Belton and Gatesville receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Belton
Gatesville
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Growth
68 · Top 20%
vs77 · Top 8%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 30%
vs86 · Top 41%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs63 · Top 35%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 20%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Belton | Gatesville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,356 | 16,228 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,130 | $57,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,520 | $17,236 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,203/sq mi | 1,523/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $258,700 | $207,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,252 | $1,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.0% | 63.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 230 | 89 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 5.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.4% | 493.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.0" | 37.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.4 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.54 | 13.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.5% | 42.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.5% | 45.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.0% | 48.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Belton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Gatesville
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Belton
62
Your Score
62
Area Score
Gatesville
64
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Belton, TX · Gatesville, TX · How this is calculated: methodology