The Complete Guide to Travel Nurse Housing Investment in Temple TX (2026)

Is Temple TX a good market for travel nurse housing investment?

Temple, Texas is one of the strongest mid-term rental markets in the country for healthcare-focused investors. The city is anchored by Baylor Scott & White Medical Center — a 636-bed Level I Trauma Center with 31 residency and fellowship programs, over 2 million outpatient visits per year, and a brand-new Baylor College of Medicine campus that adds 40 medical students annually. A furnished 3-bedroom home within 10 minutes of BSW consistently rents for $2,500 to $3,500 per month on platforms like Furnished Finder — a 43% to 100% premium over the same property rented unfurnished on a 12-month lease.

For out-of-state buy-and-hold investors, the math works like this: acquire a $250,000 home near the medical corridor, furnish it for $8,000, list it on Furnished Finder for $199/year with zero booking commissions, and target 13-week travel nurse contracts at $2,800/month. Even at 80% occupancy, the mid-term rental model generates significantly more annual revenue than a traditional long-term lease — and the furnishing costs are fully recoverable within the first 8 to 10 months.

This guide breaks down everything an investor needs to know: why Temple's healthcare infrastructure creates permanent rental demand, how to analyze the numbers, which neighborhoods to target, and how to screen travel nurse tenants from out of state.

Why Temple's healthcare infrastructure creates permanent rental demand

Most investors evaluate a rental market by looking at population growth and job diversity. Temple has both — Bell County grew 9.2% between 2020 and 2025, and the cost of living sits at roughly 88 on the national index compared to Austin's 120 to 145. But the real investment thesis is more specific: healthcare accounts for 40% of Temple's gross city product and 50% of all wages paid in the city. That concentration creates a demand engine for furnished housing that operates independently of broader economic cycles.

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center: the demand anchor

BSW Temple is not a typical community hospital. It is the flagship campus for the largest not-for-profit health system in Texas. Here is what that means for rental investors:

636 to 640 licensed beds across the main campus

Level I Adult Trauma Center — the only one between Dallas and Austin, requiring 24/7 specialized staffing

McLane Children's Medical Center — a 64-bed facility with 48 medical/surgical rooms and 16 PICU beds

Over 2 million outpatient visits annually

Approximately 50,000 surgical procedures per year

2,400+ deliveries per year in the Labor & Delivery unit

35,000+ total system employees

That clinical volume requires a constant flow of specialized staff — and when permanent hires can't fill the gaps, travel nurses, locum tenens physicians, and rotating residents fill them instead.

The 31 residency and fellowship programs most investors don't know about

A common misconception is that "travel nurses" are the only tenant pool for furnished housing near hospitals. In reality, BSW Temple hosts 21 accredited residency programs and 26 fellowship programs through its affiliation with Baylor College of Medicine. These programs bring doctors-in-training to Temple for rotations that last anywhere from one month to several years — and many of them need furnished housing.

Residency programs at BSW Temple include:

Anesthesiology, Dermatology, Diagnostic Radiology, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Interventional Radiology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology (ENT), Pathology, Pediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Podiatric Medicine, Psychiatry, Radiation Physics, and Urology.

Fellowship programs include:

Adult Reconstruction, Cardiovascular Disease, Gastroenterology (top 10% nationally), Endocrinology, Hematology/Oncology, Infectious Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Nephrology, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Vascular Surgery, and 15 others.

The Internal Medicine residency alone requires rotations through the Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center for three months per year. Properties located between both hospital campuses are in especially high demand.

The Baylor College of Medicine campus expansion

In 2023, Temple partnered with BSW to open a regional campus for the Baylor College of Medicine. The inaugural class of 40 medical students grows by 40 per year, reaching a steady state of 160 students. While most students seek stable long-term housing, the visiting students coming to Temple for one-month clinical electives create recurring short-burst demand for furnished rentals throughout the academic year.

