Texas Property Tax Calculator

What is Texas property tax?

Texas property tax is an annual charge based on your property's taxable value and the rates set by the taxing units that cover your address. Those units can include your school district, county, city and special districts such as a MUD, hospital or college district.

Each unit calculates its own tax. The basic formula is taxable value divided by 100, multiplied by that unit's rate per $100 of value. Your total is the sum of the separate taxes. An exemption can reduce the taxable value for one or more units, depending on the exemption and local rules.

Why Texas property tax matters

Property tax affects the cost of owning a home, even if your mortgage payment stays the same. If your lender collects taxes through escrow, a higher bill can raise your monthly payment. If you pay the tax bill yourself, the estimate can help you set aside money and plan your housing budget.

It also helps you compare the full cost of homes in different locations. Two homes with similar prices can face different tax bills because their appraised values, taxing units, rates and exemptions differ. Check the estimate before you commit to buying, and revisit it when your appraisal or local rates change.

Texas voters approved a $140,000 school district homestead exemption and an additional $60,000 school district exemption for qualifying owners who are 65 or older or disabled in November 2025. These changes apply to 2025 taxes. Counties, cities and special districts may set their own rates and optional exemptions, so the school exemption does not automatically reduce every part of the bill.

How to use this Texas property tax calculator

1. Enter your property's appraised value. Use the value shown on your appraisal notice or another current estimate, rather than your mortgage balance.
2. Select whether you have a homestead exemption and whether you qualify for the additional over-65 or disabled exemption. Check your eligibility and approval status with the appropriate local office.
3. Enter each rate per $100 of value for your school district, county, city and other districts. Use the rates that apply to your property, not rates from a neighboring address.
4. Add any local homestead percentage and local over-65 exemption amount that apply to your county or city. Leave these at zero if you do not have a confirmed local exemption.
5. Review the total and the breakdown by taxing unit. Compare the estimate with your actual bill or escrow statement, and update the inputs if your value, exemptions or rates change.

Texas property tax calculator example

How to read your property tax estimate

The yearly total is the estimated amount across the taxing units included in your inputs. The monthly figure divides that estimate into a budgeting amount; it is not necessarily your mortgage servicer's escrow payment. Escrow can include other housing costs and may be adjusted after a bill or escrow review.

The taxable-value rows show which value the calculator uses for each group of taxes. In the example, the school taxable value is lower because the homestead exemption is applied to school district taxes. The county, city and district value stays at $400,000 because no local exemption was entered. The effective rate compares the estimated total with the appraised value; individual taxing units use their own rates and taxable values.

How to lower or better plan for your Texas property tax

1. 01

   Check your appraisal for errors

   Review the property details and value on your appraisal notice. If you find incorrect facts or believe the value does not reflect your property, follow the local review or protest process and keep relevant records. Ask a tax professional if you need help assessing your options.

2. 02

   Confirm exemptions are on file

   Check whether your homestead exemption is approved and whether you qualify for the additional over-65 or disabled exemption. Ask your local appraisal district about the application and documentation it requires.

3. 03

   Check local exemptions and rates

   Ask your county and city whether they offer an optional homestead percentage or a fixed over-65 exemption, and confirm which taxing units apply to your address. Enter only exemptions and rates you can verify.

4. 04

   Plan for a changing bill

   Compare the estimate with your current bill and escrow statement. If you pay directly, set aside money based on the updated estimate. If taxes are escrowed, ask your servicer how a change in the bill could affect your payment.

Common Texas property tax calculator mistakes

• Using the wrong property's rates

  Rates can vary by school district, city and special district. Use the rates for the property's address; a nearby home may not share the same taxing units.

• Assuming every exemption applies to every tax

  The school district homestead exemption lowers school taxable value. Do not assume it reduces county, city or special district taxes. Enter local exemptions separately only when they apply.

• Treating the estimate as the final bill

  The result depends on the values and rates you enter. Your official bill can differ if the appraisal, exemption status or local rates change, or if an input is inaccurate.

• Confusing appraised value with taxable value

  Appraised value is the starting value in this estimate. Exemptions can reduce taxable value for particular taxing units, so the two amounts may not be the same.

The texas property tax formula

Key terms

Appraised value

The property's value used as the starting point for this estimate.

Taxable value

The value a taxing unit uses to calculate tax after applicable exemptions are subtracted.

Taxing unit

A local government or district that sets a property tax rate, such as a school district, county, city or special district.

Homestead exemption

An exemption for an eligible primary residence that lowers taxable value for the taxing units to which it applies.

Effective tax rate

The estimated total tax divided by the appraised value, shown as a percentage.