Texas Property Tax Estimator

Texas property taxes are calculated by multiplying your home's appraised value (set by your county appraisal district) by the combined tax rate of every taxing authority in your area. That rate stacks together the school district, the county, the city, and any special districts (like hospital, MUD, or community college). The total often lands between 1.7% and 2.5% of appraised value. Exemptions like the homestead reduce your taxable value before the rate is applied, so the math is: (Appraised Value − Exemptions) × Combined Rate = Annual Tax.

The Texas homestead exemption removes a portion of your home's value from taxation, but only for your primary residence. As of the 2024 tax year, the school-district homestead exemption is $100,000, meaning your school taxes are calculated on $100,000 less than your appraised value. On a typical Texas tax bill, that saves homeowners $1,000–$1,500 per year. To qualify, you must own and occupy the home as of January 1st 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 — nearly double the 1.1% national average. The trade-off is real: a Texan keeps every dollar of their paycheck, but pays more on the home they live in. For most middle-income families the math comes out close to neutral compared to high-income-tax states, while higher earners typically come out ahead in Texas.

When you turn 65, you qualify for an additional $10,000 school-tax exemption on top of the standard homestead exemption — meaning $110,000 of value is removed from school taxes. Even better, your school-district taxes are frozen (the 'tax ceiling') at the amount you paid the year you turned 65, so they cannot go up even if your appraisal does. Many cities and counties also offer an additional over-65 exemption. The combined annual savings typically range from $400 to over $1,200 depending on your county and school district.

Absolutely — and you should every year. Texas law gives you the right to protest your appraised value with your county appraisal district. The deadline is typically May 15th (or 30 days after your notice is mailed). You can protest informally first by submitting comparable sales or evidence of unequal appraisal; if you disagree with the result, you escalate to the Appraisal Review Board. Roughly half of all formal protests result in some reduction. Many homeowners hire a property-tax-protest service that takes a percentage of any savings — no savings, no fee.