Getting orders for a PCS to Fort Hood is a big moment. A PCS, or Permanent Change of Station, is the military's term for a move from one duty station to another. If your next set of orders sends you to Central Texas, this 2026 guide will help you and your family plan with less stress. We will cover where to live near Killeen, how Basic Allowance for Housing works, schools, healthcare, and what there is to do once you arrive.
One thing to know up front: this post is named Fort Hood again. It was Fort Hood for most of its history, then Fort Cavazos from 2023 to 2025, and on June 11, 2025 the Army restored the name Fort Hood. The current name honors Col. Robert B. Hood, a World War I officer who earned the Distinguished Service Cross, not the Confederate general the post was first named for, according to the U.S. Army. If you still see "Fort Cavazos" on older maps, signs, or guides, it is the same place.
What and Where Is Fort Hood?
Fort Hood sits in Central Texas, just west of the city of Killeen and about an hour north of Austin. It is one of the largest Army posts in the country and is home to III Armored Corps and the 1st Cavalry Division. The installation's mission is built around III Armored Corps, which the Army describes as one of its premier warfighting headquarters, ready to deploy globally and conduct large-scale operations (U.S. Army Fort Hood).
The post anchors a string of communities in Bell and Coryell counties. Killeen sits right outside the main gates, with Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Nolanville, Belton, and Temple all within an easy drive. Together they form a metro area built around military life, so you will find plenty of neighbors who understand PCS season, deployments, and what it means to start over in a new town.
Where to Live When PCSing to Fort Hood
Choosing where to live is often the first big decision of any PCS. The good news is that the communities around Fort Hood are close together, so your commute stays manageable no matter which one you pick. The chart below shows rough drive times to help you compare.
Approximate one-way drive times to Fort Hood. Times vary with traffic and which gate you use.
Killeen
Killeen is the city right outside the main gates and the closest option for most families. It has the largest housing market in the area and a school district that serves more than 40,000 students (Killeen ISD About page). If you want the shortest commute and the most home choices at different price points, Killeen is the natural starting point.
Harker Heights
Harker Heights sits just east of Killeen and is the third-largest city in Bell County, with a population over 33,000 (City of Harker Heights). Families often choose it for its newer neighborhoods and quieter feel while still keeping a short drive to the East Range and the post's east-side gates.
Copperas Cove
Copperas Cove is on the west side of the installation in Coryell County. It has its own school district serving about 7,800 students and a small-town pace that many families like (Copperas Cove ISD). If your work takes you to the west side of the post, "the Cove" can mean a quicker drive than crossing through Killeen.
Nolanville
Nolanville is a smaller community between Harker Heights and Belton along Highway 190. It offers a quieter, more rural feel with newer subdivisions going in, and it still keeps you close to the post and to Belton Lake.
Belton and Temple
Belton and Temple sit a bit farther east along Interstate 14 and Interstate 35. Belton ISD serves roughly 13,700 students across its campuses (Belton ISD via NCES). These towns trade a slightly longer commute for more space, a college-town feel in Belton, and access to bigger medical and shopping options in Temple.
Fort Hood BAH and the Cost of Living
BAH stands for Basic Allowance for Housing. It is the monthly amount the military pays toward your rent or mortgage when you live off post. Your exact BAH depends on three things: your rank, whether you have dependents, and your Military Housing Area, or MHA. An MHA is the local zone the Department of Defense uses to set rates. Fort Hood falls inside the Killeen-Fort Hood, TX military housing area.
Because rates change every year and vary by rank, we do not publish a rate table here. Instead, look up your exact figure on the official Department of Defense BAH calculator (DoD BAH Rate Lookup). Enter your rank, dependent status, and the Killeen ZIP code, and you will get your current rate. We verify exact dollar amounts separately, so treat the calculator as your source of truth.
The good news for your budget is that Central Texas housing tends to stretch a military paycheck further than many coastal markets. As one reference point, Zillow listed the typical home value in Killeen at about $226,859 in May 2026 (typical value, not a median sale price) (Zillow Killeen home values). Rents and home prices vary by neighborhood, so use this only as a rough sense of the market and not a promise of what you will pay.
Schools Near Fort Hood
Families with children usually weigh schools heavily during a PCS. The area is served by several public districts. Killeen Independent School District is the largest, serving more than 40,000 students, and covers much of Killeen and Harker Heights (Killeen ISD About page). Copperas Cove ISD serves the west-side community with roughly 7,800 students (Copperas Cove ISD), and Belton ISD serves the Belton area with about 13,700 students (Belton ISD via NCES).
Where you live decides which district your children attend, so it pays to check the boundaries before you sign a lease or buy a home. A local agent who knows the neighborhoods can help you match a home to the school you want.
