Updated October 2026 by Texas Made Mortgage, Frisco, TX.
Quick answer: Most Texas homeowners pay an effective property tax rate between 1.3% and 1.8% of their home's value each year. The big metro counties cluster in that band: Bexar about 1.81%, Tarrant 1.77%, Harris 1.72%, Dallas 1.68%, Collin 1.66% and Travis 1.54% (Tax Foundation, 2023 data, the latest full county set). The lowest county in the state is Crockett at about 0.33% and the highest is El Paso at about 2.09%. Your exact rate depends on the city, school district and any special districts tied to your address, not just the county.
Why does "property tax rate" mean three different things in Texas?
When people compare Texas counties they mix up three numbers. The effective rate is what owners actually pay divided by what their homes are worth, after exemptions. The nominal combined rate is the sum of every taxing unit's adopted rate for an address: county, city, school district, college district, hospital district and any MUD or PID. The school district rate is usually the largest single piece and is the only part the homestead exemption fully applies to on the first $140,000 of value.
Effective rates are the fair way to compare counties. Nominal rates are what you need to estimate a specific home's bill. In Dallas-Fort Worth, nominal combined rates run from about 1.7% in Frisco and Plano to above 2.1% in parts of Dallas and most of Tarrant County, which is why two homes at the same price can carry payments that differ by a couple hundred dollars a month.
What do the largest Texas counties charge?
Effective rates on owner-occupied homes, Tax Foundation analysis of 2023 Census data:
Bexar County (San Antonio): about 1.81%
Tarrant County (Fort Worth, Arlington): about 1.77%
Harris County (Houston): about 1.72%
Dallas County: about 1.68%
Collin County (Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen): about 1.66%
Travis County (Austin): about 1.54%
Newer Census estimates (2024 five-year data) show the same ordering at slightly lower levels, roughly 1.3% to 1.55%, because home values rose faster than tax bills. Either way, the spread between the big counties is small. The spread between cities and school districts inside a county is large.
Which Texas counties have the lowest and highest rates?
Rural counties with little school debt and high oil and gas values sit at the bottom: Crockett County is the lowest at about 0.33%. El Paso County is the highest at about 2.09%, followed by several counties along the border and in the Panhandle where home values are low relative to district budgets. Statewide, Texas ranks in the top ten nationally for effective property tax rates, which is the trade-off for having no state income tax.
How do I find the exact rate for an address?
Search the property on the county appraisal district website (Collin CAD, Dallas CAD, Denton CAD, Tarrant CAD and so on). The parcel page lists every taxing unit.
Open the county's Truth in Taxation site. Every Texas county is required to publish each unit's adopted rate and an estimate of the bill for your parcel.
Add the units together. A Frisco home in Frisco ISD, for example, combines the city, Collin County, Collin College and Frisco ISD. A new-build in Celina may add a MUD on top.
Subtract exemptions. The homestead exemption removes $140,000 of value from school taxes and caps how fast your taxable value can rise. Over-65 and disabled veteran exemptions remove more.
Texas Made Mortgage publishes combined 2025 rates for 17 Dallas-Fort Worth cities on its DFW property tax rates page, and the property tax estimator turns a rate and a price into a monthly number.
How do property taxes change my mortgage payment?
Most lenders collect one twelfth of the annual tax bill with each payment and hold it in escrow. On a $450,000 home at a 1.8% combined rate the tax portion alone is about $675 a month before exemptions. First-year escrow is built on the best estimate at closing, so the payment usually moves after the first annual review, and new construction often jumps in year two once the house, not just the lot, is on the roll.
Frequently asked questions
Do property tax rates change every year in Texas?
Yes. Each taxing unit adopts its rate every fall after appraisal values are certified. Rates have drifted down in many DFW cities over the last few years while values rose.
Is the county rate the biggest part of my bill?
No. The school district is usually the largest line, followed by the city. The county itself is often under 0.25%.
Can I protest my appraised value?
Yes, every spring with the appraisal district. In fast-appreciating neighborhoods it is often worth doing. See our guide to how property tax protests work.
Want the real payment on a specific address, taxes included? Talk to a loan officer at Texas Made Mortgage in Frisco or call 817-567-8014. We lend across all of Texas.
Texas Made Mortgage, NMLS #2676326. This article is general education, not tax advice, a commitment to lend or an offer of credit. Rates shown are published figures that change annually; verify with your appraisal district. All loans subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
