Your Name : Elena
Base Location: Killeen, Tx
How long have you been here? DEC 2008 to Present
What is housing like? On-post? (waiting list, conditions, etc.) Off-post? Any areas to stay away from? Average price to rent or buy?
We waited for about two months for housing when we PCSd from Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX. I didn’t want to get into a lease while we waited for housing so we rented a fully furnished apartment that did not have leases. The landlord that rented out these apartments was retired Army. He said he rented a lot to military coming to or leaving Fort Hood. Except we had to pay hotel/motel rates. I needed to do this because I did not want to live in a motel with three kids ranging between 1 and 7. Also I wanted to be able to enroll my kids in school so they wouldn’t get to far behind. When we did get housing we got a house on West Fort Hood. It is a 4 bedroom house and it is very nice. We are about two blocks away from the elementary school. Areas to stay away from are Fort Hood street and Rancier st. We actually rented the apartment near Rancier and we had our SUV broken into. All they stole was our Ipod and they broke our window to get it. So I was pretty happy to get out of there when we did. The housing on post ranges from older housing too new housing. If they are older they have been renovated.
Rate the PX & Commissary.
There are two PXs here. One has the electronics, furniture and sporting goods. The other has everything else like clothing and housewares. I think they are nice I just don’t like that you have to drive across post from one to the other it is a little inconvenient. There are two commissaries except I have never shopped at the commissaries here. I shop off post at a grocery store called H-E-B. Although the commissaries on post might have good sales, at this off post grocery store I can shop good deals or get their cheaper store brand.
Activities on base?
There is always something to do on post. They are always having activities. You just have too look out for the fliers and signs. Also housing community also has activities for their residents.
Active Spouses Club?
Not sure about this
Things to do in area?
There are some things to do here except when we have a chance we like to go to Austin or San Antonio since they are only a couple to a few hours away. In Killeen there is Blora Lake where you can swim, hike or camp out. There is some shopping here and plenty of restaurants. You get your favorite restaurants like Chilis, Olive Garden, and Red Lobster and all your fast food restaurants. There are also little local restaurants here too that are pretty good.
School System?
My kids go to the elementary school in our housing area. I have not had any trouble with this school. My kids like the teachers here and settled in pretty well.
Any colleges in area?
The Central Texas College campus is here. They also Tarleston University campus.
Jobs? (on post and off)
I’m not sure about jobs on or off post since I am a stay at home mom.
Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city?
I like it here. It has that small town feel but you have that city look. Austin and San Antonio are to our south and to the North there is Dallas and Houston.
Local websites? (base, chamber, newspaper, schools, etc)
Any other tips?
My family and I enjoy it here. You can always find something to do here or in a nearby town.
did any tornados hit the area? or problems or tornado of any kind?
We get some tornado warnings, but i’ve never seen a tornado in 6 years of being here.
If you are moving to Fort Hood and want to buy off post and be able to easily sell in a few years, consider Belton. Belton is growing a lot and has some great new amenities plus the schools are the main magnet. It’s a pretty quick commute the back way (18 minutes through countryside), the schools are considered the best in the county so much so that people pay to send their kids their from other towns, and North Belton has a ton of new shopping, cinemas, restaurants, parks, the lake, etc. Crime is well below Killeen levels, and it’s very quiet and secluded in Oak View behind the new HEP Plus. There is a former golf course back there and now it’s a greenway with deer, etc. So, if you can get a house on that on River Oaks, you’re half in the country and half in town. Lots of trees and you can see the sunrise and moonrise over them. Very low traffic and just the right percentage of kids so they have room to play and ride bikes while still having friends. Gives you a little break from military all the time but there are some military here. Just in the minority. Very few rentals in this neighborhood so stability is good. The other thing is that it’s thirty years old so the houses are not brick veneer but are real brick and very solid. Big oak trees shade the houses. If you can find a house that could use some updating, like carpet or paint, you can do that yourself later and make a profit when you sell. The trick is to find a house for sale back there as it’s kind of rare. It doesn’t hurt to take a walk in the neighborhood and just chat with people who are outside and let them know you’re lookind and ask if anyone is going to sell. Some houses back here sell without being on the market long or without being listed with realtors, so it’s worth a try. Behind HEB Plus which is across from Walmart. Houses range from $130K to $250, mostly down in the lower half of that range which is a really good deal. Most houses have fireplaces and fenced back yards. If you can get one with a built in quality sprinkler system, you’re going to save a lot on water and a lot of time.
I am moving down there next week with a 3month old to finally be with my husband. I am new to the Army wife lifestyle what are some good things to help us out once we get there? We plan on living on base once we get a house what is the housing like what all comes with the house?
My husband and I got married in January so I moved out here in December. We lived in Copperas Cove for a little while. Great area, the schools are fantastic and even have a 3 year old, full day preschool for in-district students. They have an out of district sign up as well for military families but it’s a waiting list that they pull from only after their in-district students have been tallied up. We just moved on post into a 5 bedroom house and I love it. We have more than enough space. All the kids have their own rooms, they have their own bathroom while my husband and I have one in our room. The laundry room is so large that I’ve turned half of it into a craft room, complete with computer. The kitchen has all new appliances. There is a nice sized, fenced back yard that the kids love playing in and a playground right outside our fence. The only downside is that it’s tile floors throughout the entire house (think the kind of tiles in school hallways). We’re fixing this with area rugs though. My husband loves the garage and has turned it into his man cave. I highly recommend living on post. It’s also really close to local stores (Walmart, Target, KMart, the mall) and Metroplex hospital is located right outside our neighborhood.
Are you living in the newer editions of the on-post housing? Because some of the homes are very old and outdated backed in the 1970’s. I am told that they will not allow junior NCO’s live in the newer homes on post; because they are reserved only for the officers and senior NCO’s. We are planning to PCS’d in Fort Hood this summer of 2016.
My husband and I are moving to Fort Hood this next month. I have been going to college in Wisconsin while my husband is in training in Arizona. I am just a little nervous because a lot of websites talk about how sketchy Killeen is. Do you feel safe in Killeen or have any advice for me? What is the general environment or atmosphere like? Is the driving really as bad as it sounds? I am just nervous in general to move down South for the first time so I think I’m just freaking out a little bit! Also, I’ve never been on an Army base before so I am excited/nervous to be in that environment for the first time. If you have any advice for a new Army wife moving onto Fort Hood I would greatly appreciate it.
I am also new to the army wife. We are getting stationed In Fort Hood as well. We have a 1 year old and I would love to know more about what I need, how it is like, where to get our furniture, the best living places, stuff like that! I am looking forward to starting our lives in Texas and hope it all goes well!
what are the safest places to live in killeen Texas by Fort hood?
Hey fellow army wives,
I hope this is still an active site. We received word today that we will be heading to Fort Hood within a few months and I am a bit scared. I’ve read that the crime rate there is highly insane. Is this correct? I’ve been trying to find an updated thread with no luck. So crime rate? I have four kids under the age of five. Is it better/safer to live on base? If so, what are the better areas? I’ve read mixed stories about the conditions of the homes/maintenance? Playground? Any robberies on base and would you recommend living there vs off post? There is a possibility he may deploy and I’m a bit afraid to live alone. Thanks in advance!