; 21.1 mi); downtown Belton 10 min (6.7 mi); H-E-B Plus Belton 13 min (11–14; 7.6 mi); Westcliff Park ramp 19 min (18–21; 11.8 mi).
C. Morgan’s Point Resort, Section 3: built 2004, 1,736 sq ft, two lots totaling 0.32 acre
- Taxing units, 2026 rates (Bell CAD): Bell County 0.2995, Road District 0.0468, Belton ISD 1.1177, City of Morgan’s Point Resort 0.6398, Clearwater UWCD 0.00222; total 2.10602 per $100. No MUD or PID; the MLS HOA field reads none, and the city has no citywide association. 2026 appraised value $293,768.
- Budget for the buyer: The 2025 bill on the record was below the full-rate figure because of an exemption that is not listed for 2026; the 2026 bill posted in October is at the full rate. Use your own taxable value and eligibility for exemptions, not a prior bill, to estimate ownership costs.
- Schools: Lakewood Elementary (TEA 2026: A), Lake Belton Middle (B), Lake Belton High (A); bus stops listed. Other sections of the same city feed High Point Elementary (F) and North Belton Middle; the line runs through the city.
- Lake: the parcel center sits at about 678 feet, above the Corps’ 642-foot flowage-easement line; the lot does not touch the lake, and no private dock is allowed anywhere on Belton Lake. Rogers Park’s free ramp is 4 min (1.9 mi); Temple’s Lake Park ramps 9 min (4.1 mi). FEMA Zone X.
- Sewer: the city runs water and sewer and septic systems are common; the record does not say which serves this house. Get it in writing. Morgan’s Point Resort guide.
- Trips, no traffic: BSW 17 min (9.4 mi); Fort Hood main gate 32 min (29–36; 24.9 mi); downtown Belton 14 min (8.1 mi); H-E-B Plus Belton 11 min (6.5 mi); downtown Temple 16 min (8.7 mi).
- Taylor, in his August 4, 2026 video tour: “while you’re close to the lake, you are further from everything else in the Temple-Belton area.”
Records read October 12, 2026, with the Bell CAD records and TEA ratings re-checked October 20, 2026: Bell CAD 2026 parcel records and tax accounts (the same 2026 rates appear on Bell CAD’s 2026 tax rate chart dated October 5, 2026; living areas are Bell CAD’s heated-area figures, which exclude garage and porch); Belton ISD’s 2026–27 attendance lookup; TEA 2026 accountability ratings for the eight campuses rated above, re-checked on TEA’s own listing October 20, 2026; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer; USGS elevation point query; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Belton Lake pages; routes modeled on OpenStreetMap road data, no traffic, from each parcel’s center (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL; method under How was this guide checked?). HOA dues for home B are listing statements, not a document.
The Belton Address Check
Copy or print this table for two real homes. Put the source and date beside each answer. “Unknown” is a useful result when it identifies the next document or call needed; do not fill a gap with a citywide average.
| Check | Address A | Address B | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current asking price and status | Record + date | Record + date | Current listing and confirmed availability |
| Full monthly cost / cash to close | Estimate + assumptions | Estimate + assumptions | Lender estimate, parcel tax questions, insurance and recurring charges |
| Jurisdiction and utilities | Parcel + providers | Parcel + providers | Confirm city jurisdiction, each utility provider, and applicable property records |
| School assignment | Campus + school year | Campus + school year | District address result; unresolved questions confirmed with district |
| Daily trips | Route + departure time | Route + departure time | Test actual entrances, return trip and backup route |
| Condition and documents | Known / unknown | Known / unknown | Inspection, disclosures, governing documents and property-specific questions |
| Outdoor plans | Named facility | Named facility | Actual public entrance, current status and property access rights |
| Decision-changing unknown | Next question | Next question | Who can answer it and what evidence you need |
For example, two homes with similar prices may produce different decisions once you obtain insurance quotes, inspect the roof, verify recurring charges and test your route. Mark the differences that would change your budget or daily use, then resolve those first.
Have two addresses already? Text the listing links to 254-718-4249. To request a conversation instead, use the form below; it asks only for your name, email and what brings you to Belton. Taylor replies personally, and the worksheet stays free to use either way.
