Mortgage vs free-and-clear medians
- With mortgage
- $5,327/yr
- Without mortgage
- $2,847/yr
- Gap
- $2,480
Statewide · Property tax · ACS 2024
Texas Property Taxes
The average Texas homeowner pays $4,232 a year at an effective rate of 1.49%. That bill is 112% above the U.S. median bill. Compare 252 counties below.
- $4,232
- Avg median tax
- 1.49%
- Effective rate
- #8 of 51
- U.S. rank (burden)
- 252
- Counties
Texas is one of the most heavily property-taxed places in the country: a median bill of $4,232 a year at an effective rate of 1.49%, the 8th-highest of 51 U.S. jurisdictions (50 states and DC).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2024), the median Texas homeowner pays $4,232 a year on a home worth $283,800, an effective rate of 1.49%. The bill runs 112% above the $1,993 national median. County medians range $400 (McMullen County) to $7,727 (Travis County) across 252 counties.
What the statewide average misses
County medians in Texas run from $400 in McMullen County to $7,727 (Travis County). That range is why a statewide figure is a starting point, not a parcel-level estimate.
- $400–$7,727 (Travis County)
- County median-bill range
- 1.51%
- Home-weighted county rate
- 49%
- Homes in the eight largest counties
County medians come from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2024. The statewide effective rate in the hero is median tax divided by median home value.
Collector rank · FY2024
Texas is a top-tier collector of U.S. state-and-local property tax
#2 of 51 · 10.0% of U.S. collections
In Census FY2024, Texas's state and local governments collected $72.7B in property tax - 10.0% of the U.S. total (#2 of 51).
Spread across 6,879,255 owner-occupied homes, that haul is about $10,562 per home - 2.5× the ACS median homeowner bill of $4,232. The gap is expected: LF0009 covers all taxable property (including commercial and other non-household parcels), while the ACS median is a household figure.
- New York at 9.76% U.S. share (lower)
- California at 13.53% U.S. share (higher)
- Florida at 6.43% U.S. share (lower)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, FY2024, series LF0009 (property tax), government level State and Local (GOVTYPE 001). Amounts are published in thousands of dollars. This is a government-revenue series, not tax, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for the ACS homeowner median bill above.
ACS tenure & reporting signals · 2024
Mortgage tenure and zero-tax reporting in Texas
These sub-topics sit on dedicated research and guide pages fleet-wide; here they are computed for Texas from the same ACS tables that power county medians above.
Owners reporting no tax
- All owner-occupied
- 7.4%
- With mortgage
- 4.8%
- Sample (owned homes)
- 3,024,746
ACS reports what households paid, not approved exemptions. Exemption guide
County effective-rate spread
Published medians span 0.41% in McMullen County to 2.03% in El Paso County - a 1.62 percentage-point gap across 250 counties.
Appeal guide for when a parcel sits above its county median.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024), Table B25087 (mortgage status medians) and county tax_distribution aggregates (zero-tax reporting shares). Informational only, not tax or legal advice.
The average median property tax in Texas is $4,232/year, which is 112% above the national average of $1,993. The average effective tax rate is 1.49% on a median home value of $283,800. Taxes range from $400 in McMullen County to $7,727 (Travis County).
Read the state signal first
What the data changes in Texas
A rate compares places with different home values. The annual bill shows a typical dollar amount. County spread shows why neither is a parcel estimate.
The clearest local difference
The typical bill sits well above the national median
The statewide median property-tax bill is $4,232 a year, 112% above the $1,993 national median. The Census ACS estimate describes the median homeowner household rather than an individual parcel.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Figures describe median homeowner households reported to the Census Bureau. Individual bills can differ with assessed value, exemptions, special districts, and local overlays. Confirm current rates with your county assessor or a qualified professional before making a decision.
