Harker Heights is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,308 at the 2000 census. This makes Harker Heights the 3rd largest town in Bell County, after Killeen and Temple. Incorporated in 1960, the town name is derived from the name of one of the two original landowners and city founder, Harley Kern. Harker Heights is part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area.