Texas property taxes for retirees
The typical Texas homeowner pays $4,111 a year, 38% above the U.S. median. Here’s how homes are taxed, what changes when you buy, and what relief is available at 65.
Rules checked against the sources below on September 15, 2026. County figures: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, Tables B25103 and B25077.
Texas has no state income tax and relies heavily on local property taxes, so rates are high. What makes Texas unusually good for retirees is on the school tax side: since the 2025 constitutional amendments, a homeowner 65 or older can exempt $200,000 of value from school district taxes and lock in the school tax amount they pay the year they qualify.1,2,3
How homes are valued
Each county's appraisal district values property as of January 1. Your bill combines separate taxes from the school district, county, city, and special districts, each applying its own rate and its own exemptions to that value.4
Caps, and what happens when a home sells
Once a home qualifies as your residence homestead, its appraised value for taxation can rise no more than 10% a year. The limit belongs to the owner, not the house: it starts the year after you qualify, so a buyer begins with the home's full market value.5,1
Homestead exemption
Every owner-occupied principal residence gets a $140,000 exemption from school district taxes. Voters raised it from $100,000 in November 2025. Cities, counties, and other taxing units may add an optional exemption of up to 20% of value, at least $5,000. Apply with your appraisal district using Form 50-114.1,4
Relief for homeowners 65 and older
Homeowners 65 or older, or disabled, get an additional $60,000 school district exemption, raised from $10,000 by voters in November 2025. Combined with the general exemption, that shields $200,000 of value from school taxes.2
Qualifying at 65 also sets a school tax ceiling: your school taxes on that home cannot rise above what you paid in the year you qualified, unless you add improvements such as a garage or a room. If you move to another Texas homestead, you can carry the same percentage of school taxes to the new home. Counties, cities, and junior colleges may adopt their own ceilings.3,6,7
Homeowners 65 or older can also defer property taxes on their homestead for as long as they own and live in it. Deferred taxes are not forgiven; they accrue interest at 5% a year and come due after the owner, or a surviving spouse 55 or older, no longer lives there.8
Second homes and snowbirds
You can claim only one residence homestead, and you must certify that you are not claiming one in another state. A Texas vacation home pays taxes on its full value, with no homestead exemption, no 10% cap, and no senior ceiling.4,5
Median property tax by county
Travis County has the highest median bill at $7,487; Crockett County has the lowest at $466. Effective rate is the median bill divided by the median home value, a benchmark for comparing places rather than a legal tax rate. Select a county to see it against the state and U.S., or estimate a bill for a specific home value.
| County | Median bill | Effective rate | Median home value | Lookup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis County | $7,487 | 1.54% | $487,600 | Details |
| Collin County | $7,432 | 1.66% | $447,600 | Details |
| Williamson County | $7,079 | 1.71% | $414,600 | Details |
| Fort Bend County | $6,965 | 1.99% | $350,300 | Details |
| Denton County | $6,943 | 1.72% | $403,400 | Details |
| Hays County | $6,420 | 1.73% | $371,400 | Details |
| Rockwall County | $6,341 | 1.64% | $386,000 | Details |
| Kendall County | $5,890 | 1.20% | $489,800 | Details |
| Montgomery County | $5,237 | 1.65% | $317,500 | Details |
