Getting a house built there for later this year.  How is it there?  I worked with a buddy who stayed there a few years ago and he stated it was nice.  What's it like, what is there to do, will I hate my life?  FWIW I am going to be stationed at Hood.

It's not bad.  Certainly better than Kileen.  I think the schools are kind of sketchy these days.  Salado or even Belton ISD would be better for schools.

Temple is a big medical center, so there are lots of doctors and high earning professionals in the area.  Makes for decent retail establishments and restaurants.

Your commute to Ft. Hood might be frustrating at times.  Certainly not big city frurstrating, but the population is growing faster than the roads.

I'm right up the road and I think @74novaman is a denizen of Temple/Bell County also.

Thanks for the mention or I wouldn't have seen this.  Don't check the hometown forum like I should.

OP, where in Temple will you be living?  

There is quite a bit of growth going on in the area right now, so like Hater said traffic is slowly getting worse, but it still isn't remotely close to big city traffic.  I drive over to Killeen quite a bit and as long as you aren't driving at peak times traffic won't slow you down much if any, but it does get a little congested from 8-9 and 5-6.  

I-35 between Temple and Waco is torn the hell up with construction and sucks major ass.  On a more positive note, using the toll road I can be at the Austin airport from my front door in an hour flat, so travel is easy.  There's great BBQ in Belton, a decent trap and skeet setup at Webers in Troy, and the local gun club has a nice set up and shoots USPSA, IDPA, Steel Challege, High Power, etc.  

With the population growth crime is getting a little worse, but like everywhere else is most limited to car break ins in the nicer areas, the occasional murder or shooting always seems to happen in the crappy area of town over and over.  

Temple schools have a negative reputation but have a lot of good programs...I'm fairly convinced that most of their reputation is a hold over from the old days.  I know a guy who graduated from Temple high and is a MD now, so its not like you can't make something of yourself.  Like most other schools, parents interest and kids willingness to work means a lot.  Academy and Belton also have good reputations, as does Salado.  

If you have any specific hobbies, favorite foods, concerns or questions, let me know.

If you're building in Temple, I'm going to assume the western side toward the lake, which is in BISD.

Many of the older parts of Temple appear to be on a death spiral but Belton is gaining in a few restaurants.  Great BBQ in the area, Belton Lake is nice recreational and fishing lake.  Best part is location isn't that far away from Austin so you are around an hour away from Georgetown, then the greater Austin area which offers much better choices.  Waco has had slight improvement but still isn't worth the time if you can go South.

You must be brave or committed to Hood to build a house before knowing the area.

Good luck!

Well, there's this guy.

Dad was transferred to Hood in '59 from the Nancy (FR) Ordnance Depot.  Mom took one look at Killeen and said hell no.  Said it was nothing but whore houses, bars, and used cars.

Settled in Temple.  I was 3 when we arrived back in the States.  I left Temple for college in '74, married there in '77, and went back only to visit the now ex-in-laws.

Went back for my 40th HS reunion in '13.  Temple has changed.  It has more for young people to do but the schools, or at least many of them, aren't very good.  The district tries, but there is way too much rich and vibrant and way too much wet back mentality.

Good luck.  I'll never go back unless for a reunion.  My parents are dead and there is only a psychobitchfromhell ex-wife there.

Temple used to be very cliquish.  Hope it changed.  It is obsessed with money and status.

Joe Green was not allowed into the white high school.  Temple may brag about Joe Green but I doubt he has any fond memories of the good citizens of Temple, TX.  Temple was very racist and treated the black schools like dirt.

Thanks guys, it looks like it is near Morgans Point Resort.  It is a pretty new subdivision.

For working at Hood that's going to be good commute wise, crime is pretty low over there too.

Shoot me an IM if you need anything or ever want to meet up with a local Arfcommer for a beer or some shooting.

Don't speed around Morgans Point as the local PD loves easy revenue. The deer have taken over the area and will eat any landscaping you put out.  Backyard BBQ is one of the local restaurants and is fairly good, just don't eat the bbq.  There are two Walmart Super Centers and a huge HEB that are all easy to get to from there.  There are several gun ranges in the area that offer everything from indoor and ac to 1000 yard steel.  Temple is not too bad but Belton is where everyone wants their kids to go to school.  If any of you other Temple/Belton peeps want to meet up let me know.  I'm always up for burning ammo or good food.

Yeah, it says it's about a 30 minute drive.  I won't mind the drive, I enjoy driving anyway. I'm hoping it's far enough away from Hood so that I don't have to deal with the trashiness that comes from towns that are right outside military installations.

My parents and grandparents are about two hours away and I've hardly ever seen them since I've been in. So it will be nice to see them.  After renting a place here in FLW I never want to worry about renting again. It has been the biggest headache. I heard you either love Hood or hate it. Everyone I know who has been stationed there said they loved it.

Well, you certainly described Killeen, and now, sadly, even Cove.  

Morgans Point is far enough out to avoid that.  

I'm curious why that is the case. Having spend time in the navy and growing up around San Antonio, I know exactly what you are talking about is the truth with very few exceptions. The only exception I can think of is Langley AFB, or at least it was okay 15 years ago.

But yet you are not allowed to bring a firearm on base even in your car without a bunch red tape so you are screwed on your way to and from the base.

Young enlisted men have money to spend and time to kill...and sometimes not a lot of sense.

Thus, tattoo parlors, strip clubs, bars, car lots, loan places all pop up around base...all of which tend to attract a seedier element.

You're building in the area that I expected (know the area well).  You are a couple of minutes from the lake so if you like fishing/boating, this is a great place to be and you can take the back road into Ft Hood.  There are some nice things to do in Salado so swing by and check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IgES1ccelY

I'm going to guess this is that Killeen rap video before I even click on it.