The Town FilesBelton, Texas
City in Bell County · population 23,054 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $258,700
- Household income
- $59,130
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 32.4
Belton is a city of 23,054 people in Bell County, Texas. The median home is worth $258,700, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks hipper than 92% of Texas towns, better transit than 89% of Texas towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Texas towns.
How Belton ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Belton is worth $258,700, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $59,130, which is more affordable than 10% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,252 a month. 56.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Belton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $258,700 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,252 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $59,130 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 56.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Belton
| People | Belton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.9% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Belton
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 35.7°F. About 37.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 118 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 33 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belton since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on April 12, 2022 about 8.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 63 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 23, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 133 times; the largest was 5.68 inches on April 12, 2022.
Severe weather in Bell County since 1996
Bell County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Bell County
Bell County had 129,627 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,107 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Belton itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Belton
14 public schools with 7,244 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BELTON H S | 8-12 | 1,836 | 12.6 |
| CHISHOLM TRAIL EL | K-5 | 913 | 15.5 |
| BELTON MIDDLE | 6-8 | 715 | 13.8 |
| LAKEWOOD EL | K-5 | 676 | 16.1 |
| SOUTH BELTON MIDDLE | 6-8 | 660 | 10.6 |
| SPARTA EL | K-5 | 574 | 15.1 |
| BELTON EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL | PK-PK | 519 | 18.5 |
| SOUTHWEST EL | K-5 | 398 | 12.1 |
| MILLER HEIGHTS EL | K-5 | 283 | 10.9 |
| BELTON NEW TECH H S AT WASKOW | 9-11 | 242 | 11.0 |
| LEON HEIGHTS EL | K-5 | 219 | 12.2 |
| NOLAN CREEK SCHOOL (charter) | K-7 | 138 | 13.8 |
Towns near Belton
- Temple, TX6.5 mi · 82,073 people · home $239,000
- Morgan's Point Resort, TX7.2 mi · 4,636 people · home $245,100
- Nolanville, TX7.6 mi · 5,917 people · home $244,900
- Harker Heights, TX9.8 mi · 33,097 people · home $287,800
- Killeen, TX15.0 mi · 153,095 people · home $215,400
- Sonterra, TX18.2 mi · 7,679 people · home $273,600
- McGregor, TX25.6 mi · 5,321 people · home $221,700
- Copperas Cove, TX26.1 mi · 36,670 people · home $180,500
Belton questions
Is Belton, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Belton scores better for retirees than 37% of Texas towns and quieter than 25%. 13.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.4).
How much does a house cost in Belton?
The median owner-occupied home in Belton is valued at $258,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,130, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,252 a month.
What is the weather like in Belton?
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 35.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Belton get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on April 12, 2022. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)