| Tarrant County | $5,211 | 1.77% | $294,100 | Details |
| Kaufman County | $5,036 | 1.73% | $290,800 | Details |
| Parker County | $4,978 | 1.45% | $343,600 | Details |
| Brazoria County | $4,831 | 1.75% | $276,800 | Details |
| Comal County | $4,827 | 1.21% | $398,800 | Details |
| Dallas County | $4,668 | 1.68% | $277,900 | Details |
| Brazos County | $4,580 | 1.64% | $279,700 | Details |
| Ellis County | $4,472 | 1.46% | $306,400 | Details |
| Bexar County | $4,429 | 1.81% | $244,100 | Details |
| Gillespie County | $4,404 | 1.02% | $432,300 | Details |
| Harris County | $4,382 | 1.72% | $255,000 | Details |
| Guadalupe County | $4,270 | 1.49% | $285,900 | Details |
| Galveston County | $4,238 | 1.49% | $284,900 | Details |
| Blanco County | $4,134 | 1.04% | $396,200 | Details |
| Bastrop County | $4,077 | 1.51% | $269,500 | Details |
| Waller County | $3,971 | 1.36% | $292,000 | Details |
| Wilson County | $3,726 | 1.30% | $286,300 | Details |
| Midland County | $3,697 | 1.26% | $293,000 | Details |
| Randall County | $3,587 | 1.58% | $227,500 | Details |
| Burnet County | $3,495 | 1.13% | $310,500 | Details |
| El Paso County | $3,490 | 2.09% | $167,300 | Details |
| Austin County | $3,464 | 1.28% | $270,900 | Details |
| Bell County | $3,409 | 1.54% | $221,100 | Details |
| McLennan County | $3,347 | 1.53% | $219,200 | Details |
| Webb County | $3,312 | 1.85% | $178,900 | Details |
| Wise County | $3,293 | 1.19% | $277,200 | Details |
| Chambers County | $3,290 | 1.13% | $289,900 | Details |
| Nueces County | $3,268 | 1.68% | $194,700 | Details |
| Johnson County | $3,259 | 1.28% | $254,600 | Details |
| Hood County | $3,240 | 1.15% | $281,300 | Details |
| Lubbock County | $3,119 | 1.56% | $199,600 | Details |
| Kerr County | $3,115 | 1.09% | $285,100 | Details |
| Washington County | $3,105 | 1.15% | $270,100 | Details |
| Lampasas County | $2,993 | 1.27% | $236,000 | Details |
| Grayson County | $2,953 | 1.29% | $228,300 | Details |
| Victoria County | $2,941 | 1.49% | $197,600 | Details |
| Medina County | $2,881 | 1.31% | $220,000 | Details |
| Caldwell County | $2,871 | 1.33% | $215,600 | Details |
| Erath County | $2,836 | 1.13% | $251,900 | Details |
| Cooke County | $2,794 | 1.24% | $224,600 | Details |
| San Patricio County | $2,754 | 1.53% | $180,400 | Details |
| Smith County | $2,749 | 1.25% | $220,800 | Details |
| Wharton County | $2,749 | 1.50% | $182,700 | Details |
| Hunt County | $2,736 | 1.30% | $210,900 | Details |
| Fayette County | $2,734 | 1.01% | $271,100 | Details |
| Gaines County | $2,721 | 1.47% | $185,300 | Details |
| Armstrong County | $2,679 | 1.44% | $185,700 | Details |
| Taylor County | $2,670 | 1.40% | $190,300 | Details |
| Brewster County | $2,644 | 1.22% | $216,000 | Details |
| Hartley County | $2,604 | 1.22% | $213,200 | Details |
| Llano County | $2,587 | 0.80% | $322,300 | Details |
| Tom Green County | $2,523 | 1.35% | $186,700 | Details |
| Jefferson County | $2,513 | 1.57% | $159,600 | Details |
| Coryell County | $2,509 | 1.41% | $177,400 | Details |
| Hemphill County | $2,502 | 1.16% | $214,900 | Details |
| Wichita County | $2,501 | 1.77% | $141,600 | Details |
| Andrews County | $2,500 | 1.33% | $188,200 | Details |
| Grimes County | $2,480 | 1.09% | $226,600 | Details |
| Kleberg County | $2,457 | 1.61% | $152,200 | Details |
| Somervell County | $2,452 | 0.97% | $253,600 | Details |
| Sherman County | $2,450 | 1.95% | $125,500 | Details |
| Ector County | $2,438 | 1.28% | $190,500 | Details |
| Aransas County | $2,401 | 1.01% | $236,800 | Details |
| Lee County | $2,399 | 0.97% | $247,500 | Details |
| Fannin County | $2,356 | 1.10% | $213,500 | Details |
| Rains County | $2,350 | 1.09% | $214,900 | Details |
