Killeen landlord startup checklist: 70.14¢ city rate, $1,208 rents, a renter-majority city

Killeen is the only city among the twenty on this site where renters are the majority: the Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 estimate gives an owner-occupancy rate of 49.5%, a median gross rent of $1,208 and a median home value of $215,400 (Census QuickFacts). The Tax Appraisal District of Bell County’s 2025 chart sets the City of Killeen at 0.701400 per $100 (maintenance 0.5277, debt 0.1737), Bell County at 0.312800, Killeen ISD at 0.877800 and Central Texas College at 0.090000 (Bell CAD 2025 tax rate chart); HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for the Killeen-Temple MSA run $924 / $930 / $1,172 / $1,631 / $1,968 (HUD FY2026). And the tenant pool is shaped by the post next door, whose Housing Services Office briefs newcomers on “local leasing practices, rental application fees, utility waivers, pet restrictions” (Fort Hood — Newcomers).

Step 1 — The Bell CAD record

The Tax Appraisal District of Bell County — with an office at 301 Priest Drive in Killeen, the same building as the Precinct 4 courts — gives the owner of record, the appraised value and the taxing units. Confirm the school district (Killeen ISD for most addresses) and whether a road district, the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District or a MUD appears; each is a line on the bill.

Step 2 — Budget the stack

BELL CAD 2025 TAX RATES FOR A KILLEEN ADDRESS (PER $100)
Taxing unit	2025 rate	Note
City of Killeen	0.701400	M&O 0.5277 + I&S 0.1737; over-65 exemption $20,000 with freeze (owner-occupants only)
Bell County	0.312800	Always
Killeen ISD	0.877800	Most city addresses; confirm on the record
Central Texas College	0.090000	Always
Road District	0.019900	Always
Clearwater UWCD	0.002230	Always
Combined	≈ 2.0041	On the full appraised value for a rental

On the Census median value of $215,400 the combined 2025 rates come to roughly $4,300 a year with no homestead exemption. The chart is the appraisal district’s compilation — it does not set the rates — and the 2026 figures replace it after the autumn adoptions (Bell CAD).

Step 3 — Price for a market that moves on orders

Median gross rent of $1,208 against a two-bedroom FMR of $1,172 and a three-bedroom of $1,631 (Census, HUD FY2026) puts most Killeen houses inside voucher and housing-allowance reach. Turnover is the cost to model, not vacancy: a tenant who arrives on orders may leave on them under Property Code §92.017, with 30 days after the next rent date and a full refund of prepaid sums. Price for a lease that may end early, and keep the turnover file ready.

Step 4 — Screening: income, orders and the fair-housing chapter

Military pay and allowances are income; orders are a document, not a criterion. Killeen’s fair housing chapter — Chapter 14, Article II, in force since 1978 — mirrors the federal classes and designates the director of planning and community development as fair housing administrator; the Housing Services Office tells soldiers what application fees and pet restrictions to expect, so a landlord’s criteria should be written down, consistent and available on request. Under Local Government Code §250.007 a landlord may not be required to accept vouchers except as to veterans — and Killeen has veterans in numbers; read the section before writing a “no vouchers” line.

Step 5 — The utility sequence on the welcome sheet

Electricity: the tenant picks a retail provider; Oncor delivers and takes outage calls (City of Killeen). Water: the tenant brings the lease, photo ID and Social Security proof to Utility Collections and pays the $90 deposit; same-day service if requested before 2 p.m. (Utility Collections). Gas: Atmos Energy. Put the three in order on one page; the Killeen lease guide carries the clauses.

Step 6 — Insurance and the storm file

Central Texas hail and freeze are the ordinary risks; the city’s January 2026 weather notice named Oncor, Atmos and a warming centre in the same paragraph (Inclement weather preparations). Read the wind-and-hail deductible and the loss-of-rents cover before the first tenant, and ask a licensed agent what the declarations page leaves out. The Killeen weather plan has the sequence.

What changes in Killeen

A renter-majority city: 49.5% owner-occupancy, median gross rent $1,208.
City tax rate of 70.14¢ per $100 inside a combined bill of about $2.00.
Turnover on military orders is a modelled cost, with statutory refunds.
A 1978 city fair housing chapter with a named administrator; veteran voucher protections in a veteran city.
The welcome sheet has three utilities in sequence, with a $90 water deposit.

Frequently asked questions

What is the City of Killeen property tax rate?

0.701400 per $100 for 2025 on Bell CAD’s tax rate chart; with the county, Killeen ISD, Central Texas College, the road district and the water district the combined rate is about 2.0041 (Bell CAD).

What is the median rent in Killeen?

$1,208 median gross rent for 2020–2024, in a city where 49.5% of homes are owner-occupied (Census QuickFacts); HUD’s FY2026 two-bedroom FMR is $1,172 (HUD).

Can a Killeen landlord refuse a tenant who might deploy?

Military status is not a lawful reason to refuse; screen on income, rental history and credit, and put the §92.017 sentence in the lease so early termination is handled by statute (Property Code §92.017, Code Ch. 14).

How much is the Killeen water deposit?

$90 standard, waived after twelve months of service without a late payment; the tenant brings the lease, photo ID and Social Security proof (City of Killeen).

Sources

Rules change and the right answer can depend on the home, the city, the lease and the timing. These are the official pages this guide relies on; check them before signing, charging a fee, sending a notice or making a legal decision.

General information for U.S. landlords, with a Texas focus. This guide is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Consult a qualified professional for your situation. Written by the rentalfreelease.com Editorial Team; last reviewed September 19, 2026.