Temple VS Belton
Temple has more homes at or below $300,000 and Baylor Scott & White minutes away. Belton has bigger lots, a shorter Fort Hood drive and, inside city limits, a lower tax bill on the same price.
CTXMLS closed sales from October 3, 2025, to October 2, 2026 (exports observed September 2 and October 3, 2026). 2026 tax rates, TEA ratings and drive times checked October 21, 2026; other sources carry their own dates.
By Taylor Dasch, EG Realty
Should you buy in Temple or Belton, Texas?
Pick by budget, commute and the address, not the city name. Temple sold more homes for less: 64% of its 1,426 MLS sales from October 3, 2025, to October 2, 2026, closed at or below $300,000, against 41% of Belton’s 634, and Baylor Scott & White’s main entrance is 6 minutes from Temple City Hall with no traffic. Belton City Hall sits 9 minutes closer to Fort Hood’s main gate, sold more half-acre lots (27% of sales against 10%) and, inside its city limits, taxes the same $350,000 homestead $765 a year less at 2026 rates. School districts cross city lines, so check each address.
Established, tree-lined neighborhoods in each city, framed at a similar scale. Area photos, not price examples.
- Median sale: $270,000 in Temple and $321,987 in Belton, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026; 64% and 41% of sales closed at or below $300,000.
- 2026 tax, same $350,000 homestead: $6,299 with the City of Temple and Temple ISD, $5,534 with the City of Belton and Belton ISD.
- Drive with no traffic, from each city hall: Baylor Scott & White’s main entrance 6 vs 12 minutes; Fort Hood’s main gate 33 vs 24 minutes.
- Schools: TEA’s preliminary 2026 ratings are B (81) for Temple ISD and B (80) for Belton ISD; listing agents entered 535 of Temple’s 1,426 sales as Belton ISD.
- Lots: half an acre or more on 10% of Temple’s sales and 27% of Belton’s.
© OpenStreetMap contributorsSources: CTXMLS exports observed September 2 and October 3, 2026; Bell CAD’s 2026 tax rate chart dated October 5, 2026; TEA 2026 accountability summaries, read October 21, 2026; drive estimates on OpenStreetMap routing run October 21, 2026, route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Methods and exact windows are in each section below. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026.
Which city fits your budget, commute and school district?
Each city wins different priorities, and on a few the honest answer is “either.” The ledger lists ten priorities that decide most Temple-or-Belton searches, the measured difference for each and where it points; the three blocks under it summarize each option in the same terms.
| If this matters most | Temple | Belton | Points to |
|---|---|---|---|
| A budget at or under $300,000 | 64% of 1,426 sales | 41% of 634 sales | Temple |
| A Baylor Scott & White Temple job | 6 min to the main entrance | 12 min | Temple, by about 6 minutes |
| A Fort Hood report | 33 min (29–36) to the main gate | 24 min (21–27) | Belton, by about 9 minutes |
| An Austin commute | 69 min (62–77) to City Hall | 61 min (54–67) | Belton, by about 8 minutes |
| Belton ISD, as entered | 535 of 1,426 sales (38%) | 615 of 634 (97%) | Either; check the address |
| Half an acre or more | 10% of sales | 27% | Belton |
| A home built before 1980 | 20% of sales | 14% | Temple |
| No HOA listed | 42% of sales | 40% | No real difference |
| Lower tax on the same price | $6,299 on a $350,000 homestead | $5,534 inside city limits | Belton, inside city limits |
| Listings marked with a builder sale condition | 29% of sales | 28% | Similar shares; verify construction status |
Every row and block uses the figures in the sections below: CTXMLS sales from October 3, 2025, to October 2, 2026; 2026 Bell CAD rates; OpenStreetMap drive estimates run October 21, 2026, with no traffic; Belton ISD’s Spring 2026 Enrollment and Housing Report (April 2026), read October 21, 2026. Fair-housing note: these are measured differences in price, commute, lot, home age, HOA and district as entered, not a judgment about who belongs in either city. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026.
Temple — more homes at or below $300,000, minutes from BSW
Best for: a budget at or under $300,000, a Baylor Scott & White commute, or an older resale home.
CTXMLS median sale $270,000 (1,426 sales, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026) · BSW main entrance 6 min from City Hall, no traffic · $6,299 at Bell CAD’s 2026 rates on a $350,000 homestead with Temple ISD
Temple is the larger market, with more than twice as many sales in the same 12 months and Baylor Scott & White inside the city. Its tax rate runs higher: the City of Temple parcels checked also pay Temple College and the Temple Health & Bioscience District. Start with the moving to Temple guide, compare areas in best neighborhoods in Temple, and see drive times from 19 neighborhoods in neighborhoods near BSW by commute.