| Bandera County | $2,347 | 0.94% | $249,800 | Details |
| Archer County | $2,317 | 1.32% | $175,300 | Details |
| Walker County | $2,312 | 1.11% | $207,900 | Details |
| Shackelford County | $2,276 | 1.29% | $176,900 | Details |
| Gregg County | $2,271 | 1.22% | $185,800 | Details |
| Lynn County | $2,268 | 1.73% | $130,800 | Details |
| Jack County | $2,266 | 1.30% | $174,800 | Details |
| Uvalde County | $2,260 | 1.57% | $144,400 | Details |
| Mason County | $2,239 | 0.82% | $274,600 | Details |
| Val Verde County | $2,233 | 1.47% | $151,500 | Details |
| Van Zandt County | $2,204 | 1.10% | $199,500 | Details |
| Clay County | $2,194 | 1.36% | $161,300 | Details |
| Hidalgo County | $2,187 | 1.76% | $124,000 | Details |
| Hardin County | $2,174 | 1.16% | $188,200 | Details |
| Kimble County | $2,173 | 1.26% | $173,100 | Details |
| McMullen County | $2,167 | 1.99% | $108,800 | Details |
| Hansford County | $2,165 | 1.64% | $132,100 | Details |
| Palo Pinto County | $2,147 | 1.28% | $167,300 | Details |
| Navarro County | $2,119 | 1.33% | $159,900 | Details |
| Colorado County | $2,117 | 1.09% | $194,000 | Details |
| Lavaca County | $2,113 | 0.96% | $220,900 | Details |
| Maverick County | $2,112 | 1.39% | $151,500 | Details |
| Upshur County | $2,099 | 1.23% | $171,200 | Details |
| Calhoun County | $2,095 | 1.40% | $150,000 | Details |
| Bowie County | $2,091 | 1.30% | $161,300 | Details |
| Liberty County | $2,091 | 1.25% | $167,100 | Details |
| San Jacinto County | $2,086 | 1.14% | $183,100 | Details |
| Comanche County | $2,082 | 1.51% | $137,800 | Details |
| Atascosa County | $2,079 | 1.32% | $157,400 | Details |
| Hopkins County | $2,072 | 1.07% | $193,200 | Details |
| Moore County | $2,066 | 1.53% | $135,400 | Details |
| Dallam County | $2,065 | 1.47% | $140,500 | Details |
| Orange County | $2,036 | 1.25% | $163,400 | Details |
| Matagorda County | $2,035 | 1.25% | $162,200 | Details |
| Potter County | $2,028 | 1.50% | $134,900 | Details |
| Hill County | $2,012 | 1.23% | $163,100 | Details |
| Young County | $2,006 | 1.21% | $165,300 | Details |
| Parmer County | $1,994 | 1.57% | $127,300 | Details |
| Gonzales County | $1,949 | 1.23% | $158,900 | Details |
| Presidio County | $1,949 | 1.58% | $123,100 | Details |
| Cameron County | $1,946 | 1.62% | $120,000 | Details |
| Franklin County | $1,944 | 0.91% | $213,200 | Details |
| Cherokee County | $1,941 | 1.21% | $160,300 | Details |
| Sutton County | $1,938 | 1.38% | $140,600 | Details |
| Ochiltree County | $1,924 | 1.40% | $137,200 | Details |
| Hamilton County | $1,918 | 1.54% | $124,800 | Details |
| Carson County | $1,915 | 1.36% | $140,600 | Details |
| Titus County | $1,897 | 1.20% | $157,900 | Details |
| Goliad County | $1,892 | 1.04% | $182,800 | Details |
| Oldham County | $1,878 | 1.30% | $144,800 | Details |
| Angelina County | $1,872 | 1.25% | $149,800 | Details |
| Bosque County | $1,859 | 1.01% | $184,500 | Details |
| Henderson County | $1,859 | 0.98% | $189,600 | Details |
| Jackson County | $1,847 | 1.05% | $175,500 | Details |
| Limestone County | $1,833 | 1.19% | $154,400 | Details |
| Reagan County | $1,825 | 1.11% | $163,700 | Details |
| Wood County | $1,818 | 0.93% | $195,100 | Details |
| Burleson County | $1,816 | 1.04% | $174,000 | Details |
| Harrison County | $1,811 | 1.02% | $178,200 | Details |
| Montague County | $1,802 | 0.95% | $189,400 | Details |
| Yoakum County | $1,795 | 0.98% | $183,000 | Details |
| Milam County | $1,789 | 1.06% | $168,900 | Details |
| Stephens County | $1,779 | 1.68% | $105,700 | Details |
| Roberts County | $1,776 | 1.00% | $176,800 | Details |
| Jim Hogg County | $1,775 | 1.41% | $125,600 | Details |
