Temple

Situated between Austin and Waco, West Temple is an emerging town in the heart of Texas. “There is tremendous growth in this area, and it’s due in large part to Austin and Waco outgrowing themselves,” says Sue Lockett, who is with RE/MAX Temple/Belton and has 21 years of experience in the area. “There is so much industry in those areas and not enough housing, so people are spilling over to us.” The proximity to highways makes it easy for those who want to live in a quieter area and still travel into the big city for work. West Temple features a variety of unique restaurant and retail options combined with a lively recreation scene, making it a suburb with the necessities covered. The median single-family home price in West Temple is just under $300,000. The homes are a mix of older, ranch-style brick houses and newer builds with similar looks. “A couple of years ago, when the market went crazy, contractors came in, and subdivisions just sprouted up,” Lockett says. Houses sit on quiet, winding roads that often lead to cul-de-sacs. Homes feature private driveways and multi-car garages. While there are very few sidewalks in the area, pet owners will take solace in knowing they will have a yard. Kids enter the Belton Independent School District at High Point Elementary, which holds an A-minus rating on Niche. High Point was rated the ninth-best elementary school in Bell County and has a 16-to-1 student-teacher ratio, which is better than the national average. Lake Belton Middle and Lake Belton High were ranked the No. 2 and No. 1 schools in the district, respectively, and both earned A-minus grades from Niche. Lake Belton High was founded in 2020 but is already home to 2,200 students and a robust arts program. Locals head to Heritage Park for some outdoor fun. The 155-acre park has athletic fields for youth games, a community garden and playground equipment. Sammons Golf Course is an award-winning 18-hole course open year-round if weather permits. The course offers a driving range and a bar and grill for a round of drinks after a round on the course. There is no shortage of activities at Spare Time Texas. This indoor/outdoor recreation center has a two-story laser tag arena and a bowling alley inside, while batting cages and go-karts are available outdoors. “Lake Belton is just 10 minutes away,” Lockett says. “It’s a great place for families to go to swim or camp during the summer.” When looking for a classic burger and a milkshake, residents look to the building with a large mural of a cow and find themselves at Chew-Chew’s Burgers & Shakes. Rockin’ Ramen is a hip and casual hot spot with traditional ramen and poke bowls, while El Puerto de Jalisco serves up Mexican favorites in a fun atmosphere. For fun on the weekends, Bold Republic Brewing has craft beers and events on tap. With weekly trivia nights and a summer concert series, Bold Republic is a popular spot for adults looking for fun. With outdoor seating complete with a playground, parents can bring their children along. There are plenty of familiar chains on Adams Avenue. Grocery shoppers won’t have a hard time finding options, as Natural Grocers and Target have stores off Interstate 35. H-E-B! and Walmart are located right off Adams Avenue. Adams Ave is also home to various boutique stores, while the Temple Mall is a shopper’s delight. The mall is home to dozens of nationally recognized retailers and has a movie theater to catch the newest releases. The HOP is a public transportation bus and van service in the area that is available at certain hours of the day. Getting around via car is easy due to the proximity to many large highways. West Temple is within just a few miles of Interstates 14 and 35 and Highways 317 and 363.