Belton — bigger lots, closer to Fort Hood, lower tax on the same price
Best for: a Fort Hood or Austin commute, half an acre or more, or the lowest tax on the same price inside city limits.
CTXMLS median sale $321,987 (634 sales, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026) · Fort Hood main gate 24 min from City Hall, no traffic · $5,534 at Bell CAD’s 2026 rates on a $350,000 homestead with Belton ISD
Belton is the Bell County seat and the smaller market, with fewer sales at or below $300,000 and more large lots. The lower bill holds inside city limits, and a Belton address is not always inside them: 115 of its 634 sales were in Three Creeks, where the two parcels checked pay a utility district instead of city tax and land within $9 of the Temple bill (see property taxes). Read living in Belton and its first-week arrival plan, then Belton neighborhoods by price.
Temple addresses in Belton ISD — the overlap
Best for: Belton ISD as entered, with Temple’s price mix or a shorter drive to Baylor Scott & White.
535 of Temple’s 1,426 CTXMLS sales entered as Belton ISD, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026 · Belton ISD’s April 2026 report counts 6,103 of its students living in Temple city limits, more than the 3,574 in Belton’s
These homes pay City of Temple taxes and Belton ISD’s rate: $6,416.22 on the same $350,000 homestead, the highest of the examples below. Confirm the district on the parcel’s Bell CAD record and the campus with the district’s boundary lookup (see school district by address).
In Taylor’s words
Taylor has compared the two cities in two videos published on his Living in Temple YouTube channel. The lines below are his opinion, quoted from the video captions with filler words left out; square brackets mark a word added for sense and “…” marks a cut. The July video used 2025 tax rates; the tax figures on this page are 2026’s.
“If you’re moving to [the] Temple–Belton area for Baylor Scott & White, Temple is gonna be the right decision … If, on the other hand, you are moving to Temple for the military, Belton is going to be a lot closer to the Fort Hood area.”
Taylor Dasch on his Living in Temple YouTube channel, “Temple vs Belton TX: Which Should You ACTUALLY Move To? (2026),” published July 21, 2026, at 8:33. Opinion.
“Belton has a better walkable downtown. Temple’s downtown is coming up, but it’s not quite there yet.”
Taylor Dasch, the same July 21, 2026 video, at 9:02. Opinion.
“Here is the part that actually matters the most: it’s not Temple versus Belton, it’s whether you’re inside the city limits at all.”
Taylor Dasch, the same July 21, 2026 video, at 4:13, on property taxes. Opinion.
“Let’s say the house works great for your budget, you’ve already tested the route and you actually want to spend part of the week in the places that were covered in this video. That’s a real reason to keep Belton on your list … 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. That doesn’t mean every Temple address is gonna cost less or gonna have a shorter drive.”
Taylor Dasch on his Living in Temple YouTube channel, “Living in Belton TX: Great on Saturday, But What About the Rest of the Week?,” published October 20, 2026, at 10:30. Opinion.
How far apart are Temple and Belton, Texas?
About 8.5 road miles, or 11 to 12 minutes with no traffic, from Temple City Hall to Belton City Hall: 8.6 miles heading south and 8.4 heading north, about 5.8 of them on I-35’s main lanes, on OpenStreetMap routing run October 21, 2026. In a straight line the two city halls are 7.7 miles apart. Your own trip depends on the two addresses, the interchange you use and the hour; drives to Baylor Scott & White, Fort Hood, Austin and Waco are in the drive-time table.
- 8.5 miTemple City Hall to Belton City Hall, 11–12 min
- 2.7 miTemple City Hall to Baylor Scott & White’s main entrance, 6 min
- 7.7 miBelton City Hall to Baylor Scott & White’s main entrance, 12 min
How do home prices compare in Temple and Belton?
Temple’s median sale was $270,000 across 1,426 closings from October 3, 2025, to October 2, 2026; Belton’s was $321,987 across 634, about $52,000 higher. Belton’s homes were also larger (1,977 square feet at the median, against 1,796), so per square foot the gap narrows to $171 against $155. The medians describe the mix of homes that sold, not a premium for one feature; compare similar homes before reading the gap as the price of a school district or the lake.
How much of each city’s market sold at or below your budget?
38% of Temple’s 1,426 closed sales and 18% of Belton’s 634 were at or below $250,000.
