Killeen, TX

Located in central Texas, Killeen lies midway between Austin and Waco, about 75 miles from each. The 29th-largest community in Texas, Killeen has a population of more than 112,000 and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.

Killeen is very close to the U.S. Army post of Fort Hood, which is home to approximately 65,000 soldiers and their families. Killeen's proximity to Fort Hood has helped make this city ethnically diverse, with a broad mix of Latino, Asian, African, Korean, and Caucasian Americans residing in the area.

The city was named in 1881 for Frank P. Killeen, the assistant general manager of the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway. The railway's tracks ran through Central Texas, including the original 70-block town of Killeen.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Downtown Killeen is developing a revitalization and historic preservation plan to strengthen the city's commercial and cultural core. The downtown historic district encompasses a high number of historic properties from the early railroad era and mid-century growth.

Killeen offers some of the most affordable housing in the country, with 16 distinct neighborhoods. Some of these are:

• Maxdale / Youngsport
• Central Texas Expressway / Trimmier Road
• Central Texas Expressway / Stan Schlueter Loop
• Central Texas Expressway / W. S. Young Drive
• Fort Hood Street / Stan Schlueter Loop
• Central Texas Expressway / Fort Hood Street
• Westcliff Road / Caprice Drive
• Westcliff Road / 38th Street
• McNair Village / Chaffee Village
• Central Texas Expressway / Santa Rosa Drive

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Fort Hood is the area's primary employer, providing jobs for 22 percent of the city's labor force.

Civilian industries play a significant role in the Killeen economy, as do education, health care, and social services, which employ 24 percent of the population. Retail accounts for 15 percent of Killeen jobs, and public administration makes up for another 11 percent. Approximately 11 percent of families live below the poverty line.

Metroplex Hospital is the only hospital operating in Killeen, though military families can take advantage of the medical services at Fort Hood. Many Killeen residents seek medical care at two well-respected medical facilities in Temple, Texas, which is 25 miles east of Killeen: Scott and White Memorial Hospital and King's Daughters Hospital. Killeen residents also seek medical treatment at the notable Coreyell Medical Healthcare System in Gatesville, Texas, which is about 39 miles south of Killeen.

BEST BETS

• Boulders offers more than 6,200 square feet of indoor rock climbing. It features 37-foot walls, caves, and a free-standing tower.
• Nearby Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area (BLORA) offers a variety of water sports and boat rentals. BLORA even sells fish bait at its concession stand.
• Texas Thunder Speedway hosts stock car races and demolition derbies. The facility is popular for its quarter-mile dirt track, where five racing classes are held every Saturday night.
• Fourth Infantry Division Museum allows visitors to conduct self-guided tours tracing the Fourth Infantry Division's military history through photographs, displays, and artifacts.

EVENTS

• Festival of Flags is held annually to celebrate the diverse nationalities of the city's population.
• Vive Les Arts Theatre offers plays, musicals, children's performances, and dance recitals every year from October to August.

EDUCATION

Institutions of higher learning in Killeen:

• Central Texas College is a public community college offering associate's degrees and certificate programs in a variety of fields.
• Tarleton State University-Central Texas offers undergraduate and graduate courses to a population of around 2,000 students.

Other institutions of higher learning near Killeen:

• University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (about 17 miles away in Belton)
• Temple College (about 26 miles away in Temple)
• McLennan Community College (about 50 miles away in Waco)
• Baylor University (about 52 miles away in Waco)
• Austin Community College (about 54 miles away in Austin)
• Texas State Technical College-Waco (about 57 miles in Waco)
• University of Texas at Austin (about 57 miles in Austin)

LOCAL MEDIA

Killeen's newspaper is the Killeen Daily Herald; the same publisher prints the unauthorized Fort Hood Herald. Fort Hood's officially authorized newspaper is the Fort Hood Sentinel.

Radio stations operating in Killeen include:

• KRMY (1050 AM)
• KNCT-FM (91.3 FM)
• KIIZ-FM (92.3 FM)
• K232BY (94.3 FM)
• K221BM (92.1 FM)

TV stations broadcasting from Killeen include:

• K16CY (Channel 16)
• KPLE-LP (Channel 31)
• KAKW (Channel 62)