| Mills County | $1,762 | 0.88% | $200,200 | Details |
| Scurry County | $1,761 | 1.59% | $110,800 | Details |
| Frio County | $1,751 | 1.59% | $110,100 | Details |
| Lipscomb County | $1,750 | 1.36% | $128,400 | Details |
| Menard County | $1,747 | 1.66% | $105,300 | Details |
| Brown County | $1,727 | 1.15% | $149,900 | Details |
| Madison County | $1,722 | 1.15% | $149,100 | Details |
| Freestone County | $1,705 | 1.04% | $164,400 | Details |
| Camp County | $1,703 | 1.07% | $159,900 | Details |
| Childress County | $1,694 | 1.47% | $115,100 | Details |
| Anderson County | $1,688 | 0.97% | $173,400 | Details |
| Mitchell County | $1,680 | 1.96% | $85,700 | Details |
| Rusk County | $1,670 | 1.00% | $166,900 | Details |
| Lamar County | $1,669 | 0.95% | $175,500 | Details |
| Hockley County | $1,668 | 1.48% | $112,700 | Details |
| Terry County | $1,645 | 1.48% | $111,200 | Details |
| Howard County | $1,642 | 1.09% | $150,300 | Details |
| San Saba County | $1,628 | 1.01% | $161,800 | Details |
| Schleicher County | $1,621 | 1.43% | $113,400 | Details |
| Concho County | $1,600 | 1.51% | $105,800 | Details |
| Polk County | $1,597 | 1.04% | $154,000 | Details |
| Deaf Smith County | $1,590 | 1.37% | $116,000 | Details |
| Callahan County | $1,587 | 1.10% | $144,800 | Details |
| Robertson County | $1,583 | 0.92% | $172,700 | Details |
| La Salle County | $1,577 | 1.56% | $101,000 | Details |
| Crane County | $1,568 | 1.31% | $119,900 | Details |
| Dawson County | $1,567 | 1.73% | $90,800 | Details |
| Swisher County | $1,555 | 1.74% | $89,200 | Details |
| Sterling County | $1,535 | 1.07% | $143,200 | Details |
| Bailey County | $1,533 | 1.47% | $104,400 | Details |
| Runnels County | $1,518 | 1.46% | $103,700 | Details |
| Hutchinson County | $1,515 | 1.48% | $102,200 | Details |
| Nolan County | $1,485 | 1.51% | $98,300 | Details |
| Pecos County | $1,477 | 1.03% | $142,900 | Details |
| Hale County | $1,471 | 1.39% | $106,100 | Details |
| Nacogdoches County | $1,464 | 0.93% | $158,200 | Details |
| Bee County | $1,461 | 1.42% | $102,800 | Details |
| Delta County | $1,456 | 0.97% | $149,400 | Details |
| Irion County | $1,456 | 0.95% | $152,600 | Details |
| Wilbarger County | $1,456 | 1.47% | $98,800 | Details |
| Eastland County | $1,451 | 1.19% | $121,700 | Details |
| DeWitt County | $1,437 | 0.86% | $167,200 | Details |
| Gray County | $1,435 | 1.43% | $100,400 | Details |
| McCulloch County | $1,435 | 1.37% | $104,400 | Details |
| Martin County | $1,434 | 0.88% | $162,200 | Details |
| Falls County | $1,429 | 1.47% | $97,300 | Details |
| Houston County | $1,429 | 0.92% | $155,100 | Details |
| Tyler County | $1,428 | 1.03% | $138,400 | Details |
| Jones County | $1,425 | 1.54% | $92,700 | Details |
| Cass County | $1,419 | 1.06% | $133,500 | Details |
| Wheeler County | $1,411 | 1.45% | $97,600 | Details |
| Collingsworth County | $1,378 | 1.27% | $108,400 | Details |
| Crosby County | $1,345 | 1.78% | $75,500 | Details |
| Karnes County | $1,344 | 0.98% | $136,900 | Details |
| Reeves County | $1,343 | 1.18% | $113,700 | Details |
| Coke County | $1,340 | 1.19% | $112,900 | Details |
| Leon County | $1,339 | 0.75% | $177,400 | Details |
| Refugio County | $1,325 | 1.40% | $94,400 | Details |
| Fisher County | $1,323 | 1.70% | $77,600 | Details |
| Red River County | $1,317 | 0.98% | $133,800 | Details |
| Garza County | $1,316 | 1.66% | $79,300 | Details |
| Sabine County | $1,315 | 1.00% | $131,900 | Details |
| Panola County | $1,313 | 0.90% | $146,000 | Details |
| Jim Wells County | $1,311 | 1.25% | $104,800 | Details |
| Jasper County | $1,304 | 1.04% | $125,900 | Details |
| Morris County | $1,298 | 1.18% | $110,200 | Details |
| Jeff Davis County | $1,283 | 0.55% | $234,400 | Details |
