Temple receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Temple
Belton
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
72 · Top 14%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs80 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs68 · Bottom 30%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs56 · Top 44%
Access
75 · Bottom 17%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Temple | Belton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,602 | 24,356 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,204 | $59,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,319 | $39,520 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,227/sq mi | 1,203/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $239,000 | $258,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,231 | $1,252 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.3% | 56.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 28.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,129 | 230 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.6 | 9.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.9% | -42.4% | 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 | 41 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 32.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 24 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.78 | 13.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.8% | 37.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.1% | 42.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.2% | 48.0% | 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
Temple
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Belton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Temple, TX · Belton, TX · How this is calculated: methodology