Texas Property Tax & Sales Tax by County
Texas has no statewide property tax rate and no state income tax. Instead, a county appraisal district (CAD) appraises every property, and the county, city, school district, and special districts that cover a parcel each set their own rate. Your total property tax is the sum of those rates, so it varies from parcel to parcel even within the same county. This hub explains how Texas local taxes work, compares the major metros, and routes you to each county page and tool.
Combined rate is a representative nominal taxing-unit stack (county + city + school + special) per $100; typical effective rates run lower. Homestead/over-65 exemptions apply to the school portion. Compare counties
Texas Property Tax Map
The ten Texas counties with published tax rates are shaded by their representative combined property tax rate. Select a county to see its rate. The remaining 244 counties are added over time, highest-demand metros first.
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Key Takeaways
- There is no statewide property tax rate. Each county, city, school district, and special district sets its own rate, expressed per $100 of value.
- A county appraisal district (CAD) appraises property at market value; the taxing units then apply their rates.
- Your total rate is the sum of every overlapping taxing unit, and it varies by parcel. The school district is usually the single largest slice.
- Texas has no state income tax, so local property tax carries more of the cost of public services.
- Texas has no annual value-based vehicle (car) property tax. Vehicles are taxed once, at purchase, with a 6.25% motor-vehicle sales tax plus a flat annual registration fee.
- Combined sales tax caps at 8.25% (6.25% state + a local portion capped at 2.0% as a shared ceiling). Qualifying groceries are exempt.
Quick Rate Reference
Representative combined property tax rate and an estimated annual bill on a $400,000 home with a residence homestead exemption, for each covered Texas county. Combined rate is the sum of a major city plus school district plus the countywide taxing units at current adopted rates.
| County | Combined Rate | Est. Tax on $400k Home | Sales Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson County (Round Rock / Georgetown) | 1.68% | $5,465 | 8.25% |
| Collin County (Plano / Frisco) | 1.71% | $5,375 | 8.25% |
| Fort Bend County (Sugar Land / Katy) | 1.84% | $5,871 | 8.25% |
| Montgomery County (Conroe / The Woodlands) | 1.91% | $6,299 | 8.25% |
| Denton County (Denton / Lewisville) | 1.99% | $6,263 | 8.25% |
| Harris County (Houston) | 2.03% | $6,876 | 8.25% |
| Travis County (Austin) | 2.05% | $6,891 | 8.25% |
| Tarrant County (Fort Worth) | 2.19% | $7,316 | 8.25% |
| Dallas County (Dallas) | 2.21% | $7,475 | 8.25% |
| Bexar County (San Antonio) | 2.27% | $7,695 | 8.25% |
Estimates use a representative taxing-unit stack for each county with the $140,000 homestead exemption on the school portion; your exact bill depends on your specific city, school district, and special districts. Full rate details and sources on each county page. Compare a specific home value.
How Texas Local Taxes Work
Property Tax (the taxing-unit stack)
Texas property tax is assessed by local taxing units, not the state. Each parcel sits inside several overlapping units - a school district (ISD), a city, the county, and special districts such as a hospital district, community college, and water or flood-control district. Every unit adopts its own rate per $100 of appraised value, and your bill is the sum. Because the mix of units differs by location, two identical homes in different cities, or different counties, can owe different amounts. The school district is usually 45% to 55% of the total.
Sales Tax in Texas
The Texas state sales tax rate is 6.25%. Cities, transit authorities, counties, and special-purpose districts can add a local portion, but Texas caps that local portion at 2.0%. This is a shared ceiling, not additive past 2%: once local rates reach 2%, no further local rate stacks on top. That is why the maximum combined sales tax anywhere in Texas is 8.25%. Qualifying groceries are exempt from sales tax.
No annual car tax, no state income tax
Unlike some states, Texas levies no annual value-based vehicle property tax - vehicles are taxed once at purchase (6.25% motor-vehicle sales tax) plus a flat registration fee - and no state income tax. Property tax and sales tax therefore carry more of the cost of local government.
