Texas Property Tax Calculator (County-Level Rates)

Texas property taxes are your home's appraised value (set by your county appraisal district), minus any exemptions, times the combined tax rate of every taxing unit where you live. That rate stacks the school district, the county, the city and any special districts such as a hospital district, MUD or community college. The total often lands between 1.7% and 2.5% of appraised value. The formula is (appraised value minus exemptions) times the combined rate equals the annual tax. Put the result into our mortgage calculator to see your full monthly payment.

The Texas homestead exemption removes part of your home's value from taxation, but only on your primary residence. From tax year 2025, school districts must exempt $140,000 of value, so your school taxes are figured on $140,000 less than your appraised value. At a typical school rate of about 1.0% to 1.3%, that saves roughly $1,400 to $1,800 a year. Many counties and cities add their own local homestead exemption of up to 20%. To qualify, you must own and live in the home and file a one-time application with your county appraisal district. There is no annual renewal.

Texas has no state income tax, so local governments rely heavily on property tax to fund schools, roads, hospitals and public safety. The combined effective rate runs around 1.9% statewide, close to double the 1.1% national average. Rates vary by metro: Houston, Dallas and Austin often run higher than smaller markets, while San Antonio sits in between. The trade-off is that Texans pay no tax on their paycheck but more on the home they live in.

If you are 65 or older, or disabled, school districts must exempt an extra $60,000 of value on top of the $140,000 homestead exemption, so $200,000 is removed from school taxes. You can claim the over-65 or the disability add-on, not both. At a school rate of about 1.05% to 1.33%, the add-on saves roughly $630 to $800 a year. Your school taxes are also frozen at a ceiling once the exemption starts, and many cities and counties offer their own over-65 exemptions on top.

Yes, and it is worth checking every year. Texas law lets you protest your appraised value with your county appraisal district. The deadline is typically May 15 or 30 days after your notice is mailed, whichever is later. You can start informally by submitting comparable sales or evidence of unequal appraisal; if you disagree with the result, you can take it to the Appraisal Review Board. Some homeowners hire a protest service that takes a percentage of any savings.