State Average vs National Average
Median Annual Tax
$4,232
+112% vs US avg
Median Home Value
$283,800
+25% vs US avg
Effective Tax Rate
1.49%
+62% vs US avg
Rate-band peers near Texas
Nearest ACS 2024 jurisdictions by effective rate (not geography). Each row names another state so Texas's 1.49% rate is read against real neighbors such as Nebraska and New York.
| Peer state | Effective rate | Vs Texas | Median bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Also open Nebraska for county spread | 1.49% | Nebraska nearly matches Texas | $3,549 |
| New York Also open New York for county spread | 1.55% | New York runs 0.06 pts above Texas | $6,582 |
| Wisconsin Also open Wisconsin for county spread | 1.42% | Wisconsin runs 0.07 pts below Texas | $3,792 |
| Iowa Also open Iowa for county spread | 1.39% | Iowa runs 0.10 pts below Texas | $2,897 |
| Vermont Also open Vermont for county spread | 1.59% | Vermont runs 0.10 pts above Texas | $5,039 |
| New Hampshire Also open New Hampshire for county spread | 1.66% | New Hampshire runs 0.17 pts above Texas | $6,667 |
Nationwide states with similar effective rate & median bill
Two PlainPropertyTax-derived comparison paths for Texas, excluding Texas itself so the link neighborhoods are not self-referential. Median-bill peers exclude the effective-rate peer set so the two axes stay disjoint.
Similar effective rate
Nearest other states by ACS effective rate. Texas: 1.49%.
Similar median bill
Nearest other states by ACS median annual tax. Texas: $4,232/yr. Rate peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Where Texas sits among U.S. jurisdictions
Effective property tax rate (median tax ÷ median home value) across the 50 states and DC, ACS 2024.
Where Texas sits among U.S. jurisdictions
Effective rate · ACS 2024 · 50 states and DC
1.49% more affordable than 12% of 51 U.S. jurisdictions
Show national distribution
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more U.S. jurisdictions. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2024
Texas has a higher effective property tax rate than 86% of U.S. jurisdictions (the 50 states and DC), ranking #8 of 51 for property tax burden. Rate neighbors: Nebraska (1.49%, nearly level); New York (1.55%, 0.06 pts higher than Texas); Wisconsin (1.42%, 0.07 pts lower than Texas).
What Texas's biggest counties actually charge
Effective rate in the eight Texas counties holding the most owner-occupied homes, ordered largest first (highlighted) and together holding 49% of the state's. ACS 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). Counties ordered by owner-occupied housing units (B25003_002E), not by resident population.
Texas's median county rate is 1.49%, but that figure counts every county equally. Weight each county by how many owner-occupied homes it actually holds and the rate a typical Texas homeowner faces is 1.51%, close to the plain median, so Texas's larger counties are not unusual for the state.
Top 5 Lowest Tax Counties
Top 5 Highest Tax Counties
Tax Affordability Score
3.3
Expensive
Based on the average effective tax rate of 1.49% compared to the national average of 0.92%. Texas has above-average property tax rates, contributing to higher housing costs.
Very Expensive Very Affordable
How this score is calculated: a 1-10 scale from Texas's 1.49% vs the national 0.92% - read beside Nebraska and New York before treating the score as band-typical. A ratio at or below 0.5× scores 10, at or above 2.0× scores 1, linear between. Census figures only, not a recommendation or endorsement.
Counties in Texas by tax bill
Ranked from highest median annual bill downward , showing the top 80 of 252 measured counties so the page stays crawlable. Gold/silver/bronze mark the top three list positions; effective rate is the focal comparison when home values differ.