Urban convenience and suburbia come together in Temple, Texas’ Midway. The peaceful residential community is blanketed by towering oaks, surrounded by parks and within walking distance of schools, shopping and top-ranked medical facilities. Midtown and Downtown Temple are several miles north of Midway, and the Temple Medical and Educational District (TMED), a medical research and innovation hub, borders its northern edge. “If you’re used to a fast-paced life, get ready to slow down here,” says Scott Eason, a Realtor with Homestead Real Estate. “You’ll find a lot of retirees, as well as nurses and medical staff who work at Baylor Scott and White. People come here to get into a peaceful place. Midway still has that small hometown feel, but it’s large enough to have all your big-box stores and conveniences.” Proximity to three major thoroughfares provides access to the rest of the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood Metro area. <br><br>Surrounded by a dense canopy of towering oaks and a park at its center, the quiet community is filled with ranch-style homes, two-story traditional brick homes and contemporary properties. There’s a mix of newer and older homes. Prices range from the low-$200,000s for a 1,200-square-foot three-bedroom to the high-$800,000s for a 6,000-square-foot five- or six-bedroom. There are also a few newer builds going for over $1 million. “You’ll see a lot of homes built in the1980s and 1990s, and some midsize homes, but then you go around a corner, and there’s a million-dollar home,” says Eason. “So, there are a lot of options for all types of buyers, from empty nesters and retirees to young families or first-time buyers.” Midway also offers duplexes ranging from the low-$200,000s for a three-bedroom to the low-$500,000s for a five-bedroom. Most single-family dwellings have multi-car garages, spacious paved driveways and fenced-in backyards. Many properties also have in-ground pools. Lot sizes are large, with many over a half-acre, but some stretch over 3 acres. Paved walking paths connect neighbors together, which meander throughout Midway. The community backs up to over 30 acres of undeveloped land for privacy and tranquility. Parks, hospitals and restaurants are within walking and biking distance. Terrace Gardens Park and Oak Creek Park are favorites for those with young children or school-aged kids. <br><br>Temple Independent School District serves the area and is ranked the fifth-best district in Bell County. Students can attend the B-minus-rated Thornton Elementary, which offers an annual art show, followed by Bonham Middle, which has a B-plus on Niche. Kids can finish their education at Temple High, which scores a B-minus and offers a Texas Bioscience Institute Middle College Program that equips students with an associate degree from the nearby Temple College upon graduation. Parents also have several private primary, secondary and higher education options. “Central Texas Christian is a well-regarded private option here, and nearby, you have the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 30 miles north in Waco,” says Eason. “The Baylor Bears are one of only three private-school football teams in the Big 12.” Temple College is also within the Midway neighborhood, a two-year college known for its medicine and pharmacy programs. <br><br>There are over 11 parks in Midway. Oak Creek Park is within walking distance for Midway residents and is accessible via a paved walking loop. The 4-acre park features a farm-themed playground on synthetic turf, a picnic gazebo and basketball courts. Spanning 100 acres, Lion’s Park is a local favorite, with three shaded playgrounds, four ballfields, a pond, a dog park, a two-mile multi-use trail and an 18-hole disc golf course. The park also has life-size sculptures of kids and dogs, and the Sam Farrow Amphitheater, which hosts concerts, goat yoga and workshops. East of Lion’s Park is Lion’s Junction Water Park, a seasonal park offering three-story water slides, a lazy river, a splash pad and aqua climb wall. Both Kiwanis and Spanish Southwest parks boast a western-themed playgrounds, along with basketball courts. The 10-acre Waterford Park includes climbing structures and picnic pavilions. South Temple Park provides 50 acres of picnic space, a disc golf course and a small walking trail. The Georgetown Railroad Trail sits at the top of this park is a multi-use path that connects neighborhoods, regional trails and roadways. The city’s long-term goal for the trail is to convert the inactive rail line, including the Historic MK & T Railroad Bridge into a 10-foot hiking and biking trail that will connect Temple to Belton. <br><br>Most shopping and dining options are along Interstate 35, Route 190 and in the Midtown and Downtown Temple districts, several miles north. Megg’s Café is the go-to spot for locally sourced breakfast, sandwiches and cocktails. A casual local chain, locals love Back Porch Drafthouse for burgers, hot sandwiches and other pub fare. For a quick drive-thru meal, Mexicano Bar & Grill is a favorite for its tacos, pozole and chips and queso. “Bo’s Barn Dance Hall is one of the most popular date-night spots or just a place to mingle,” Eason says. “It’s packed every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.” Three miles from the community, the