Temple has been a crossroads for business in Texas since 1881, when the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad chose this location as a central link for the state's rail lines. Temple again benefited from its location by becoming a "corridor city" along Interstate 35. Temple is widely known for its stable economy and diverse economic base of renowned medical services, research and medical education, major manufacturing and distribution operations. It is this type of diversity that has brought over $300 million
worth of development in the last 3 years. The Greater Temple Area boasts a population of over 111,000 and provides a solid economic foundation for future growth.