The average Texas property tax rate is about 1.4% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $4,232 a year on the typical Texas home. That makes Texas property tax one of the higher burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Texas property tax rate, what the typical bill looks like, how your bill is figured, where the money goes, and — most useful of all — how
to check whether you are overpaying and how to pay less.
Texas Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 1.4% |
| Median annual bill | $4,232 |
| Median home value | $283,800 |
| Rank among states | #7 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $39 below the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Texas law requires appraisal districts to reappraise all property at least once every three years, and many districts review values annually. |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Texas Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 1.4% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $4,232 |
| Median home value | $283,800 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #7 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Texas Guide:
What Is the Texas Property Tax Rate?
The Texas property tax rate is not one flat number — it is the combined result of your county, city, township, and school-district rates, applied to your home’s assessed value. Across Texas, homeowners pay about 1.4% of their home’s value on average, or around $4,232 a year on a typical $283,800 home. That puts Texas near the top nationally — ranked #7 of 50 states from highest to lowest. Two
homes worth the same amount can still owe very different bills depending on the town and school district, so treat the statewide figure as a starting point, not your exact bill.
If your bill went up, start by reading your appraisal notice: the appraised value is what the district thinks your home is worth, and the exemptions and any homestead cap reduce the amount you’re actually taxed on. Many homeowners find they qualify for an exemption they haven’t claimed yet, or that the appraised value is worth questioning — your county appraisal district can confirm both. If the value still looks
too high, you generally have the right to protest it with the appraisal review board; check your notice or the data box above for how and by when.
Think your Texas bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Texas Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Texas property tax starts with an assessed value set by County appraisal districts (one in each county), led by a chief appraiser. Texas does not use elected “assessors” — the appraisal district appraises all property for every local taxing unit, and it does not set rates or collect taxes.. Texas appraisal districts appraise property at its market value as of January 1 each year, using recent sales and property
characteristics.
The value shown on your appraisal notice may be capped for a qualifying homestead, so check both the market (appraised) value and the assessed/taxable value on your notice. That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Texas, property is generally reassessed Texas law requires appraisal districts to reappraise all property at least once every three years, and many districts review values
annually..
The single most important number to check is your assessed value: if it is higher than what your home would sell for, your bill is too high — and that is exactly what an appeal fixes.
The actual rates in Texas are set by The local taxing units set the rates — counties, cities, school districts, and special districts — each adopting its own rate based on its yearly budget. The appraisal district and the state Comptroller do not set rates.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill on an identical house.
📨 Get Free Property Tax Guides Alerts
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Where Your Texas Property Tax Money Goes
Property taxes are the main source of local funding in Texas, paying mostly for public schools, along with county and city services, roads, police and fire protection, and special districts like hospital or water districts. For most Texas homeowners, the school-district share is the biggest single piece of the bill, which is why property taxes tend to be highest where schools rely most on local funding.
One Texas note: Texas has no state income tax, so it relies heavily on local property tax to fund schools and local services. For a qualifying homestead, state law also limits how much the taxable value can rise from year to year (a homestead appraisal cap), which can hold your assessed value below full market value — see the data box above rather than any figure here.
How Texas Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Texas bill of $4,232 is $39 below that. Remember that a low rate does not always mean a low bill — a state with cheap rates but expensive homes can still cost you more than Texas. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Texas Property Tax
You cannot change the Texas property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Texas offers several property tax breaks, including a residence homestead exemption and added relief for homeowners who are 65 or older, disabled, or veterans (with substantial relief for those with a 100% disability rating) and their surviving spouses. These can lower your bill, so it’s
worth checking with your county appraisal district to see whether you qualify — amounts are shown in the data box above, not here.
Second, appeal your assessment if your home is valued higher than it would sell for — studies suggest a large share of homes are over-assessed, and appeals often succeed.
Don’t want to appeal your Texas taxes yourself? A property tax appeal service can file everything for you and usually only charges if it wins — typically a share of what it saves you. It is one option; you can also appeal on your own for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Texas property tax rate?
The average effective Texas property tax rate is about 1.4% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Texas home that works out to roughly $4,232 a year. Your own bill depends on your county, city, and school district, plus any exemptions you claim — see the data box above.
Why is my Texas property tax so high?
Property tax in Texas is driven mostly by your local rates (especially school levies) and by your home’s assessed value. If your assessment is higher than what your home would actually sell for, you may be overpaying — that is the most common reason a bill is too high, and it is something you can appeal.
How can I lower my Texas property tax?
Two things help most in Texas: make sure you are claiming every exemption you qualify for (homestead, senior, veteran, or disability), and appeal your assessment if your home is over-valued. Both can lower your bill, and both are free to do yourself.
Texas Property Tax Sources & Data
- Texas Department of Revenue (property tax): https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/
- Tax Foundation — Property Taxes by State & County: taxfoundation.org
- U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey): census.gov/acs
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (property tax data): lincolninst.edu
Texas property tax rates and typical bills on this page come from U.S. Census (American Community Survey) data as
published by the Tax Foundation, and were last checked in July 2026. Rates and bills change each year and vary by county
— confirm your own figures with your county assessor before you rely on them.
More Property Tax Guides
- Property Tax Rates by State
- Property Tax by County
- Are You Overpaying? Over-Assessment Checker
- Property Tax Exemption Finder
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Know Property Tax is an independent educational resource. It is not a government agency, not a county assessor, and not a tax-appeal service. Property tax rates, bills, exemptions, and deadlines change over time and vary by county and property. Confirm anything that affects your taxes with your county assessor or a licensed professional before you act.