honky tonk bar has pool tables, live country music, karaoke, and southern fare. Anchored by grocer H-E-B, Market Place Shopping Center provides Kohl’s, Party City, Starbucks and Dollar Tree. Across the street, Temple Mall offers more than 40 department stores, boutiques and chain restaurants. Downtown is filled with trendy eateries and bars, as well as longtime institutions, like Pignetti’s Italian Restaurant, a staple since 1910. it was one of the first businesses that helped ignite the area’s revitalization efforts. The upscale spot serves hand-crafted pasta, wood-fired pizzas and a vast wine selection. Bird Street Brewing Company is also downtown and known for its burgers and craft beer. In downtown’s historic Santa Fe Depot is the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum, a Prairie-Beaux Arts-style building that offers railroad equipment displays, exhibits and the active railroad yard, steps away.<br><br>Downtown Temple hosts various community events, with First Friday being one of the most popular. The monthly experience includes late-night shopping, music, food and drinks. Christmas at the Plaza is another well-attended celebration, with a holiday light show and market at the end of November. In December, the city hosts its annual holiday parade and tree lighting, a celebration for over 75 years. A tradition for 30 years, the Temple College Jazz Festival brings amateur and professional artists together for performances and competitions every March on its campus. Downtown also hosts a Family Fun Fest and Fireworks Show on the Fourth of July. <br><br>Interstate 35 runs along Midway’s western edge, Highway 190 covers the northern edge, and Route 93 runs along its southern edge. These routes provide access to the rest of the area. The heart of Temple is 5 miles away, and Kileen-Fort Hood Regional Airport is 33 miles away. There is no public transit serving the community. Midway is next door to the Temple Medical and Educational District (TMED), a hub of hospitals, medical education, research and science-focused businesses. The district is home to the Baylor Scott and White Medical Center, the Veterans Administration, the Bioscience District, the Texas A&M Health Science Center and Temple College.

Temple’s centrally located and appropriately named Central District is one of the more convenient neighborhoods in town, offering residents easy access to the most important parts of town. The low-key neighborhood is surrounded by restaurants and retail, has its own on-ramp to Interstate 35, and is a short drive to both the local train station and the local airport. “It’s great being close to Downtown,” says local Realtor Zachary Backor of Keeping it Realty. “There are always new restaurants coming in, and you’ve got the H-E-B right there. And if you need to get around, the train station, the interstate, the airport, they’re all easy to get to. Most homes in the Central District were built in the mid to late 20th century. Ranch-style homes and split-levels are common, and there are a few early-20th-century cottages in the neighborhood as well. More recently, plots have been redeveloped into modern Craftsman-style homes. The median sale price for a home in the neighborhood is $105,000, while the average floorplan offers about 1,430 square feet of interior space. Modern homes in the neighborhood tend to sell for a bit more than that, typically in the $175,000 to $275,000 range. Throughout the neighborhood’s residential blocks, streets are lined with tall shade trees and well-maintained yards. The public schools in the Central District are administered by the Temple Independent School District. Nearby Kennedy-Powell Elementary has a B-plus grade on Niche, while Lamar Middle School has a B-minus on the site. Temple High splits the difference with a B rating and is known for its award-winning theater department. There are a number of local parks in and around the Central District Neighborhood. Spots like Wilson Park and Wilson Recreation Center offer ample opportunities for residents to get a bit of exercise. The city’s Whistle Stop Park is a popular stop for families with children, offering a railroad-themed playground as well as the Temple Railroad Museum, which celebrates the town’s historical ties to the railroad. Locals looking to pick up groceries don’t even have to leave the neighborhood—they can head to the H-E-B supermarket at the center of the Central District. For other amenities, residents need only drive a couple of miles down I-35, which runs along the neighborhood, to Temple Mall, where they’ll find an array of department stores and smaller shops. The neighborhood is home to a number of restaurants and more can be found in nearby Downtown Temple. 1st Street Roasters is a highly rated breakfast and coffee spot in the neighborhood, while those looking for something a little more filling can check out the authentic Texas grilling at Clem Mikeska’s Bar-B-Q Steakhouse or Jody’s Restaurant’s famous burgers Getting around central Texas is a fairly easy process for residents of the Central District. The I-35 connects the neighborhood to Waco, 36 miles to the north, and Austin, 65 miles to the south. The neighborhood is also bordered by the Temple Train station, where locals can catch a direct Amtrak to San Antonio, Austin and Dallas.