The VA Medical Center: a massive secondary demand driver

The Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center is one of the largest VA systems in the country and sits adjacent to the BSW campus. Together they form a contiguous "medical district" that concentrates housing demand into a tight geographic area.

The Temple VA campus includes:

189-bed teaching hospital serving as the referral center for 32 counties

262-bed domiciliary for residential treatment

80-bed Community Living Center including a 20-bed hospice unit

$11.5 million VA Research Institute

113 affiliation agreements training over 1,500 students, residents, and professionals annually

The locum tenens physicians and rotating trainees required to staff a system this large create constant pressure on the furnished housing supply in Temple.

The travel nurse industry in 2026: why demand is permanent

Some investors worry that travel nursing was a pandemic phenomenon that has already faded. The data tells a different story.

The travel nurse staffing market peaked at $44.6 billion in 2022 during the crisis-contract era. It corrected to $15.8 billion in 2025 — but that is still nearly double the $8.7 billion pre-pandemic baseline. Projections for 2026 show 3% growth to $16.3 billion, signaling that the industry has found its "new normal." Roughly 48% of U.S. hospitals now maintain standing agreements with at least one travel nursing agency as a permanent part of their workforce planning.

Three structural forces ensure this demand is not going away:

The Silver Tsunami. Nearly 33% of the existing nursing workforce is approaching retirement age. As experienced clinicians leave, the staffing gap widens.

Lifestyle-driven travel. Among nurses under age 35, over 45% express interest in travel assignments. The motivation has shifted from crisis pay to career flexibility and lifestyle design.

The locum tenens market continues growing independently, reaching a projected $9.8 billion in 2026. Physician specialties like radiology and surgery are especially difficult to recruit permanently in mid-size markets like Temple.

For the rental investor, this means the tenant pool is not shrinking — it is stabilizing at a level that sustainably supports mid-term rental demand near major medical centers.

What travel nurses earn and what they can pay for housing

The financial engine of the MTR market is the tax-free housing stipend. Travel nurses receive these allowances on top of their base salary, typically ranging from $900 to $5,000 per month depending on the market tier. In Texas, where housing costs run 16% below the national average, travelers find their stipend goes further — which means they are often willing to pay a premium for a well-furnished home near their hospital.

In Temple specifically, the average weekly pay for a travel RN is approximately $2,065, with high-demand ER nursing positions reaching $2,752 per week. At those income levels, a $2,500 to $3,000 monthly rent is comfortably within budget.

Mid-term rental vs. long-term rental: the Temple cash flow comparison

The central question for any investor considering this strategy: does the added complexity of furnished housing justify the returns?

Revenue comparison: same property, two strategies

Consider a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home located within 2 miles of BSW Temple, purchased for $250,000.

MetricLong-Term Rental (Unfurnished)Mid-Term Rental (Furnished)Monthly Rent$1,754$2,500 – $3,500Annual Gross Revenue$21,048$30,000 – $42,000Vacancy Rate5% (18 days/year)15–20% (55–73 days/year)Operating Expenses~15% of gross~35% of gross (utilities included)Rent PremiumBaseline43% to 100% over LTR

The MTR model has higher vacancy and higher operating costs because the landlord covers utilities, internet, and turnover cleaning. But the revenue premium more than compensates — a property generating $3,000/month as a furnished rental only needs 60% occupancy to match the income of a $1,800/month unfurnished lease.

The expense profile investors need to budget for

One-time furnishing costs:

Budget tier ($5,000): 70% secondhand sourcing, functional but mismatched

Professional tier ($8,000): Cohesive modern look, new mattresses and linens, IKEA/Wayfair furniture — this is the sweet spot for Temple

Premium tier ($12,000+): Designer-grade, solid wood, "life-proof" fabrics

Recurring monthly costs unique to MTR:

Utilities (electric, water, gas, internet): $300–$450/month in Temple, with summer AC spikes

Turnover cleaning between guests: $150–$250 per turnover

Platform fees: Furnished Finder is $199/year flat; Airbnb charges 3–15.5% per booking

Insurance: Landlord policies for MTR run $1,300–$1,900/year in Texas, 15–25% above standard

Critical tax advantage: The $8,000 furnishing package is depreciable under Section 179, accelerating your write-off in Year 1 rather than spreading it over 27.5 years like the structure itself.

