Neighborhood in Harker Heights, Bell County

Living in West Harker Heights, Harker Heights

A

1st of 5areas in Harker Heights
Overall score 93 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Harker Heights overall: B-

West Harker Heights covers part of Harker Heights, TX, home to about 1,400 people. It gets an A, in the top 12% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 1st of 5 areas we score in Harker Heights. It does best on internet access and worst on health.

  • Affordable
  • Well connected
  • Lots of parks
  • Tornado risk is very high
  • Hail risk is very high

Closest everyday places

Grocery store1.6 mi
Pharmacy0.3 mi
Park0.4 mi
Cafeunder 0.1 mi
Restaurant0.3 mi
Gym0.5 mi
Hospital or urgent care0.3 mi
Childcare0.6 mi
Library1.7 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
1,410
Median rent
$1,220
Median home value
$242,000
Household income
$98,400
Average commute
21 min
Homes owned
89%
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What it's like to live in West Harker Heights

West Harker Heights is an area in Harker Heights with about 1,400 residents, mostly newer homes (median year built 2009), mostly owner-occupied (89%) and 36% of households with children.

It grades A against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 1st of 5 areas in Harker Heights, which grades B- overall.

Pros of living in West Harker Heights

  • Parks within walking distance. The closest park is about 0.4 miles away.

Cons of living in West Harker Heights

  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of tornadoes and hail as very high in this part of town.

West Harker Heights report card

Each grade compares West Harker Heights with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade A-

    Median rent $1,220, homes cost 2.5x income.

    83 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade A-

    Median household income $98,400, 3.0% unemployed.

    84 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade C

    Nearby schools average 80 of 100 on the state rating.

    46 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 120 violent crimes per 100k, 1,249 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade C+

    Most everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    55 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade B+

    Average commute 21 min, 5.1% work from home.

    73 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade C+

    26% have a bachelor’s degree.

    55 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade C-

    12% of adults uninsured.

    40 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade A

    89% of homes owner-occupied.

    90 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade A

    100% of homes have broadband.

    91 of 100 vs TX areas

West Harker Heights compared with Harker Heights

Better than Harker Heights

  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 21%28 points lower than Harker Heights (49%)
  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 89%27 points higher than Harker Heights (62%)
  • Home value to income: 2.5x31% lower than Harker Heights (3.5x)

Worse than Harker Heights

  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 26%4 points lower than Harker Heights (30%)
  • Median rent: $1,2206% higher than Harker Heights ($1,146)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • BMountain View ElementaryElementary, Killeen ISD0.8 mi
  • CUnion Grove MiddleMiddle, Killeen ISD0.7 mi
  • BHarker Heights High SchoolHigh, Killeen ISD1.8 mi

Cost of living in West Harker Heights

Median rent in West Harker Heights is $1,220 a month, 6% higher than the Harker Heights median. A household would need about $49,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $242,000, 16% lower than the Harker Heights median, which means a monthly payment of about $1,579 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereHarker HeightsTexas
Median rent6% higher than Harker Heights$1,220$1,146$1,403
Median home value16% lower than Harker Heights$242,000$287,800$283,800
Home value to income31% lower than Harker Heights2.5x3.5x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent28 points lower than Harker Heights21%49%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them27 points higher than Harker Heights89%62%63%
Vacant homes5 points lower than Harker Heights0%5.3%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Harker Heights200920011992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$1,579
Mortgage payment
$1,325
Property tax
$255
Median rent, for comparison
$1,220

Based on a $242,000 home in West Harker Heights, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereHarker HeightsTexas
Median household income21% higher than Harker Heights$98,400$81,190$78,476
Unemployment rateAbout the same as Harker Heights3.0%3.9%5.3%
People below the poverty line10 points lower than Harker Heights0%10%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher4 points lower than Harker Heights26%30%34%
Average commute11% lower than Harker Heights21 min24 min27 min
Workers who work from home3 points lower than Harker Heights5.1%8.1%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transitAbout the same as Harker Heights1.4%0.8%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet6 points higher than Harker Heights100%94%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingVery low
  • HurricanesModerate
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailVery high
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresLow
  • Winter stormsHigh
  • Strong windLow

Who lives in West Harker Heights

Under 1840%
18 to 3410%
35 to 6448%
65 and over1.6%
Race and ethnicity
White33%
Hispanic or Latino11%
Black44%
Asian2.6%
Other or more than one race8.7%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Harker Heights

  1. 2B+South Harker HeightsMedian rent $1,560
  2. 3C+Central Harker HeightsMedian rent $1,350
  3. 4CNorthwest Harker HeightsMedian rent $1,010
  4. 5FNorth Harker HeightsMedian rent $1,190

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. A-North Del RioDel Rio
  2. A+Bayou LakesLeague City
  3. ANorthwest HumbleHumble

Questions about West Harker Heights

Is West Harker Heights a good place to live?

West Harker Heights covers part of Harker Heights, TX, home to about 1,400 people. It gets an A, in the top 12% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 1st of 5 areas we score in Harker Heights. It does best on internet access and worst on health.

How much does it cost to live in West Harker Heights?

Median rent in West Harker Heights is $1,220 a month, 6% higher than the Harker Heights median. The median home is worth $242,000, 16% lower than the Harker Heights median. A median home costs 2.5x the median household income, compared with 3.5x across Harker Heights.

What schools serve West Harker Heights?

The closest rated public schools are Mountain View Elementary (elementary, rated B), Union Grove Middle (middle, rated C) and Harker Heights High School (high, rated B). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area groups 1 Census block group in this part of Harker Heights that have no neighborhood name on the map. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.