Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Killeen grades D− overall, 622nd of 640 graded towns in Texas, mostly because of safety and incomes. Its crime rate is higher than 80% of U.S. towns, with 808 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. The median household income is $61K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, natural-hazard risk is low. Killeen's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 97% of U.S. towns. Killeen’s violent crime rate is 5 per 1,000 residents, above both the Texas town median (1.9) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6). Killeen is home to Central Texas College.
Where Killeen beats most towns.
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Central Texas College | 3,845 |
| Texas A&M University-Central Texas | 787 |
Shane Kimbrough
Killeen Downtown Historic District127,921 counted in 2010 and 153,095 in 2020; an estimated 161,883 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 5.7% since 2020, after 19.7% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Killeen is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 285 in 1890, 153,095 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1942 and 5 maps from 1930 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Killeen, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Killeen.
Killeen has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.
Killeen’s property crime rate is 16.4 per 1,000 residents. Killeen reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 80% report less.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by Killeen ISD. Two of its 59 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roy J Smith MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,135 | B− |
| Robert M Shoemaker H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,165 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
46% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Killeen. Killeen beats the Texas average on 3 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 15% of adults binge drink in Killeen.
| Killeen | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 39% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 20% | 14% |
| What stands out | Killeen | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.3% | 6.1% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 29.1% | 35.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 15.8% | 10.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
22% of Killeen working residents work locally. Since 2013, Killeen has added 5,495 jobs, to 28,037 in 2023. The top destinations are Austin (11%), Temple (10%) and Harker Heights (4%).
| Killeen | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 22% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 9.7% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Killeen home is worth about $217,000, down 1.2% in a year, 27% below the Texas typical home.
| Killeen | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 50% | 69% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 53% | 50% | 48% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
90 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 14 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 90 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Killeen.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Killeen weather station records that about 105 days a year reach 90°, more than in 96% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 95.6°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 36.7°.
Killeen has mild winters and hot summers. The July high in Killeen is 96°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Killeen | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 96°F | 95°F | 85°F |
| January low | 37°F | 37°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
7.2 miles of trail in 19 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Heritage Oaks Park, at 82 acres.
| Killeen | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.4% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fort Cavazos Regional Trail | 1.1 mi | 79 |
| 2. Conder Park | 0.5 mi | 25 |
| 3. Long Branch Park | 0.3 mi | 77 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
2 within 15 miles of the center of Killeen
About 8 of every 100 Killeen residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
2 colleges in town.
3 places in Killeen on the National Register of Historic Places.
29 notable people were born in Killeen.
City in Texas, United States
Killeen is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Bell County. According to the 2020 census, its population was 153,095, making it the 19th-most populous city in Texas and the largest of the three principal cities of Bell County. It is the principal city of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area. Killeen is 68 miles (109 km) north of Austin, 125 miles (201 km) southwest of Dallas, and 125 miles (201 km) northeast of San Antonio. Killeen is directly adjacent to the main cantonment of Fort Hood. Its economy depends on the activities of the post, and the soldiers and their families stationed there. It is known as a military "boom town" because of its rapid growth and…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Killeen.
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killeen | #622 | D− | C− | C− | C− | C− |
| Harker Heights | #428 | C− | D | B− | C− | C+ |
| Fort Cavazos | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Fort Cavazos isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Killeen with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Killeen grades D− overall, better than 2% of U.S. towns and #622 of 640 in Texas. It grades C− for health, C− for safety and C− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. That is 3.1 years of the area's median household income ($69,923 across the Killeen-Temple, 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−.
29 notable people were born here, including Shane Kimbrough and Oveta Culp Hobby.