64% of Temple’s 1,426 closed sales and 41% of Belton’s 634 were at or below $300,000.
85% of Temple’s 1,426 closed sales and 73% of Belton’s 634 were at or below $400,000.
| Central Texas MLS, Oct. 3, 2025–Oct. 2, 2026 | Temple | Belton |
|---|---|---|
| Closed sales | 1,426 | 634 |
| Median sale price | $270,000 | $321,987 |
| Median price per square foot | $155 | $171 |
| Median size (square feet) | 1,796 | 1,977 |
| Median days on market (MLS field) | 71 | 63 |
| Sales at or below $250,000 | 38% | 18% |
| Sales at or below $300,000 | 64% | 41% |
| Sales at or below $400,000 | 85% | 73% |
| Inside city limits, as entered | 1,099 sales · median $265,000 | 385 sales · median $305,385 |
| Active listings on October 3, 2026 (asking prices) | 640 · median ask $280,000 | 234 · median ask $336,500 |
The typical home costs more to carry in Belton even though its tax rate is lower, because the typical Belton home costs more. At each city’s median sale, principal, interest and the 2026 homestead tax come to about $1,873 a month in Temple and $2,197 in Belton, a $324 difference before insurance and HOA dues.
| At the median sale, 20% down | Temple | Belton |
|---|---|---|
| Principal and interest, 30-year fixed at 7.40% | $1,496 | $1,783 |
| 2026 property tax with the homestead exemptions | $377 | $414 |
| Before insurance and HOA dues | $1,873 | $2,197 |
Source: CTXMLS exports observed September 2 and October 3, 2026, screened the same way as the moving to Temple guide: one closing per home and close date, Residential, MLS city field Temple or Belton, closed price at least $15,000 (no closing in either city was below $30,000), the same definitions for both cities. The window joins the September 2 export (closings from October 3, 2025, through April 30, 2026) with the October 3 export (closings from May 1 through October 2, 2026). The MLS city field is the listing’s city name and includes homes outside city limits; the city-limits row uses the listing agent’s entry. Active listings are asking prices, not sale prices. Payment illustration: 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.40% (Freddie Mac’s weekly average for October 15, 2026, read October 21, 2026), with the 2026 homestead tax on each median sale computed as in the tax section; each line rounded to the dollar. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 3, 2026.
If a monthly budget sets your ceiling, start from the share of each city’s sales at or below it, then compare specific homes. Best neighborhoods in Temple and Belton neighborhoods by price show where prices sit inside each city, and the cost of living guide adds insurance, utilities and HOA dues.
What kinds of homes sell in each city?
Belton’s sales ran slightly newer and on bigger lots; Temple’s included more older homes. The median year built was 2015 in Temple and 2017 in Belton, and 41% of Temple’s sales and 43% of Belton’s were built in 2020 or later. Twenty percent of Temple’s sales were built before 1980, against 14% of Belton’s. Lots split more sharply: 27% of Belton’s sales listed half an acre or more, against 10% of Temple’s.
| Same 12-month MLS sales | Temple | Belton |
|---|---|---|
| Median year built | 2015 | 2017 |
| Built 2020 or later | 41% | 43% |
| Built 2000–2019 | 29% | 32% |
| Built 1980–1999 | 11% | 11% |
| Built before 1980 | 20% | 14% |
| Lot under a quarter acre | 71% | 54% |
| Lot of half an acre or more | 10% | 27% |
| Lot of an acre or more | 5% | 9% |
| Mandatory HOA listed | 57% | 60% |
| No HOA listed | 42% | 40% |
| Listed with a builder sale condition | 29% | 28% |
Year built, lot acreage, HOA status and listing condition are listing-agent entries in CTXMLS (1,426 Temple and 634 Belton sales, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026); acreage, HOA and listing condition are joined from the two raw exports by the same closing-event key. A builder sale condition is a listing field, not proof that a home is new construction or has never been occupied. Confirm lot size on the survey, dues and rules in the HOA documents, and condition in an inspection. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026.
HOA, MUD and PID: what the listings show and what they don’t
A mandatory HOA was listed on 57% of Temple’s sales and 60% of Belton’s; 42% and 40% listed none. The MLS export carries no MUD or PID field, so these sales can’t say how many homes pay one. Three Creeks, a master-planned community with Belton mailing addresses, accounted for 115 of Belton’s 634 sales, and the two Three Creeks parcels checked in Bell CAD’s 2026 records pay Bell County MUD No. 1 (0.783 per $100) and no City of Belton tax. Listing agents marked 56 of those 115 sales as inside city limits and 42 as outside, so the listing field can’t settle the question; the parcel’s tax record can. Bell CAD’s 2026 rate chart lists four municipal utility districts in the county.