One worked comparison: the Address Check filled in for homes A and B
Homes A and B from the three example homes are close in age and appraised value, so the same $265,000 price is used for both; what differs is everything the price hides. The figures are a dated illustration on public records, not a quote or an offer price.
| Check | A: Liberty Valley | B: Three Creeks (MUD) | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price basis | $265,000 (2026 appraised $260,915) | $265,000 (2026 appraised $270,851) | Same price on purpose, so the stack is what you compare |
| Loan principal and interest | $1,468 | $1,468 | 20% down, $212,000 loan, 30-year fixed at 7.40% (Freddie Mac PMMS, October 15, 2026) |
| Property taxes, 2026 rates, $140,000 school exemption | $3,810 a year, about $317 a month (2.02812) | $4,396 a year, about $366 a month (2.24922) | MUD No. 1 adds 0.783; the City of Belton line (0.5619) is absent in the ETJ. With no exemption: $448 against $497 |
| HOA | None found | $480 a year, about $40 a month (listing statements) | Resale certificate confirms dues and any assessment |
| Jurisdiction and utilities | City of Belton water, sewer and trash | City of Belton wastewater; water by phase (City or Dog Ridge WSC); MUD statement | Confirm each provider for the lot |
| Insurance | Quote needed | Quote needed | Roof age and the hail deductible move it |
| Before insurance and utilities | about $1,785 a month | about $1,874 a month | B costs about $89 a month more at the same price: $49 in tax and $40 in dues |
| School assignment | Hubbard Branch ES (F), South Belton MS (D), Belton HS (B) | Chisholm Trail ES (C), South Belton MS (D), Belton HS (B) | Same middle and high school; different elementary |
| Daily trips, no traffic | BSW 14 min; Fort Hood 24 (21–27); downtown Belton 5; H-E-B 9 | BSW 18 min (17–20); Fort Hood 25 (22–28); downtown Belton 10; H-E-B 13 (11–14) | By rounded averages, A is 4–5 minutes closer on most errands; the Fort Hood trip is nearly equal |
| Outdoor plans | Westcliff Park ramp 15 min (14–17) | Westcliff Park ramp 19 min (18–21) | Pick the named facility, then check its status |
| Condition and documents | 2017 build; inspection; verify recorded restrictions and HOA status | 2019 build; inspection; HOA documents and the MUD statement | Unknown until inspected and read |
| Decision-changing unknown | Insurance quote and roof age | Dues, assessments and the water provider | Who answers it, and by when |
What the sheet shows: at the same price, the Three Creeks home costs about $89 a month more before insurance and adds four or five minutes on most errands by the rounded no-traffic averages, in exchange for a 2019 build and a master-planned setting with trails. Whether that trade is worth it is your call; the sheet turns it into a priced choice instead of a feeling. Fill the blank table above the same way for your two addresses.
Arithmetic: principal and interest on $212,000 at 7.40% over 360 months; taxes at the 2026 rates on each parcel’s Bell CAD record with the $140,000 school homestead exemption applied only to Belton ISD; the City of Belton and Bell County offer no general exemption. Routes: modeled on OpenStreetMap road data, no traffic, from each parcel’s center, computed October 12, 2026 (method under How was this guide checked?; © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for HOA and district fields only; the tax and school facts are public records.
Plan your arrival in Belton
A home search and a move run on different clocks. You may know when work starts before you know when a home will be ready, or you may need somewhere to stay while you decide where to buy. Start with the date you have to be here, then work backward through housing access, services, school steps where relevant, and the move itself. Keep a backup for any date that is still an estimate.
Open the Belton move plan (PDF, two pages)
Print it and record your dates, three decision-changing unknowns and next actions. It sends nothing to anyone.
Start with three dates
Write down when you expect to arrive, when you are confirmed to have access to your housing, and your first fixed commitment such as a start date or school day. Mark a date unknown when it is not settled; these three are often different. A scheduled closing appointment is not possession. Ask the people handling the transaction to confirm the possession date and any conditions still open, and keep temporary lodging, storage and the mover’s schedule flexible until the gap closes.
Rent first, visit first, or buy from a distance?
- Rent first when your workplace, preferred area or purchase timing is unsettled. Price the lease term, deposits, moving twice and overlapping housing before deciding; do not assume a short-term or month-to-month option exists at a given price.
- Make the visit answer a question. Decide what the trip must settle (which area, rent versus buy, or a specific shortlist), then build the loop around the Belton Address Check and the trips you will make each week rather than a tour of every subdivision. One weekend drive is evidence about that drive, not every weekday.
- Buy from a distance only with a verification plan: agree who will check condition, surroundings and access, how inspection findings reach you, and which documents you will read before relying on a video tour. Current listings are on Belton homes for sale.
Turn the housing choice into a move sequence
| Stage | Confirm before moving on |
|---|---|
| Before choosing housing | Arrival date and first fixed commitment; rent-first or purchase route; requirements you cannot flex; a backup if access is delayed |
| Before committing to a property | Address Check results, service providers, school questions if relevant, transaction terms, and who owns each unresolved item |
| Before booking final delivery | Confirmed possession, service start dates, access instructions, and what can still change |
| Before arrival | Lodging or housing access, mover and storage details, essential documents, first-week appointments |
| First week | Services working, outstanding school steps, remaining property and move follow-ups |
Treat this as confirmations, not a closing timetable. Keep a service request separate from the provider’s confirmation, and put a responsible person and a next action beside every open item.
