Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. As of 2016 the city has a population of 72,277 according to a US census estimate. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas and is a principal city in the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area. The metro region has a population of 450,051. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco.