Texas guide sign SL SH FM, 2005
Bellmead’s story
89 years in pictures
Census counts: 5,127 in 1960, 10,494 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1931 on.
- 1937Bellmead is settled
Population
10,592
2025 Census estimate · +0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$154K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$52K
median
Median age
36.1
years
Jobs based here
3,258
A commuter town
TownGrade
D−
#589 of 640 in TX
Is Bellmead a good place to live?
Bellmead earns a D−, 589th of 640 graded towns in Texas, mostly because of health and safety. Residents are less healthy than 93% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its crime rate is higher than 87% of U.S. towns, with 37 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. One bright spot: natural-hazard risk is low. 25% of residents live below the poverty line in Bellmead, where Texas’ towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Bellmead's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 98% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Lions Park, at 36 acres.
What makes Bellmead stand out
Where Bellmead beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Bellmead for work
Where Bellmead’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,258jobs based in Bellmead
5%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Bellmead grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Bellmead is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for hazard risk (better than 98% of comparable towns) to D for health (better than 7%), so the D− overall blends very different results.
Hazard risktornadoes tops the listA+Open →HealthAscension Providence 8.8 miles awayDOpen →SafetyDOpen →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 2.6% of households have no car; 0.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Cost of livingC+Open →Jobs & income$52K median household income; 3,258 jobs based hereC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 0% conserved landC−Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life1.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 96° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market87 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.1; 13% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bellmead: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bellmead, and how to reach them.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Bellmead water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMcLennan County Early Voting ClerkMcLennan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7670576705 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bellmead.
Bellmead carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Texas (mostly tornadoes), has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has homes that are cheap against local pay.
HealthD
Bellmead’s grade for health is a D
26% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Bellmead. Bellmead beats the Texas average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 30% of adults worry about having enough food in Bellmead.
7%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Bellmead | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 24% | 19% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 20% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 30% | 25% |
31 measures vs. Texas
0 better11 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | Bellmead | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 25.3% | 12.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 9% | 5.7% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 29.7% | 19.3% |
Ascension Providence
8.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
10th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC
Bellmead’s schools rank behind 75% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by La Vega ISD. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is La Vega H S, with 881 students.
25%of TX districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Vega Int H P Miles CampusLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–6 | Grades 4–6 | 695 | C+ |
| La Vega H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 881 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Bellmead stands out in Texas and nationally: the FEMA risk score there is lower
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 99% of Texas towns, with expected losses of about $322 per resident a year; that rating is what its A+ for hazard risk is built on.
Bellmead’s FEMA risk score is 4 of 100. Since 1994, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Bellmead.
4risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingCold waves
8
paid flood claims since 1994
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyD
Bellmead’s grade for safety is a D
The property crime rate in Bellmead is 27.8 per 1,000 residents. Bellmead reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 87% report less. The violent crime rate in Bellmead is 3.5 per 1,000 residents.
13%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
| Bellmead | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 27.8 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bellmead3.5
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bellmead27.8
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
13th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
11th
percentile among TX towns
37
violent crimes reported in 2025
296
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade C+
Homes in Bellmead are worth about $154K, by Zillow’s estimate
At 2.3 years of the Waco metro’s $66K median household income, the typical home (about $154K) costs less against local pay than in 87% of Texas towns; that ratio is one input to its C+ for cost of living. Values rose 2.2% in the past year while the Texas typical home fell 1.5%.
The typical Bellmead home is worth about $154,000, 48% below the Texas typical home. 60% of Bellmead households own their home.
$154KZillow home value
| Bellmead | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 60% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,107 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bellmead$154K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
87
days on market
98.3%
sale-to-list price
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
8
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
About two in five of Bellmead’s working residents commute to Waco
Most working residents leave Bellmead for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Waco (40%), Austin (4%) and Dallas (4%). Half commute less than 10 miles.
5%work in town
| Bellmead | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Bellmead5%
Waco40%
Austin4%
Dallas4%
Fort Worth3%
10 mi
median commute distance
3,258
jobs based in Bellmead
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 33% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Bellmead
The Waco Rgnl Ap weather station, 8 miles away, records that about 115 days a year reach 90°, more than in 97% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 95.4°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 36.5°.
Bellmead has mild winters and hot summers. Snow is almost unheard of.
96°summer high
| Bellmead | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 95°F | 85°F |
| January low | 37°F | 37°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter38–61°
Spring55–77°
Summer73–94°
Fall56–80°
Nov 15
typical first frost
Mar 15
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
0.5%conserved
| Bellmead | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
0.5%
conserved · 24 of 4,433 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lions Park | — | 36 |
| 2. Brame Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 9 attractions →McLane Stadium and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bellmead. Close and well known come first.
6 mi Stadium & arenaMcLane Stadium
4 mi MuseumTexas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
5 mi National MonumentWaco Mammoth National Monument92K visitors a year
4 mi Zoo & aquariumCameron Park Zoo
4 mi MuseumMayborn Museum ComplexSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
McLane Stadium: Djyueng, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum: Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Waco Mammoth National Monument: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 · Cameron Park Zoo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 · Mayborn Museum Complex: User:Aboxorocks, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bellmead
19pages on Bellmead
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 75% of TX districts · 4 schoolsSafetyD3.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than TX on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$154K typical home · up 2.2% in a yearWork & commuteC+$52K median household income · 3,258 jobs hereNatural hazardsA+FEMA risk higher than 4% of U.S. communities · tornadoes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Bellmead
Texas State Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Waco2.6 mi$7,212 in-state tuitionBaylor UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waco4.2 mi$58,100 tuitionMcLennan Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Waco4.9 mi$3,660 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Bellmead residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
About Bellmead
City in Texas, United States
Bellmead is a city in McLennan County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,494 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 436 ft
- ZIP code
- 76704–76705
- Area code
- 254
Bellmead’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Bellmead.
WacoLacy-LakeviewBellmead
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellmead | #589 | D− | C+ | D | C | D |
| Waco | #588 | D− | D | C− | C | C− |
| Lacy-Lakeview | #549 | D | B | C | D | C− |
Questions about Bellmead
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bellmead, TX a good place to live?
Bellmead grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #589 of 640 in Texas. It grades D for health, D for safety and C for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Bellmead, TX expensive?
That is 2.3 years of the area's median household income ($66,205 across the Waco, TX metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.