Before you sign a contract, the seller has to give you a written MUD notice (Texas Water Code §49.452) and, for a home in a public improvement district, a PID notice (Texas Property Code §5.014). Read both, then confirm the parcel’s taxing units on Bell CAD. The MUD and PID guide explains the difference.
Three Creeks count: CTXMLS subdivision labels beginning “Three Creek” in the same sales, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026 (one sale is labeled in the singular); the city-limits split is the listing agents’ entry. Parcels: Bell CAD’s 2026 records for Three Creeks Phases III and V, read October 20, 2026. Statutes: Texas Water Code §49.452 and Property Code §5.014, read October 21, 2026. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026.
Older homes and new builds raise different questions: an inspection that covers the foundation, roof and systems for a resale, and a completed-home tax estimate and builder warranty terms for new construction. The foundation inspection guide lists what to verify before an offer, and the builder comparison guide compares warranties, financing offers and what is included.
Which city has higher property taxes on the same home?
At Bell CAD’s 2026 rates, the same $350,000 homestead owes $5,533.63 inside the City of Belton and Belton ISD, against $6,299.04 inside the City of Temple and Temple ISD and $6,416.22 for a City of Temple address in Belton ISD. Most of the $765.41 gap between the first two is Temple College ($699.44), which the Belton parcel does not pay, plus the Temple Health & Bioscience District ($49.80). The City of Temple’s levy runs $133.35 above the City of Belton’s even after Temple’s 20% homestead exemption, while Belton ISD costs $117.18 more than Temple ISD on this home.
2026 tax on the same $350,000 homestead, four real parcel types
ATemple + Temple ISD
$6,299.04
BBelton + Belton ISD
$5,533.63
CTemple + Belton ISD
$6,416.22
DThree Creeks (MUD No. 1) + Belton ISD
$6,307.48
| Taxing unit (2026) | Rate per $100 | Taxable value | A: Temple + Temple ISD | B: Belton + Belton ISD | C: Temple + Belton ISD | D: Three Creeks + Belton ISD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple ISD | 1.061900 | $210,000 | $2,229.99 | — | — | — |
| Belton ISD | 1.117700 | $210,000 | — | $2,347.17 | $2,347.17 | $2,347.17 |
| City of Temple | 0.750000 | $280,000 | $2,100.00 | — | $2,100.00 | — |
| City of Belton | 0.561900 | $350,000 | — | $1,966.65 | — | — |
| Temple College | 0.249800 | $280,000 | $699.44 | — | $699.44 | — |
| Temple Health & Bioscience District | 0.014228 | $350,000 | $49.80 | — | $49.80 | — |
| Bell County MUD No. 1 | 0.783000 | $350,000 | — | — | — | $2,740.50 |
| Bell County | 0.299500 | $350,000 | $1,048.25 | $1,048.25 | $1,048.25 | $1,048.25 |
| Bell County Road District | 0.046800 | $350,000 | $163.80 | $163.80 | $163.80 | $163.80 |
| Clearwater UWCD | 0.002216 | $350,000 | $7.76 | $7.76 | $7.76 | $7.76 |
| Total with the homestead exemptions | $6,299.04 | $5,533.63 | $6,416.22 | $6,307.48 | ||
| Total without a homestead exemption | $350,000 | $8,485.56 | $7,098.41 | $8,680.86 | $7,872.26 | |
| Combined rate per $100 before exemptions | 2.424444 | 2.028116 | 2.480244 | 2.249216 |
Tax = taxable value × 2026 rate ÷ 100, rounded to the cent per line. School districts tax $350,000 minus the $140,000 state homestead exemption; the City of Temple and Temple College tax $280,000 after their 20% homestead exemptions; Bell County, the road district, the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District (UWCD), the Health & Bioscience District, Bell County MUD No. 1 and the City of Belton list no general homestead exemption. Rates and exemptions: Bell CAD’s 2026 tax rate chart (dated October 5, 2026; re-read October 21, 2026). Unit lists: Bell CAD’s 2026 records for real parcels read October 20, 2026 (a City of Temple parcel in Temple ISD for A, a City of Temple parcel in Belton ISD for C, Liberty Valley in Belton for B, Three Creeks Phases III and V for D); the Belton parcel’s TIF district line adds no separate rate.
