Killeen and Waco (Austin, Temple, Fort Hood: university, living in, restaurants)

[brock2010]

I have been living in Belton for a short period but I've noticed that the major network stations like ABC Channel 25 are in Waco. I know that Killeen has a larger city and metro population but Waco seems to be the more important/dominant city in this area. Would you say that's true or no?

[supfromthesite]

Yes

[texasdiver]

Yes.

Killeen + Temple + Belton all combined is more people than Waco.

But Waco as a stand-alone city is larger, has a bigger downtown area, has a major university, has 2 major hospitals, and generally has more going on in terms of restaurants and shopping than any of the other three.

[brock2010]

^^^Cool. Thanks.

[texasdiver]

Killeen has grown enormously in the past decade due mainly to Fort Hood. So it might now technically have more people than Waco, but a lot of that is spillover from Fort Hood. I think it has grown a lot in the past two decades due to base consolidation in the military where smaller bases have been shut down and operations have been consolidated at larger bases like Fort Hood.

Historically Waco has been the much larger city and it shows in the downtown area and such.

[innovator82]

Originally Posted by brock2010

I have been living in Belton for a short period but I've noticed that the major network stations like ABC Channel 25 are in Waco. I know that Killeen has a larger city and metro population but Waco seems to be the more important/dominant city in this area. Would you say that's true or no?

If you watch your local news, are you satisfied with their coverage of Bell County? Is there one local newscast that is better at covering Bell County than the others?

[brock2010]

Originally Posted by innovator82

If you watch your local news, are you satisfied with their coverage of Bell County? Is there one local newscast that is better at covering Bell County than the others?

Can't say that I have any complaints, then again I haven't lived her very long. Out ABC Ch 25 is Waco station and ch 10 CBS is Austin I think.

[brock2010]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

Killeen has grown enormously in the past decade due mainly to Fort Hood. So it might now technically have more people than Waco, but a lot of that is spillover from Fort Hood. I think it has grown a lot in the past two decades due to base consolidation in the military where smaller bases have been shut down and operations have been consolidated at larger bases like Fort Hood.

Historically Waco has been the much larger city and it shows in the downtown area and such.

I've noticed that the Waco downtown has more foot traffic and taller buildings. Killeen's downtown is dead by comparison and buildings quite small. Seems more fitting for a much smaller town than a city of close to 140,000.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by brock2010

I've noticed that the Waco downtown has more foot traffic and taller buildings. Killeen's downtown is dead by comparison and buildings quite small. Seems more fitting for a much smaller town than a city of close to 140,000.

That's because all the growth in Killeen is basically suburban residential sprawl to support Fort Hood, not growth based on Killeen itself as an economic engine of any kind. I think I last read that something like 58,000 people now work at Ford Hood in both civilian and military jobs. That's enormous. Not all live in Killeen. Some live in Copperas Cove and Belton (or on base). But a whole lot live and shop in Killeen.

[C24L]

Id say its true.