Which neighborhoods near BSW Temple work best for mid-term rentals?

For clinical staff working 12-hour shifts, the "10-minute commute" is the primary psychological threshold. Properties inside this window command the highest rents and lowest vacancy.

NeighborhoodCommute to BSWPrice RangeWhy It Works for NursesWyndham Hill5–8 min$260K–$400KSidewalks, newer construction, community feelWestern Hills5–7 min$200K–$350KEstablished, mature trees, very quiet for night-shift sleepersHills of Westwood8–12 min$260K–$400KModern floorplans, Belton ISD, near West Adams shoppingDowntown Temple5 min$180K–$350KCharacter homes, walkable to local dining

Properties between BSW and the VA campus are especially valuable because Internal Medicine residents rotate between both facilities on 3-month cycles.

How to list on Furnished Finder: the platform that dominates healthcare housing

Furnished Finder is the primary platform for travel nurse housing, with over 6 million travelers searching annually. Unlike Airbnb, it operates as a flat-fee directory — not a commission-based marketplace.

The cost structure:

$199/year per property (no booking commissions)

Tenant pays the $44.99 KeyCheck screening fee directly

You keep 100% of collected rent

Compare that to Airbnb's 30+ day model:

3% host fee (or 15.5% for professional hosts using management software)

On a 4-month booking at $2,800/month, Airbnb commissions cost you $336 to $1,736. Furnished Finder costs you $199 for the entire year.

Listing optimization for Temple: Your headline should prioritize distance and essential utility over aesthetics. "Quiet 3BR near BSW — Blackout Shades — In-Unit Laundry" converts better than generic descriptions. About 75% of listings receive their first lead within 30 days, and tenants who get a response within 24 hours are 3x more likely to sign a lease.

How to screen travel nurse tenants

Screening a travel nurse is different from screening a traditional long-term tenant. You are verifying their professional credentials and active hospital assignment, not just running a credit check.

Step 1: Request the assignment contract. This is the equivalent of an offer letter from their staffing agency (AMN Healthcare, Medical Solutions, TNAA, etc.). Verify that the facility name says Baylor Scott & White or a local affiliate, and that the start/end dates align with your lease term — typically 13 weeks.

Step 2: Verify their nursing license. The Texas Board of Nursing provides a free public portal where you can confirm the nurse's license is active and has no pending disciplinary actions. For out-of-state nurses, check whether they hold a Compact License (NLC) that allows them to practice in Texas without a separate state license.

Step 3: Run KeyCheck through Furnished Finder. This performs a national criminal background check, eviction history search, and soft credit pull — all at no cost to the landlord. The tenant pays the $44.99 fee.

Red flags to watch for: Refusal to use KeyCheck, pressure for instant booking without asking about hospital proximity, and inconsistent documentation where license dates don't align with the assignment contract.

The "30-Day Escape" strategy: why MTR beats STR in Temple

In Texas, a short-term rental is defined as any stay under 30 consecutive days. By maintaining a 30-day minimum on all bookings, you gain two massive advantages:

Tax exemption. Stays of 30+ days are exempt from the 6% state hotel occupancy tax and the 7% Temple city hotel occupancy tax. That is an immediate 13% savings on gross revenue.

Regulatory bypass. Temple requires a Special Use Permit and a 24/7 local contact for stays under 30 days. Mid-term rentals above the 30-day threshold are treated as standard residential leases — no permits, no guest limits, no additional administrative burden.