These are illustrations for one assumed value, not a bill for any home. Appraised value can differ from the price you pay, the 10% homestead appraisal cap starts the year after you qualify, and owners 65 or older or disabled get further exemptions. Some parcels carry another district: an older central-Belton parcel in Bell CAD’s records also pays Bell County WCID No. 6 (0.0252 per $100 in 2026; record checked September 25, 2026). Look up the actual parcel in Bell CAD’s property search and read its 2026 tax statement.
On the same $350,000 value, the gap between examples A and B is about $64 a month. The Temple property-tax guide walks through a parcel worksheet, and the Bell County homestead exemption guide explains what the exemption removes and how to file.
The typical Belton home still costs more to tax
At each city’s median sale the order flips: a $270,000 Temple homestead owes about $4,519 in 2026 and a $321,987 Belton homestead about $4,965. Belton’s lower rate applies to a more expensive typical home, so compare the bill on the actual price, not the rate.
Bell CAD’s 2026 rates on each city’s CTXMLS median sale, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026, with the homestead exemptions. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026.
Outside city limits is not automatically cheaper
Leaving a city’s limits drops its city tax, but a district can take its place. The two Three Creeks parcels checked in Bell CAD’s 2026 records (read October 20, 2026) pay Bell County MUD No. 1 at 0.783 per $100 and no City of Belton tax, so the same $350,000 homestead there owes $6,307.48 in 2026: $774 more than inside the City of Belton and within $8.44 of the Temple example. Read the seller’s MUD notice and check every unit on the parcel’s Bell CAD record.
A new build needs a completed-home estimate
A prior tax bill may reflect land or incomplete improvements. Ask for the expected completed-home taxable value, every taxing district on the parcel and any separate assessment before you compare payments.
Does a Temple address mean Temple ISD?
No. Belton ISD serves part of Temple, and its spring 2026 enrollment report counts more of its students living inside Temple city limits (6,103, or 45%) than inside Belton’s (3,574, or 26%). In the MLS, listing agents entered 535 of Temple’s 1,426 sales from October 3, 2025, to October 2, 2026 (38%) as Belton ISD, 716 (50%) as Temple ISD and 151 (11%) as Academy ISD; 615 of Belton’s 634 (97%) were entered as Belton ISD. In the Village of Sage Meadows, a City of Temple subdivision, 29 of 32 sales were entered as Belton ISD.
School district entered on each city’s MLS sales, October 3, 2025–October 2, 2026
Temple: 1,426 sales
- Temple ISD 716 (50%)
- Belton ISD 535 (38%)
- Academy ISD 151 (11%)
- Other districts 24
Belton: 634 sales
- Belton ISD 615 (97%)
- Other districts 19
Because agents type these fields, confirm each address two ways: the Bell CAD record lists the school district among the parcel’s taxing units, and the district’s lookup gives the assigned campuses for the school year. Belton ISD’s attendance-boundary lookup and Temple ISD’s Find My School tool cover their own districts. A City of Temple parcel in Belton ISD still pays the City of Temple, Temple College and the Health & Bioscience District (example C above: $6,416.22 on a $350,000 homestead at 2026 rates).
Belton ISD’s Spring 2026 Enrollment and Housing Report (April 2026), read October 21, 2026. District counts are listing-agent entries in the same CTXMLS sales as the price table, not an attendance lookup. Other districts entered for Temple sales: Troy, Rogers, Moody, Killeen and Salado ISDs; for Belton sales: Killeen, Salado, Temple, Holland and Bells ISDs. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026.
How do Temple ISD and Belton ISD compare in TEA ratings?
Both districts rate B in TEA’s preliminary 2026 results: Temple ISD 81 and Belton ISD 80. They get there on different measures. Belton ISD’s overall score rests on Student Achievement (81, weighted 70%), Temple ISD’s on School Progress (82, weighted 70%), with Closing the Gaps counting 30% for both (80 for Temple ISD, 78 for Belton ISD). TEA’s current calendar lists the date for final 2026 ratings as to be confirmed; the final 2025 ratings were C (77) for Temple ISD and B (80) for Belton ISD.
| TEA measure | Temple ISD 2025 (final) | Temple ISD 2026 (preliminary) | Belton ISD 2025 (final) | Belton ISD 2026 (preliminary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | C (77) | B (81) | B (80) | B (80) |
| Student Achievement | 75 | 77 | 80 | 81 |
| School Progress | 78 | 82 | 76 | 77 |
| Closing the Gaps | 74 | 80 | 81 | 78 |
District ratings average many campuses. In the 2026 preliminary results, Temple ISD’s 12 rated regular campuses ranged from D (67) to A (90), and Belton ISD’s 18 from F (53) to A (93): Belton ISD has both the highest- and the lowest-rated of these campuses. The rated high schools: Temple High School, A (90); Belton High School, B (84); Lake Belton High School, A (93); and Belton New Tech High School at Waskow, B (89), which admits students by application. Temple ISD’s Fred W. Edwards Academy, an alternative campus rated under different standards, is A (96). TEA’s 2026 listing counts 13,516 students in Belton ISD and 8,704 in Temple ISD. Check the campuses assigned to a specific address on TEA’s campus reports at TXSchools.gov.
