Texas Property Tax Calculator (2026)
Texas has no state property tax: school districts, cities, counties and special districts each tax your home, and their combined rates are often around 2% of value. Homesteads get a $140,000 exemption from school taxes ($200,000 at 65+ or disabled), and their taxable value can rise no more than 10% a year. The median Texas homeowner pays $4,108 a year on a $313,200 home, an effective rate of 1.31% (US: 0.89%).
Updated 2026-10-03
| Appraised value used | $400,000 |
| Houston ISD (0.8783) | $2,284 on $260,000, −$140,000 exempt |
| City of Houston (0.5192) | $1,661 on $320,000, −$80,000 exempt |
| Harris County (0.3810) | $1,219 on $320,000, −$80,000 exempt |
| Harris County Hospital District (0.1876) | $750 on $400,000 |
| Houston City College (0.0988) | $395 on $400,000 |
| Harris County Flood Control (0.0497) | $199 on $400,000 |
| Port of Houston Authority (0.0059) | $24 on $400,000 |
| Harris County Dept. of Education (0.0048) | $19 on $400,000 |
| Tax with no homestead exemptions | $8,501 |
Each unit applies its own exemptions. School districts must give $140,000; cities, counties and special districts may give up to 20% (minimum $5,000) and their own 65+ amounts. MUD, ESD and other special district taxes are not included. Homeowners 65+ also get a school tax ceiling (freeze), not modelled.
- Houston ISD $2,284 34.9%
- City of Houston $1,661 25.4%
- Harris County $1,219 18.6%
- Harris County Hospital District $750 11.5%
- Houston City College $395 6.0%
- Harris County Flood Control $199 3.0%
- Port of Houston Authority $24 0.4%
- Harris County Dept. of Education $19 0.3%
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Property tax by county in Texas
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County (Houston) | $4,416 | $301,700 | 1.46% |
| Dallas County | $4,649 | $330,500 | 1.41% |
| Travis County (Austin) | $7,319 | $545,700 | 1.34% |
| Bexar County (San Antonio) | $4,381 | $284,400 | 1.54% |
| Tarrant County (Fort Worth) | $5,162 | $351,900 | 1.47% |
| Texas | $4,108 | $313,200 | 1.31% |
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2024 1-year, owner-occupied homes. The Census Bureau reports taxes of $10,000 or more as "$10,000+", so those rates are minimums.
How Texas property tax works
Texas has no state property tax. The appraisal district values your home each January 1, and every local taxing unit (school district, city, county, hospital district, community college, special districts) applies its own exemptions and rate per $100 of value. Your bill is the sum of those separate taxes. In Houston the main 2025 rates add up to about $2.1252 per $100 (2.13%); in Austin about $2.0465.
Homestead exemption: $140,000 for school taxes
Since November 2025, school districts must exempt $140,000 of a homestead's value, plus $60,000 more for owners 65 or older or disabled, who also get a school tax ceiling that freezes the dollar amount. Cities, counties and special districts may give a local-option exemption of up to 20% of value (at least $5,000) and their own 65+ amounts. Apply to your appraisal district before May 1; you can claim it from the year you move in.
Example: a $400,000 home in Houston
With a homestead, Houston ISD taxes $260,000, while the City of Houston and Harris County, each with a 20% local option, tax $320,000. The total comes to $6,551 a year, 1.64% of value. Without a homestead the same home pays $8,501; with the 65+ school exemption it pays $6,024.
| Taxing unit | Rate per $100 | Taxable value | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston ISD | 0.8783 | $260,000 | $2,284 |
| City of Houston | 0.5192 | $320,000 | $1,661 |
| Harris County | 0.3810 | $320,000 | $1,219 |
| Harris County Hospital District | 0.1876 | $400,000 | $750 |
| Houston City College | 0.0988 | $400,000 | $395 |
| Harris County Flood Control | 0.0497 | $400,000 | $199 |
| Port of Houston Authority | 0.0059 | $400,000 | $24 |
| Harris County Dept. of Education | 0.0048 | $400,000 | $19 |
Austin and Dallas property tax
A $550,000 homestead in Austin (Austin ISD, City of Austin, Travis County, Central Health and Austin Community College) pays about $9,960 with only the school exemption applied; enter your units' local-option percentages from the Travis Central Appraisal District to refine it. In Dallas County the median homeowner pays $4,649 on a $330,500 home (ACS 2024), an effective 1.41%. Rates are set each autumn, so bills arriving in October use that year's adopted rates.
The 10% homestead cap and the 20% circuit breaker
A homestead's appraised value for tax purposes can rise no more than 10% a year, plus new improvements, even if the market rises faster. Other real property worth $5,320,000 or less, such as a rental house, is capped at 20% a year in 2026; that circuit breaker expires at the end of 2026 unless the Legislature extends it. Enter last year's appraised value in the calculator to apply the cap.
If you disagree with your appraisal, protest by May 15 or 30 days after the notice is mailed, whichever is later. A successful protest lowers every unit's tax.
Homestead, no homestead and 65+ compared
For the $400,000 Houston home, the exemptions are worth more than $1,950 a year. Owners 65 or older also get a ceiling on school taxes: once the over-65 exemption is in place, the school tax in dollars cannot rise above that year's amount unless the home is improved.
| Status | Annual tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| No homestead | $8,501 | 2.13% |
| Homestead | $6,551 | 1.64% |
| Homestead, 65+ | $6,024 | 1.51% |
Texas vs California property tax
Texas homeowners pay about 1.31% of value in property tax, California homeowners about 0.71%. On a $400,000 home that is $5,246 against $2,828. Texas has no income tax, so for many households the total tax bill is similar or lower; see the paycheck calculator to compare.
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in Texas?
There is no single rate. Houston's main 2025 rates total 2.13% and Austin's 2.05% of taxable value; the median Texas homeowner pays $4,108, an effective 1.31% of market value.
How much is the Texas homestead exemption in 2026?
$140,000 off school district taxes, $200,000 if you are 65+ or disabled, plus any local-option exemption your city, county or special districts give.
Can Texas property taxes go up more than 10%?
The appraised value of a homestead can rise at most 10% a year, but your bill can still rise if rates go up, new improvements are added or an exemption ends.
When are Texas property taxes due?
Bills are mailed in October and are due by January 31 of the following year.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- Texas Comptroller: property tax exemptions ($140,000 school homestead, $60,000 65+/disabled, local option)
- Texas Comptroller: valuing property (10% homestead cap, 20% circuit breaker, $5,320,000 for 2026)
- Harris County Tax Office: adopted 2025 tax rates by jurisdiction
- Harris Central Appraisal District: homeowner exemptions (2026 release)
- City of Houston: 2025 tax rate notice
- Travis County Tax Office: 2026 tax rate worksheets (2025 adopted rates)
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year: B25103 median real estate taxes paid and B25077 median home value