| # | County | Median tax | Eff. rate | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travis County | $7,727 | 1.48% | $523,000 |
| 2 | Collin County | $7,521 | 1.58% | $475,600 |
| 3 | Williamson County | $7,205 | 1.61% | $447,000 |
| 4 | Denton County | $7,055 | 1.61% | $437,200 |
| 5 | Fort Bend County | $6,965 | 1.86% | $374,500 |
| 6 | Hays County | $6,649 | 1.66% | $399,800 |
| 7 | Rockwall County | $6,396 | 1.54% | $415,500 |
| 8 | Kendall County | $5,656 | 1.10% | $512,700 |
| 9 | Kaufman County | $5,377 | 1.68% | $320,900 |
| 10 | Tarrant County | $5,334 | 1.65% | $323,900 |
| 11 | Montgomery County | $5,268 | 1.52% | $346,200 |
| 12 | Parker County | $5,249 | 1.40% | $375,900 |
| 13 | Brazoria County | $5,001 | 1.66% | $301,600 |
| 14 | Comal County | $4,833 | 1.13% | $427,200 |
| 15 | Dallas County | $4,798 | 1.58% | $303,000 |
| 16 | Ellis County | $4,697 | 1.35% | $348,600 |
| 17 | Brazos County | $4,568 | 1.54% | $296,000 |
| 18 | Bexar County | $4,535 | 1.73% | $262,200 |
| 19 | Blanco County | $4,510 | 0.93% | $483,500 |
| 20 | Gillespie County | $4,496 | 0.98% | $460,700 |
| 21 | Harris County | $4,489 | 1.62% | $276,600 |
| 22 | Bastrop County | $4,453 | 1.41% | $314,800 |
| 23 | Galveston County | $4,442 | 1.41% | $314,600 |
| 24 | Guadalupe County | $4,343 | 1.43% | $304,400 |
| 25 | Waller County | $4,046 | 1.27% | $318,700 |
| 26 | Wilson County | $3,928 | 1.22% | $321,300 |
| 27 | Midland County | $3,832 | 1.23% | $312,700 |
| 28 | El Paso County | $3,660 | 2.03% | $180,400 |
| 29 | Burnet County | $3,639 | 1.06% | $344,000 |
| 30 | Randall County | $3,610 | 1.51% | $238,800 |
| 31 | Johnson County | $3,557 | 1.24% | $285,900 |
| 32 | Bell County | $3,476 | 1.44% | $241,000 |
| 33 | Chambers County | $3,474 | 1.05% | $329,500 |
| 34 | McLennan County | $3,471 | 1.42% | $243,600 |
| 35 | Wise County | $3,466 | 1.14% | $304,900 |
| 36 | Austin County | $3,433 | 1.16% | $296,900 |
| 37 | Webb County | $3,421 | 1.80% | $189,900 |
| 38 | Nueces County | $3,330 | 1.59% | $208,800 |
| 39 | Lubbock County | $3,241 | 1.51% | $214,100 |
| 40 | Caldwell County | $3,235 | 1.35% | $240,500 |
| 41 | Hood County | $3,217 | 1.05% | $306,400 |
| 42 | Medina County | $3,165 | 1.32% | $239,600 |
| 43 | Grayson County | $3,146 | 1.27% | $248,400 |
| 44 | Washington County | $3,143 | 1.09% | $288,100 |
| 45 | Gaines County | $3,142 | 1.57% | $200,700 |
| 46 | Kerr County | $3,103 | 0.97% | $321,200 |
| 47 | Victoria County | $3,061 | 1.46% | $209,900 |
| 48 | Hunt County | $3,002 | 1.24% | $241,700 |
| 49 | Lampasas County | $2,929 | 1.17% | $250,400 |
| 50 | Erath County | $2,887 | 1.07% | $269,100 |
| 51 | Wharton County | $2,881 | 1.52% | $189,900 |
| 52 | San Patricio County | $2,866 | 1.49% | $192,400 |
| 53 | Cooke County | $2,864 | 1.19% | $240,400 |
| 54 | Smith County | $2,804 | 1.16% | $240,700 |
| 55 | Taylor County | $2,728 | 1.37% | $198,600 |
| 56 | Aransas County | $2,705 | 1.02% | $265,400 |
| 57 | Walker County | $2,669 | 1.18% | $226,900 |
| 58 | Llano County | $2,658 | 0.75% | $356,500 |
| 59 | Coryell County | $2,654 | 1.36% | $195,300 |
| 60 | Hartley County | $2,645 | 1.01% | $262,500 |
| 61 | Somervell County | $2,634 | 0.91% | $289,500 |
| 62 | Fayette County | $2,611 | 0.89% | $293,900 |
| 63 | Lynn County | $2,604 | 1.77% | $147,300 |
| 64 | Jefferson County | $2,600 | 1.53% | $169,500 |
| 65 | Lee County | $2,584 | 0.96% | $267,800 |
| 66 | Brewster County | $2,574 | 1.13% | $227,000 |
| 67 | Kimble County | $2,559 | 1.27% | $201,300 |
| 68 | Ector County | $2,538 | 1.27% | $200,200 |
| 69 | Tom Green County | $2,532 | 1.29% | $197,000 |
| 70 | Sherman County | $2,531 | 1.72% | $146,900 |
| 71 | Fannin County | $2,529 | 1.08% | $233,700 |
| 72 | Wichita County | $2,522 | 1.64% | $153,700 |
| 73 | Andrews County | $2,509 | 1.28% | $195,700 |
| 74 | Mason County | $2,461 | 0.84% | $293,600 |
| 75 | Rains County | $2,458 | 1.02% | $241,100 |
| 76 | Jack County | $2,453 | 0.98% | $251,200 |