Campus scores inside each district, TEA 2026 preliminary
Sources: TEA 2026 accountability district summaries and campus listings for Temple ISD (014909) and Belton ISD (014903), labeled “Updated September 2026” and read October 21, 2026; TEA’s 2026–2027 performance-reporting calendar (final 2026 ratings: date to be confirmed), read October 21, 2026; the 2025 final ratings from TEA’s 2025 statewide summary after appeals, captured September 25, 2026. Rated regular campuses exclude paired early-childhood campuses and alternative-education campuses.
How long are the drives to BSW, Fort Hood, Austin and Waco?
With no traffic, Baylor Scott & White’s main entrance is 6 minutes from Temple City Hall and 12 from Belton City Hall, and Fort Hood’s main gate is 24 minutes from Belton and 33 from Temple. Belton is also closer to Austin (61 minutes against 69); Temple is closer to Waco (39 against 44). These run between fixed public points, so they show the size of the difference, not your door-to-door time.
| Destination | From Temple City Hall | From Belton City Hall | Check from each home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple, main entrance (2401 S. 31st St.) | 6 min2.7 mi | 12 min7.7 mi | Your entrance and parking, at your shift times |
| Fort Hood main gate (Bernie Beck Gate, T.J. Mills Blvd.) | 33 min29–36 min · 29.7 mi | 24 min21–27 min · 22.0 mi | The gate you will use, at your report time |
| Austin City Hall | 69 min62–77 min · 68.4 mi | 61 min54–67 min · 60.8 mi | Your actual address, on a weekday |
| Waco City Hall | 39 min35–42 min · 36.5 mi | 44 min39–48 min · 42.5 mi | Your actual address, on a weekday |
No-traffic estimates from two routing engines, OSRM 6.0 and Valhalla 3.9, on OpenStreetMap data of October 4, 2026, run October 21, 2026: minutes are the rounded average of the two engines, the range under them shows both engines where they differ by 3 or more minutes, and miles are OSRM’s. Points: Temple City Hall (2 N. Main St.), Belton City Hall (333 Water St.), Baylor Scott & White’s main entrance, Fort Hood’s Bernie Beck main gate, Austin City Hall and Waco City Hall. The Killeen-Temple MPO measures weekday congestion in the 6–9 a.m. and 4–7 p.m. windows (2023 congestion-management update); peak traffic, I-35 work zones, parking and gate processing add time. Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Drive the routes that matter from each home you shortlist, at the hours you will actually travel. If you will use BAH and report to Fort Hood, compare each property to the gate you will use and set 2026 rates against a home’s monthly costs with the Fort Hood BAH calculator; the Fort Hood relocation guide compares more towns. If your work address is Baylor Scott & White’s Temple campus, the BSW relocation guide plans a move around a start date, neighborhoods near BSW by commute times 19 neighborhoods to the main entrance, and homes near Baylor Scott & White groups listings by commute tier.
What should buyers know about Belton Lake access?
Belton Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir, and its master plan allows no private shoreline facilities: no privately owned boat docks or piers anywhere on the lake. The Corps owns the land around the lake outright and holds flowage easements on private land, generally between the government boundary and the 642-foot contour, where it can bar any home from being built; the easement is described in the deed to the lot, so find that line before you buy. Its adjacent-landowner rules also bar private exclusive use of the public land and any facility built on it.
- Belton Lake. No private docks or piers.
- Corps-owned land. Public; no private facilities.
- Flowage easement on private land, up to 642 ft above sea level. Find this line before buying.
- Private lot above the easement line.
So a lake view is not water frontage. Listing agents marked 14 of Temple’s 1,426 sales and 17 of Belton’s 634 as waterfront in the same 12 months. Boats launch at public Corps ramps (the Corps lists 14 ramp sites on Belton Lake, several free and open 24 hours) or from a marina slip; the City of Morgan’s Point Resort’s marina has 148 slips and a waiting list of about two years. Measure each home to the ramp or marina you would use; the Morgan’s Point Resort guide covers lake-lot checks.