A hub for health and life sciences, the Temple Medical and Educational District, or TMED, boasts top medical education and research alongside a community college in one of Central Texas’ most innovative planned developments. “I like that everything is close and convenient,” says Bailey Pauly, a leasing agent assistant with University Courtyard student housing. “It’s a pretty quiet area, but South 1st Street will get a decent amount of traffic.” In addition to post-secondary education at the community college, TMED is also home to Travis Science Academy, a middle school, a recreation center and a youth club. TMED has three medical buildings within its boundaries, a V.A. Hospital, the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple and the Texas A&M Health Science Center Medical Research Building. “The V.A. is decently busy,” says Pauly. “The Scott and White Hospital, I don’t really see the traffic when I go on my lunch break, but I do see quite a lot of cars.” Students can begin at Sampson-Howard Elementary School, which is graded an A by Niche. Travis Science Academy changed its name in 2011 from Travis Middle School; the school is part of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. Temple High School is an International Baccalaureate school and offers Advanced Placement courses. The high school also offers Career and Technical Education to students. Both the middle and high school earn a B-minus from Niche. Local community college Temple College also sits within the neighborhood. South of U.S. Route 190 is a variety of shopping. In Market Place Shopping Center is H-E-B, Dollar Tree and bealls, a clothing store. “A place that’s kind of popping is Cotton Patch Café,” says Pauly. “It’s in the mall, a lot of people go there.” Temple Mall has almost 60 different businesses including anchor store Dillard’s. “Student-wise there’s a lot of fast-food places nearby,” Pauly says. “You could walk there, but a lot of people would rather drive.” There are several restaurants scattered throughout TMED, including Bill’s Grill and Los Mini Tacos. University housing is “right across from a gas station so it gets a lot of late-night visitors,” Pauly says. Interstate 35 is to the west of TMED. Temple residents have access to The Hop, a public transportation system that works similarly to Uber. U.S. Route 190 acts as the southern border and is an east-west highway that covers parts of Texas and Louisiana. The neighborhood is mostly made up of cozy bungalows and ranch-style houses. Most homes were built in the 1950s and range in price from $139,000 to $245,000, depending on the size of the home and the number of bedrooms. TMED is laid out in a grid pattern, with parallel streets through the residential portions. Most homes have a driveway, with attached and detached garages scattered throughout. Some of the streets have connecting sidewalks, but they don’t cover the entire neighborhood. Fenced in backyards, with either chain-link or wood, are common sites. There are large mature trees with branches that cover portion of the homes and the yards. University Courtyard Apartments also sit within TMED. Scott and White Park sits next to Travis Science Academy and near Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple. This 12-acre park has two baseball fields, a tennis and basketball court and green space throughout. Next to the Veterans Hospital is Tarrant Lake Park, with a playset designed to look like a helicopter. Summit Recreation Center has an indoor rock-climbing wall in addition to basketball, racquetball and tennis courts. Friars Creek Trail weaves through sections of the community college. Ralph Wilson Youth Club offers both after-school activities and summer programs. Summit Recreation Center also offers summer camps for ages 5 to 12, usually featuring a sport of the week, such as volleyball and basketball. “Pretty often in the Temple Mall there’s a small carnival or circus,” says Pauly. “They’ll leave and go to Killeen and other small cities before coming back.” In December, Temple hosts the Annual City of Temple Christmas Parade. Now in its 78th year, the parade has a theme for each year that floats are built around.