Arrange services for the actual address
Not every Belton mailing address uses the same providers; confirm the home’s arrangements before scheduling anything.
- City of Belton water, sewer and trash: the Utility Billing department accepts new-service requests online through its utility portal or in person at 100 S. Davis Street; a valid ID, a deposit and a fee are required. The City’s fee schedule effective October 1, 2026 lists a $100 water deposit for a standard residential meter (1.25 times that outside city limits) and a $20 new-service fee. Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; 254-933-5800; utilitybilling@beltontexas.gov (City page, read October 20, 2026). A submitted request is not an active account; get the start date confirmed.
- Not sure who serves the lot? Start with the PUCT water utility finder and confirm with the provider. An empty map result does not mean the home has no water service.
- Electricity is separate from the City account. Confirm the delivery utility for the address and whether it has retail choice; the Public Utility Commission’s Power to Choose lists plans for choice areas. Compare the plan’s actual terms, not the headline rate.
- Internet: check the full address on the FCC National Broadband Map, then confirm the provider, the installation appointment and whether someone must be present. The map shows provider-reported availability, not a confirmed install.
Rehearse a delay: if possession moves a week, which lodging, storage, delivery, internet or pet arrangement changes? Check real availability and cancellation terms before counting on a backup.
If schools are part of the move, separate assignment from enrollment
Verify the district and campus for the full address, grade and school year first, using the school-assignment check above. For a student new to Belton ISD, start with New Student Enrollment and read the required documentation. The district’s documentation page, read October 12, 2026, accepts a current lease for 30 days until a utility bill is available, states that closing papers “will suffice until a utility bill is available” after a recent purchase, offers a notarized residency affidavit route, and directs families without the listed documents to the campus registrar. Ask the registrar which route applies; a boundary lookup is not an enrollment, and no start date is promised.
Confirm the handoff, then keep the first week small
Put in one place: when possession is confirmed and who will tell you if it changes; how keys, codes and agreed items are handed over; which utilities are confirmed active; where the movers can park; and where you will stay and store belongings if the handoff shifts. For a purchase, have your agent and the title company explain the closing, funding and possession terms of your executed contract; for a rental, confirm access and move-in requirements with the manager. In the first week, carry essential documents with you, check the services you scheduled, confirm the City collection day for the address before leaving packing materials at the curb, and give each remaining item a next action. Then drive the first trip you must make from the home, at the time you will make it.
Text 254-718-4249 with your target arrival date, whether you are leaning toward renting first or buying, and the one question holding up your plan. Keep IDs, children’s records, orders and loan documents out of a general message. You can also request a conversation through the form below (name, email and what brings you to Belton).
How was this guide checked?
Guide reviewed October 26, 2026: the town-first opening, Taylor’s dated notes and video, the cost-of-living figures (Freddie Mac rate of October 22, HUD fiscal-2027 rents, BEA 2024 price levels) and the downtown and West Adams business facts were checked that day. Local-source observations are dated September 29, 2026 unless another date is stated; the address-level records, routes and listing counts in the six things, the three example homes and the address check are dated October 12, 2026, with the tax records, school ratings, utility fees and marina wait re-checked and the Dallas, San Antonio and Houston drives added on October 20, 2026. Local facts use the linked City, district, Census, USACE and NOAA sources. Their dates and scopes remain distinct: the Census estimate is July 2025, the school lookup is 2026–27, and the climate normals cover 1991–2020. Facility status, listings, assignments and written property terms should be rechecked when you act.
The housing table is a first-party calculation from verified Bell County Residential MLS exports, selecting the MLS City field exactly Belton. It excludes relevant prices below $15,000 and records with positive exported LeasePrice. All 41 included September closing events and all 234 included Active properties were observed October 3, 2026. September counts may change with late reporting or corrections.
Repeated records are reconciled using normalized street identity, including direction and unit; closing events also use CloseDate. Listing and parcel identifiers are unavailable, so this is an identity proxy. The median is the middle valid price, or the average of the two middle prices for an even-sized group; displayed prices round to the nearest $100, half up. The under-$300,000 range starts at $15,000, the lowest price included in this analysis; a price of exactly $300,000 counts in the $300,000-or-more range. That floor is not an advertised available home price. In the home-cost table, the two price ranges in each column add up to that column’s total (41 closings; 234 active properties). The Residential scope is not detached-only; the MLS City field is not a verified municipal boundary, and the exports do not cover every off-market sale or unlisted home.