Sources: Belton Lake Master Plan (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2018, shoreline management section; archived copy, checked September 25, 2026); the Corps’ Belton Lake adjacent-landowner page and boat-ramp page, read October 21, 2026; the City of Morgan’s Point Resort marina page, checked October 20, 2026. Waterfront counts are listing-agent entries in the CTXMLS sales above. Based on information from the Central Texas MLS for the period October 3, 2025 through October 2, 2026.
How else do Temple and Belton differ?
Temple is the larger city: 98,412 residents in the Census Bureau’s July 1, 2025 estimate, against 25,964 in Belton. Belton is the Bell County seat, laid out around its courthouse square in 1850, and home to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple is in Temple, 2.7 road miles from City Hall.
- Residents, July 1, 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
- 98,412Temple
- 25,964Belton
- Land area, about (2026 Census Gazetteer)
- 74 sq miTemple
- 20 sq miBelton
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 city population estimates (file dated May 14, 2026; read October 20, 2026) and 2026 Gazetteer land areas (read October 21, 2026); Bell County and City of Belton history pages and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, checked September 25, 2026.
Belton-only questions, from Belton ISD to the lake and day-to-day costs, are covered in the Living in Belton guide, and Temple-only questions in the moving to Temple guide.
Where can I compare crime data for Temple and Belton?
Use official sources on the same basis for both cities: the same year, offense definitions, reporting coverage and population. The Texas Department of Public Safety publishes crime reports for Texas agencies, and both police departments publish reports (Temple Police and Belton Police). Citywide figures do not describe a specific street, and a change in how a department reports can change its counts. This page does not rank either city or any area on safety.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Reporting year and coverage | A partial year cannot be compared directly with a complete year. |
| Offense definitions | NIBRS Group A totals and the narrower violent-crime category measure different things. |
| Geography and population | Citywide rates do not establish conditions at an individual property. |
For Temple’s own reported figures and how to look up an address, see Is Temple TX Safe?.
How do I compare two specific homes across both cities?
Fill in the same eight rows for each home you would realistically buy, and decide which rows matter most to you before comparing the results.
| Decision | Record for each address |
|---|---|
| Purchase budget | Price, down payment, financing assumptions and estimated monthly total |
| Property taxes | Tax year, the parcel’s taxing units (city, school district, college, MUD or PID), each taxable value, eligible exemptions and a completed-home estimate for new construction |
| HOA and assessments | Current dues, separate assessments and governing documents |
| Schools | The district on the Bell CAD record, the assigned campuses for the school year and the programs you need |
| Work travel | Actual work address or gate, parking or entrance and required arrival time |
| Flood and drainage | The parcel’s flood zone on FEMA’s flood map and any drainage easement on the survey |
| Lake access | The park, ramp or marina you would use, and the flowage-easement line if the lot adjoins Corps land |
| Move deadline | Ready-home availability or build timetable, with a backup plan |
Which rows matter most to you? Mark them and they’ll be added to your cost-comparison request.
Start with Bell CAD’s property search, Belton ISD’s attendance-boundary lookup, Temple ISD’s Find My School tool and FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center. Confirm the facts for your exact addresses before deciding; a city name, a citywide median or a district rating does not settle any of these rows.
Who is Taylor Dasch?
Taylor Dasch, real estate agent, EG Realty, Temple, Texas
Taylor Dasch is a Temple-based real estate agent with EG Realty: $20M+ in closed real estate volume across 85+ real estate transactions. The figures on this page come from his CTXMLS exports, Bell CAD and TEA records and OpenStreetMap routing, and the aerial photos of both cities are his own. The drive times are estimates, not timed drives, and every figure carries its own window and source.
If you are weighing two real addresses, send them with the form below. He will check the available property records and compare estimated taxes and monthly housing costs for both, with the assumptions stated.
Taylor Dasch, EG RealtyCall 254-718-4249 · dealswithdasch@gmail.com
Credential: closings from March 2022 through August 2026, each MLS-recorded or verified by closing statement; tally confirmed by Taylor on September 7, 2026.
Temple vs. Belton: common questions
How far is Temple from Belton, Texas?
About 8.5 road miles from Temple City Hall to Belton City Hall: 8.6 miles heading south and 8.4 heading north, 11 to 12 minutes with no traffic on OpenStreetMap routing run October 21, 2026. The straight-line distance is 7.7 miles. Your own trip depends on the two addresses and the hour.
Is it cheaper to buy a home in Temple or Belton?
