Bell County, Texas

Bell County: County in Texas, United States

About

Bell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 310,235 and a population density of 110 people per km². After 10 years in 2020 county had an estimated population of 369,927 inhabitants. Its county seat is Belton. The county was created 174 years ago in 1849.

Bell County is located in central Texas, north of Austin. It was founded in 1850 and named after Peter Hansborough Bell, the third governor of Texas.

Settlers first arrived in the 1830s and established cotton plantations and farms along the Little River. The economy was largely agricultural until the 1870s. In 1942, Fort Hood was established as a military training base and remains the largest active duty armored post in the country.

Major Cities and Attractions

The largest city and county seat is Killeen, with over 150,000 residents. Other notable cities include:

  • Temple - Known for its medical facilities and regional airport
  • Belton - Home to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
  • Harker Heights - A rapidly growing suburb of Killeen

Fort Hood is a huge facility covering over 80,000 acres. The public can visit the Fort Hood Museums to learn about military history.

Stillhouse Hollow Lake offers boating, fishing, and camping opportunities right outside Belton. The area has hiking and biking trails along the lake shoreline.

Key Industries

As home to Fort Hood, the defense industry and military drive the economy and workforce in Bell County. Over 40,000 active duty personnel work on base.

Other major employers include health care, education, and retail services. The Temple Medical and Education District provides over 30,000 jobs in the health sector.

In summary, Bell County's economy and growth has been shaped by the presence of the massive Fort Hood base. The area offers attractions like Stillhouse Hollow Lake and museums in addition to medical facilities anddefense industry jobs.

Bell County locator map
Location of Bell County on Texas map.

Quick Facts about Bell County

Population : 369,927 (2020)
Country : United States of America
State : Texas (United States)
Different from : Bell County
Twitter username : bellcountytx
Area : 2818 km2
Water as percent of area : 3.4%
Land as percent of area : 96.6%
Named for : Peter Hansborough Bell
Altitude : 568 feet / 173 meters
Capital : Belton
Capital city : Bell County is capital of Copperas Cove
Establishment : January 01, 1850
Time Zone : Central Time Zone
Local time : 22:43:22 (24th November 2024)
Density : 131 Pop. per km² as of 2020
Population growth : 16.14% (2010-2020)
Belton Courthouse '1' image
Belton Courthouse '1'
Belton Courthouse '1' image

Geography

Bell County is located at 31°2'16"N 97°28'42"W (31.0376700, -97.4782000). It has 6 neighbors: Burnet County, Coryell County, Falls County, Lampasas County, McLennan County and Milam County.

Bell County map

The largest city of Bell County is Killeen with a population of 153,991. Other cities include, Temple population 80,761, Harker Heights population 33,071, Belton population 23,196 and Nolanville population 6,150. See all Bell County cities & populated places.

Bell County Populated Places

Cities, towns, neighborhoods & other populated places in Bell County.

City Name Population Title
Killeen 153,991 The 11th most populous city in Texas.
Temple 80,761 The most populous city in Bell County, Texas.
Harker Heights 33,071 City in Bell County, Texas, United States
Belton 23,196 City in Texas, USA
Nolanville 6,150 City in Bell County, Texas, United States
Morgans Point Resort 4,170 City in Texas, United States
Salado 2,379 Village in the United States
Troy 2,191 City in Bell County, Texas
Little River-Academy 2,048 City in Bell County, Texas, United States
Lone Star 1,473 City in Bell County, Texas, United States
Rogers 1,253 Town in Texas, United States
Holland 1,189 Town in Texas, United States
Union Grove 372 City in Upshur County, Texas, United States

Bell County has 6 neighbours.

  • Belton

Demographics

The population of Bell County increased by 16.14% in 10 years.

Year Population % Change Method
2010 310,235 - census
2011 315,799 1.76% estimation process
2012 324,963 2.82% estimation process
2013 327,028 0.63% estimation process
2014 330,149 0.95% estimation process
2015 336,076 1.76% estimation process
2016 341,094 1.47% estimation process
2017 347,377 1.81% estimation process
2018 355,397 2.26% estimation process
2019 362,924 2.07% estimation process
2020 369,927 1.89% estimation process

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People born in Bell County (8)

People born in Bell County, including politician Miriam A. Ferguson, Texas politician Edgar E. Witt, US politician, rancher, businessman and veterinarian Jimmie Don Aycock, .

List

  • Patricia Pearcy (actress) she was born in 08/08/1947
  • Wayne Smith (Texas engineer and politician) he was born in 17/08/1943
  • Aaron Davidson (American lawyer) he was born in 21/04/1971
  • Pleasant Thomas Miller he was born in 24/07/1875
  • Walter Milner he was born in 01/01/1913

Other places with the same name (2)

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