Use the two dated groups to frame a search, then use current property details and relevant closed comparables to evaluate a home. The records here do not identify seller credits or consistently separate new homes from resales.
Drive times on this page are modeled, not driven: OSRM and Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap road data of October 4, 2026, computed October 12, 2026 with no traffic (the Dallas, San Antonio and Houston trips on October 20, 2026). A single minute figure is the rounded average of the two engines; a range shows both where their rounded estimates differ by three minutes or more; miles are OSRM’s. Gates, parking and the walk from the lot add time. Taylor’s timed drive to BSW in the video, 12 minutes 26 seconds from the appraisal district office, is the one measured trip on the page. Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Taylor Dasch · EG Realty
Taylor is the contact for questions about this guide and the property comparison you want to make. The table uses the local CTXMLS archive and the calculation method above. Send a source correction or ask about a specific home at dealswithdasch@gmail.com, or call or text 254-718-4249. About Taylor.
Living in Belton: practical answers
Is Belton, TX a good place to live?
In his October 26, 2026 notes, Taylor called Belton “a great place to live.” He likes its parks and downtown, while finding the roads more crowded after school than Temple’s. This is his opinion. Compare the full ownership cost, assigned campuses and weekly routes for the actual home. In his Belton video, he says to keep the search in Temple when its homes and the places you use fit your week better. Six things to know before you move.
Is Belton less expensive than Temple?
This guide does not establish a matched-home cost advantage for either city. Compare the purchase price, financing, parcel-specific taxes, insurance, recurring charges and upkeep of actual homes. The Belton September 2026 closing median and asking median observed October 3, 2026 describe different observed groups, not the cost of your particular home.
Does a Belton address guarantee Belton ISD?
Do not infer assignment from the mailing city. Check the district serving the exact address and the intended school year. For addresses represented as Belton ISD, use its official 2026–27 boundary lookup and ask the district about ambiguous results, programs or transfers.
Does living near a lake include lake access?
A view or nearby shoreline does not establish access rights. Check the home’s documents separately from the named public park, ramp or trail you plan to use, and confirm the facility’s current status with its operator.
How should I compare Belton neighborhoods?
Start with two actual addresses and complete the Address Check above. Verify costs, routes, assignment, condition and access using dated records. Neighborhood names and aerial photographs provide context but do not establish property-specific facts.
What is the population of Belton, TX?
The Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimate puts the incorporated city at 25,964 on July 1, 2025. That describes the city limits, not every Belton mailing address or the Belton ISD attendance area.
How far is Belton from Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio?
From the Bell County Courthouse by road with no traffic, on OpenStreetMap routing read October 12, 2026: Austin City Hall 60.8 road miles (OSRM), 54–67 minutes across two engines (their route distances differ by 0.33 mile); Dallas City Hall 135.8 road miles by I-35 and I-35E, 1 hr 57 min to 2 hr 25 min; San Antonio City Hall, where the two engines take different roads: 138.6 miles by I-35 through Austin on the OSRM route (about 2 hr 34 min), or 159.6 miles on the SH 130 toll road east of Austin on the Valhalla route (about 2 hr 7 min); Houston City Hall 172.3 miles by TX 36, 2 hr 54 min to 3 hr 25 min (the three longer trips computed October 20, 2026 with the same two engines). The weekday peak periods the Killeen-Temple MPO uses in its congestion analysis (6–9 a.m. and 4–7 p.m.) and I-35 construction add time. Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Is Belton, TX a safe place to live?
This guide does not score safety. Compare the same offense categories and years in the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer and with the Belton Police Department; the Temple versus Belton guide links the sources for both cities. A citywide figure does not describe a street. Visit at the hours you would actually be there.
Which Belton homes have no HOA?
On October 12, 2026, 97 of 230 Belton-listed homes showed no HOA in the MLS field, about half of them asking under $300,000 and most of those built before 2000; the price-range table gives the counts by price range and build year. The listing field is an agent entry; the recorded restrictions and a resale certificate are the facts for a particular lot.
What happens if I send the form below?
The form requests a conversation with Taylor using your name, email and selected topic; the next page offers general relocation resources, not a custom property analysis. For an address check, text the address to 254-718-4249 and Taylor sends back its taxing units, the school assignment and the drive to Baylor Scott & White and Fort Hood. Budget details and time-sensitive questions go by phone or email.
Considering Belton?
Fastest route: Text a Belton address to 254-718-4249 and Taylor sends back its taxing units, school assignment and the drive to Baylor Scott & White and Fort Hood. The form below starts a conversation with your name, email and what brings you to Belton; the next page offers general relocation resources, not a custom property analysis.