Homes sold for less in Temple: a $270,000 median across 1,426 MLS sales from October 3, 2025, to October 2, 2026, against $321,987 across 634 in Belton. Inside city limits, tax runs the other way on the same home: a $350,000 homestead owes $5,534 in 2026 with the City of Belton and Belton ISD and $6,299 with the City of Temple and Temple ISD. At each city’s median sale, principal, interest and homestead tax come to about $1,873 a month in Temple and $2,197 in Belton (20% down at 7.40%, Freddie Mac’s weekly average for October 15, 2026), before insurance and HOA dues.
What are the 2026 property tax rates in Temple and Belton?
Before exemptions, per $100 of value on Bell CAD’s 2026 chart: 2.424444 for a City of Temple parcel in Temple ISD, 2.480244 for a City of Temple parcel in Belton ISD, 2.028116 for a City of Belton parcel in Belton ISD and 2.249216 for a Three Creeks parcel in Bell County MUD No. 1. Each is the sum of the parcel’s taxing units, so confirm them on the parcel’s Bell CAD record.
How much is the property tax on a $350,000 home in Temple or Belton?
At 2026 rates with the homestead exemptions: $6,299.04 for a City of Temple and Temple ISD home, $5,533.63 for a City of Belton and Belton ISD home, $6,416.22 for a City of Temple home in Belton ISD and $6,307.48 for a Three Creeks home in Bell County MUD No. 1. Without a homestead exemption the same four come to $8,485.56, $7,098.41, $8,680.86 and $7,872.26.
Does buying outside Belton city limits lower property taxes?
Not by itself. Outside city limits you drop the city tax, but a district can replace it: the two Three Creeks parcels checked, with Belton mailing addresses, pay Bell County MUD No. 1 at 0.783 per $100 and no City of Belton tax, so a $350,000 homestead there owes $6,307.48 in 2026, against $5,533.63 inside the City of Belton. Check every taxing unit on the parcel’s Bell CAD record and read the seller’s MUD notice.
Can a Temple address be in Belton ISD?
Yes. Belton ISD serves part of Temple and counts 6,103 of its students (45%) living inside Temple city limits in its spring 2026 report, and listing agents entered 535 of Temple’s 1,426 sales from October 3, 2025, to October 2, 2026, as Belton ISD. Confirm any address with the district on its Bell CAD record and the district’s attendance lookup.
How do Temple ISD and Belton ISD compare in TEA ratings?
TEA’s preliminary 2026 ratings are B (81) for Temple ISD and B (80) for Belton ISD; the final 2025 ratings were C (77) and B (80). TEA lists the date for final 2026 ratings as to be confirmed. Campus ratings vary within both districts, so check the campuses assigned to the address.
Which city is closer to Baylor Scott & White and to Fort Hood?
Baylor Scott & White’s main entrance is 6 minutes (2.7 miles) from Temple City Hall and 12 minutes (7.7 miles) from Belton City Hall with no traffic; Fort Hood’s main gate is 24 minutes (22.0 miles) from Belton City Hall and 33 (29.7 miles) from Temple’s, on OpenStreetMap routing run October 21, 2026. Drive your own route at your shift or report time.
Can you build a private dock on Belton Lake?
No. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ master plan for Belton Lake does not allow private shoreline facilities, including privately owned boat docks and piers, and adjacent landowners may not build on the public land. Boats launch from public Corps ramps or a marina, and buyers of lakeside lots should find the flowage easement line before buying.
Where can I compare crime data for Temple and Belton?
Use official sources on the same basis: Texas Department of Public Safety crime reports and each police department’s reports, matched by year, offense definitions and population. Citywide figures do not describe a specific street, and this page does not rank either city on safety.
Compare your estimated monthly costs before you tour.
Send the address or your must-haves, budget and move date. I’ll check the available property records and help compare estimated taxes and monthly housing costs, with the assumptions clearly stated. After your request is saved, the confirmation screen links the Temple-vs-Belton Cost Worksheet (PDF). I prepare the address-specific comparison personally afterward.
Download the Cost Worksheet (PDF)
This confirmation does not deliver an address-specific comparison. Keep the reference shown below. Prefer to talk now? Call or text 254-718-4249.
Not sure which city fits? Run your numbers with Taylor.
Temple or Belton depends on your budget, your job, your timeline and the homes you are considering. Taylor will run the math for your specific situation.
Figures on this page reviewed October 21, 2026, except where a section gives its own date. © 2026 Taylor Dasch, EG Realty. All rights reserved. Data is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Verify all figures independently before making purchase decisions.