This is why the MTR model is structurally superior to Airbnb-style short-term rentals in Temple. You capture the furnished premium without the tax drag or regulatory risk.

Recession resistance: why healthcare-anchored rentals hold up

A common concern from investors: what happens to this strategy in a downturn?

Historical data from the 2008 financial crisis shows that median U.S. rents remained flat while housing prices collapsed. Rental demand actually increases during recessions as people postpone homeownership and downsize. Healthcare-centered markets like Temple are further insulated because demand for medical services — and the labor to deliver them — is decoupled from the general economy. People need hospitals regardless of GDP growth.

BSW Temple's Level I Trauma Center designation and the VA's 32-county service area ensure baseline staffing needs that don't fluctuate with economic cycles.

Getting started: next steps for out-of-state investors

If you are considering a mid-term rental investment near Baylor Scott & White in Temple, here is the process:

Define your buy box. Target 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom homes within a 10-minute drive of the BSW campus, priced between $200K and $350K.

Run the numbers with local data. Generic rent estimates from Zillow won't reflect the furnished premium. I can provide actual MTR comps from the Temple market.

Budget for furnishing. Plan $8,000 for the professional tier, focused on nurse-essential amenities: quality mattresses, blackout curtains, dedicated workspace, in-unit laundry, and a pet-friendly setup.

List on Furnished Finder first. The $199/year flat fee and zero commissions make it the highest-ROI platform for healthcare housing.

Time your lease turnovers. Align with the residency "Match" season (July 1) and BSW's rotation cycles to minimize vacancy between tenants.

I am an active real estate investor in the Temple market with over 100 transactions and firsthand experience with mid-term rentals, BRRRR, and flips. If you want to run numbers on a specific property or need help building your remote investment team in Central Texas, contact me directly or check out my investor resources page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mid-term rental?

A mid-term rental is a furnished property leased for 30 days to 6 months, typically to traveling professionals. In Temple, the primary tenant base is travel nurses, medical residents, and locum tenens physicians working at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center and the VA.

How much can I charge for a furnished rental near BSW Temple?

A furnished 3-bedroom home within 10 minutes of BSW Temple typically rents for $2,500 to $3,500 per month, compared to $1,700 to $1,800 unfurnished on a 12-month lease. The premium ranges from 43% to 100% depending on the property quality and proximity.

Is Furnished Finder better than Airbnb for mid-term rentals?

For healthcare-focused rentals in Temple, Furnished Finder is the higher-ROI platform. It charges a flat $199/year with no booking commissions, while Airbnb takes 3% to 15.5% per booking. Travel nurses represent 31% of Furnished Finder's demand, making it the primary search tool for your target tenant.

Do I need a permit for a mid-term rental in Temple TX?

No. Temple's short-term rental regulations (Special Use Permit, guest limits, 24/7 local contact requirement) apply only to stays under 30 days. Mid-term rentals of 30+ days are treated as standard residential leases with no additional permitting.

How much does it cost to furnish a rental for travel nurses?

Budget $5,000 for a basic setup, $8,000 for a professional-tier furnished home (the recommended sweet spot), or $12,000+ for premium. Focus spending on high-impact items: quality mattresses, blackout curtains for night-shift workers, a dedicated desk and ergonomic chair, and in-unit laundry.

What occupancy rate do I need to beat a long-term rental?

A property renting for $3,000/month as a furnished mid-term rental only needs about 60% occupancy to match the annual revenue of the same property at $1,800/month unfurnished. Properties within 10 minutes of BSW Temple typically achieve 75% to 85% occupancy.

Learn All about Investing In Temple TX

Taylor Dasch is a licensed real estate agent with EG Realty and an active investor with 100+ transactions in Central Texas. He specializes in helping out-of-state buy-and-hold investors find cash-flowing rental properties in Temple, Belton, and surrounding markets. Contact: (254) 718-4249 | [email protected]