| 77 | Bandera County | $2,438 | 0.88% | $278,400 |
| 78 | Grimes County | $2,414 | 1.02% | $237,400 |
| 79 | Hemphill County | $2,390 | 1.16% | $205,700 |
| 80 | Kleberg County | $2,369 | 1.47% | $161,300 |
172 additional Texas counties rank below this top-80 list in the same bill order. Open any county from the county directory or the Texas calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Texas compare to the national average? ▼
Texas property taxes are 112% above the national average. Homeowners here pay a median of $4,232 per year compared to $1,993 nationally.
What is the average property tax in Texas? ▼
The average median property tax paid in Texas is $4,232 per year, based on ACS 2024 data. The average effective tax rate is 1.49%.
Which county in Texas has the lowest property taxes? ▼
McMullen County has the lowest median property tax in Texas at $400 per year with an effective rate of 0.41%. The highest is Travis County at $7,727.
Do homeowners with a mortgage pay more property tax in Texas? ▼
ACS 2024 medians show mortgaged owners pay $5,327/yr versus $2,847 for owners without a mortgage, a $2,480 gap. Our mortgage-gap research page ranks this spread against all states.
How large is Texas's share of U.S. property-tax collections? ▼
In Census FY2024, Texas's state and local governments collected $72.7B in property tax - 10.0% of the U.S. total (#2 of 51). Spread across 6,879,255 owner-occupied homes, that haul is about $10,562 per home - 2.5× the ACS median homeowner bill of $4,232. The gap is expected: LF0009 covers all taxable property (including commercial and other non-household parcels), while the ACS median is a household figure.
What is the median home value in Texas? ▼
The median home value across Texas is $283,800, compared to $227,791 nationally. Home values directly impact property tax bills since taxes are assessed as a percentage of property value.
What share of Texas owners report paying no property tax? ▼
7.4% of owner-occupied homes in Texas report zero property tax on the ACS survey (4.8% among mortgaged owners). That is a reporting signal, exemptions, caps, or non-levying jurisdictions, not an exemption headcount.
How are property taxes calculated? ▼
Property taxes are calculated by multiplying the assessed value of a property by the local tax rate (mill rate). Rates vary by county, city, and school district. The effective tax rate shown here is the median tax paid divided by the median home value, which provides a standardized comparison across counties.
Can I appeal my property taxes in Texas? ▼
Yes. Every Texas homeowner has the right to appeal their property tax assessment. The process typically starts at your county assessor's office within 30-90 days of receiving your assessment notice. You can challenge the assessed value by providing comparable sales data, evidence of property condition, or errors in the assessment. See our guide on how to appeal property taxes for detailed steps.
What to do with Texas's numbers
Turn the ACS 2024 statewide medians into a county check, an estimate, or an appeal path.
- Texas's ACS 2024 median bill is $4,232/yr at 1.49% (112% above the U.S. median). Open any county below to see how far local bills sit from that statewide figure. County list
- Inside Texas, McMullen County posts the lowest median bill at $400/yr; Travis County is highest at $7,727/yr. Open McMullen County
- Estimate a parcel bill at Texas's published effective rate, or read the state's assessment and appeal path before treating the statewide median as your budget. State estimator
Statewide medians average across 252 counties; your parcel's assessed value, exemptions, and local levies set the real bill. U.S. Census Bureau ACS · 2024.
Editorial standards and provenance
PlainPropertyTax is rendered directly from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on the Census ACS state-level record for Texas. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-09.