| Live Oak County | $1,255 | 0.88% | $142,300 | Details |
| Zavala County | $1,254 | 1.42% | $88,100 | Details |
| Coleman County | $1,248 | 1.37% | $91,200 | Details |
| Kinney County | $1,244 | 1.41% | $88,500 | Details |
| Knox County | $1,244 | 1.86% | $66,800 | Details |
| Terrell County | $1,222 | 0.80% | $152,200 | Details |
| Trinity County | $1,219 | 1.11% | $110,100 | Details |
| Real County | $1,213 | — | — | Details |
| Upton County | $1,197 | 1.13% | $106,300 | Details |
| Willacy County | $1,164 | 1.91% | $60,800 | Details |
| Baylor County | $1,163 | 1.25% | $93,300 | Details |
| Glasscock County | $1,154 | 0.46% | $248,600 | Details |
| Winkler County | $1,154 | 0.95% | $121,200 | Details |
| Shelby County | $1,143 | 1.02% | $111,700 | Details |
| Floyd County | $1,090 | 1.08% | $101,000 | Details |
| Castro County | $1,067 | 1.12% | $94,900 | Details |
| Starr County | $1,047 | 1.12% | $93,300 | Details |
| Brooks County | $1,042 | 1.26% | $82,700 | Details |
| Haskell County | $1,028 | 1.12% | $92,000 | Details |
| Donley County | $1,019 | 1.13% | $90,500 | Details |
| Kent County | $988 | 0.91% | $108,900 | Details |
| Hall County | $972 | 1.21% | $80,200 | Details |
| Throckmorton County | $969 | 1.15% | $84,200 | Details |
| Duval County | $931 | 1.08% | $86,400 | Details |
| Dimmit County | $917 | 1.14% | $80,300 | Details |
| Lamb County | $913 | 1.19% | $76,600 | Details |
| Zapata County | $912 | 1.03% | $88,800 | Details |
| Hardeman County | $905 | 1.18% | $76,500 | Details |
| Briscoe County | $899 | 1.08% | $82,900 | Details |
| Motley County | $890 | 1.10% | $81,100 | Details |
| Dickens County | $888 | 1.37% | $65,000 | Details |
| Marion County | $870 | 0.79% | $110,500 | Details |
| Newton County | $856 | 1.03% | $83,100 | Details |
| Foard County | $844 | 1.18% | $71,400 | Details |
| Ward County | $833 | 0.60% | $138,800 | Details |
| Edwards County | $823 | 1.05% | $78,300 | Details |
| Stonewall County | $744 | 1.36% | $54,700 | Details |
| Culberson County | $726 | 0.86% | $84,500 | Details |
| Cochran County | $684 | 1.19% | $57,700 | Details |
| San Augustine County | $681 | 0.82% | $83,500 | Details |
| Hudspeth County | $677 | 1.18% | $57,400 | Details |
| Cottle County | $623 | 1.15% | $54,100 | Details |
| King County | $541 | — | — | Details |
| Borden County | $493 | 0.47% | $105,400 | Details |
| Crockett County | $466 | 0.33% | $140,000 | Details |
| Kenedy County | — | — | — | Details |
| Loving County | — | — | — | Details |
| Texas | $4,111 | 1.58% | $260,400 |
Sources
- Ballotpedia, Texas Proposition 13, Increase Homestead Property Tax Exemption Amendment (2025), approved (summary source)
- Ballotpedia, Texas Proposition 11, Increase Homestead Tax Exemption for Elderly and Disabled Amendment (2025) (summary source)
- Williamson County, Exemptions / Tax Deferral: School Tax Ceiling
- Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Age 65 or Older or Disabled Exemptions: Frequently Asked Questions
- Texas Legislature, Texas Tax Code § 23.23, Limitation on Appraised Value of Residence Homestead
- Bell County Appraisal District, Exemption Information: Ceiling Transfer
- Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Form 50-272, School Tax Ceiling Certificate
- Fort Bend Central Appraisal District, Deferred Collection of Taxes on Residence Homestead (Tax Code § 33.06)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, Tables B25103 and B25077
This page explains how Texas’s property tax rules generally work. It isn’t tax or legal advice, and local exemptions, deadlines, and income limits change. Confirm what applies to a specific home with the county assessor, appraiser, auditor, or trustee.