Published October 2, 2026 in Market Update

Belton is moving tighter while much of Fort Hood area has softened

By Stephen Harris

Real estate, Killeen - Temple - Fort Hood

Most of this market softened over the past year. Prices are down in nearly every ZIP code the Real Estate Data Aggregator tracks. Homes are sitting longer. Inventory is up in several areas. Belton is the exception, and the numbers are clear about why.

Belton: the one place tightening up

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 208 homes sold in ZIP 76513 in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 14.3% from the same period a year before. At the same time, homes for sale fell 24.5%. More buyers, fewer choices. That combination is what tightens a market.

The median sale price in 76513 came in at $325,170, up 0.7% year over year. That is a small gain. But it is the only gain in this market. Every other ZIP code the Real Estate Data Aggregator tracked showed prices down.

Homes in 76513 went under contract within two weeks 23.7% of the time, up 5.3 points from a year ago. That share is rising while it fell in most other ZIPs here. Buyers in Belton are moving faster than they were.

What the rest of the market looks like

Across Killeen, Copperas Cove, and the broader area, the story is softer. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows prices down in every other ZIP code tracked for this period.

ZIP 76522, which covers Copperas Cove, saw the sharpest price drop: down 7.9% to $246,000, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Sales fell 15.6% and pending sales dropped 29.3%. That is a meaningful pullback.

ZIP 76542, one of the larger Killeen ZIPs, had 196 homes sold, down 8%. The median price slipped 1.2% to $276,720. Homes took a median of 72 days to sell, five days longer than a year ago.

ZIP 76541, covering part of North Killeen, had the lowest median price in the data: $132,500, down 7.3%. Months of supply there hit 9.5, the highest of any ZIP tracked. That is a buyer's market by any measure.

A note on Nolanville and the 76559 ZIP

ZIP 76559, which covers Nolanville, had the highest median sale price in the data: $335,780, up 4.7% year over year per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Sales rose 16.1%. That looks strong on the surface. But inventory jumped 51.6% and days on market stretched to 89. New listings surged 63.6%. More choices for buyers, and homes are taking longer to move. The price gain and the rising supply are pulling in opposite directions. I would watch that one carefully before drawing a firm conclusion.

Rates are adding pressure everywhere

CNBC reported the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.30% as of September 30, 2026. Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates topped 7% for the first time since January 2025. That affects what buyers can qualify for, and it slows decisions.

Realtor.com also reported that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings in September 2026, the highest share since October 2022. That is a national figure, but it fits what the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows locally: sellers in most ZIPs here are working harder to close.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency put U.S. house prices up 2.6% year over year through July 2026. Most ZIPs in this market are running below that national pace, or in the opposite direction.

What this means if you own in Belton

Fewer homes on the market and more sales means less room to negotiate on the buy side. If you are selling in 76513, the data points to firmer footing than most of this market. Pricing still matters. The sale-to-list ratio in 76513 was 98%, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator, so buyers are not paying well over ask. But they are not walking away either.

What this means if you own elsewhere in the market

If your home is in one of the Killeen ZIPs or in Copperas Cove, the data suggests more competition from other sellers and less urgency from buyers. Pricing against what actually sold, not what is listed, matters more when supply is up and days on market are rising.

Keep in mind that MUD and PID assessments are common in newer subdivisions across this market. Those add to the monthly cost a buyer sees, and they affect what a buyer will offer. If your home carries one, it is part of the pricing conversation.

PCS season also shapes these numbers. The three months ending July 31 covers the heart of summer PCS moves. Activity in the fall tends to slow. If you are thinking about timing a sale, that cycle is worth factoring in.