Texas Property Tax Tools
Free tools for Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis, Williamson, Collin, Denton, Fort Bend, and Montgomery County that answer the questions Texans ask at appraisal time.
Texas Property Tax Cap Calculator
Will your taxes go up? Project next year's taxable value under the 10% homestead appraisal cap, with the estimated bill and how much the cap saves you.
LiveTexas Property Tax Protest Calculator
Should you protest? Compare your appraised value to your opinion of value for the estimated annual savings, plus the May 15 protest and April 30 exemption deadlines.
LiveTexas Over-65 Property Tax Calculator
Estimate tax for homeowners 65 and older with the $140,000 + $60,000 over-65 school exemption, and see your school-tax ceiling (freeze) amount.
LiveTexas County Tax Comparison
See the property tax on the same home value across all ten live Texas counties side by side, ranked by estimated bill.
LiveRankings & Comparisons
Browse Texas Counties by Metro
Texas has 254 counties. County tax pages are added on an ongoing basis, highest-demand metros first. The 10 live pages are grouped by metro below - see the Texas property tax comparison to rank them all on one page.
Greater Houston
- Harris County (Houston)
- Fort Bend County (Sugar Land / Missouri City / Katy)
- Montgomery County (Conroe / The Woodlands)
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
- Dallas County (Dallas)
- Tarrant County (Fort Worth)
- Collin County (Plano / Frisco / McKinney)
- Denton County (Denton / Lewisville / Flower Mound)
Greater Austin
- Travis County (Austin)
- Williamson County (Round Rock / Georgetown / Cedar Park)
San Antonio
- Bexar County (San Antonio)
More metros (El Paso, Hidalgo / Rio Grande Valley, Galveston, Brazoria, and others) are coming soon.
Official Texas Tax Sources
-
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Statewide authority for property tax administration, adopted tax rates and levies, sales tax rates and the local cap, and the grocery exemption.
comptroller.texas.gov -
Texas Comptroller - Property Tax Rates and Levies
Official adopted rates for every Texas county and overlapping taxing unit.
comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/rates -
Texas Truth-in-Taxation
Look up the exact rates and proposed changes for the taxing units that cover your parcel.
texas.gov/propertytaxes
Data current as of July 2026. Rates change. Verify current figures with the Texas Comptroller and your county appraisal district before making financial decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas have a state property tax?
No. Texas has no statewide property tax and no state income tax. Property tax is levied entirely by local taxing units - the county, city, school district, and special districts (hospital, college, water, flood control). Each sets its own rate per $100 of value, and your bill is the sum of every unit that covers your parcel, so it varies from parcel to parcel even within one county.
Which Texas county has the lowest property tax?
Among the counties currently covered (Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis, Williamson, Collin, Denton, Fort Bend, and Montgomery), the representative combined rate is lowest in Williamson County (about 1.68%), followed by Collin (about 1.71%) and Fort Bend (about 1.84%), and highest in Bexar County (about 2.27%). Your actual rate depends on your exact city, school district, and special districts. Use the Texas county tax comparison to compare a specific home value.
Does Texas have an annual car tax?
No. Texas does not levy an annual value-based vehicle property tax. Vehicles are taxed once at purchase through a 6.25% motor-vehicle sales tax, plus a flat annual registration fee. This differs from states like Virginia that charge a yearly personal property tax on vehicle value.
What is the maximum sales tax in Texas?
The maximum combined sales tax anywhere in Texas is 8.25%: the 6.25% state rate plus a local portion capped at 2.0%. The local portion is a shared ceiling, not additive past 2%, so once city, transit, county, and special-district rates reach 2%, no further local tax stacks on top. Qualifying groceries are exempt.
How do the 10% homestead cap and over-65 exemption work?
A residence homestead exemption removes $140,000 of value from school district taxes and activates a 10% cap that limits how fast your taxable value can grow each year. Homeowners 65 or older get an additional $60,000 school exemption and a school-tax ceiling that freezes their school taxes. Project these with the cap calculator and the over-65 calculator.