Does Texas have property taxes?
Texas has no state property tax.
Texas Property Taxes
Property taxes in Texas are the seventh-highest in the U.S., as the average effective property tax rate in the Lone Star State is 1.60%. Compare that to the national average, which currently stands at 0.99%. The typical Texas homeowner pays $3,797 annually in property taxes.
Texas does not have corporate income tax but does levy a state gross receipts tax. Texas has a 6.25 percent state sales tax rate and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 8.20 percent. Texas has a 1.47 percent effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing value.
The average effective property tax rate in Texas is approximately 1.60%. This means that if your home is worth $200,000, you could expect to pay around $3,200 in property taxes annually.
While there is no state in the U.S. that doesn't have property taxes on real estate, some have much lower property tax rates than others. Here's how property taxes are calculated. The effective property tax rate is used to determine the places with the lowest and highest property taxes in the nation.
Texas' growing population and lack of income tax drive up property taxes as the need for more infrastructure grows. Property taxes fund local services such as public schools, infrastructure maintenance, and public safety initiatives. The budgets of these entities continue to grow due to inflation and population growth.
For example, flour, sugar, bread, milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables and similar groceries (food products) are not subject to Texas sales and use tax. Tax is due, however, on many non-food items such as paper, pet, and beauty products; clothing; books; and certain edible items.
According to the Comptroller, there is no provision for the cessation of property taxes at any stage. However, there is a Texas property tax exemption for people over the age of 65, which offers temporary tax relief for seniors. At the age of 65, seniors can apply for an exemption from Texas property taxes.
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso was ranked among the top cities with the highest property taxes in the United States.
As a senior citizen, you probably will end up paying property taxes for as long as you are a homeowner. However, depending on the state you live in and often once you hit your 60s (usually around the ages of 61 to 65), you may be eligible for a property tax exemption.
What is the most tax-friendly state?
- Alaska. #1 in Low Tax Burden. #45 in Best States Overall. ...
- Florida. #2 in Low Tax Burden. #9 in Best States Overall. ...
- South Dakota. #3 in Low Tax Burden. ...
- Wyoming. #4 in Low Tax Burden. ...
- Tennessee. #5 in Low Tax Burden. ...
- New Hampshire. #6 in Low Tax Burden. ...
- Texas. #7 in Low Tax Burden. ...
- Oklahoma. #8 in Low Tax Burden.
Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 American Community Survey; Tax Foundation calculations. In calendar year 2022 (the most recent data available), New Jersey had the highest effective rate on owner-occupied property at 2.08 percent, followed by Illinois (1.95 percent) and Connecticut (1.78 percent).

Texas law provides a variety of property tax exemptions for qualifying property owners. Local taxing units offer partial and total exemptions from a qualifying property's appraised value. A partial exemption removes a percentage or a fixed dollar amount of a property's value from taxation.
Texas boasts excellent living conditions for a diverse range of households, from young singles to growing families and retirees. The most populous cities are Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and Fort Worth. However, plenty of people find their slice of happiness away from the big cities in more rural areas, too.
Texas is a tax-friendly state, as it does not have an income tax. As a result, Social Security retirement benefits, pension income, retirement account income and all other forms of retirement income are not taxed at the state level in Texas.
Texas has no state income tax, which means your salary is only subject to federal income taxes if you live and work in Texas. There are no cities in Texas that impose a local income tax. How many allowances should you claim? Most people claim 0-5 allowances, check W-4 rules for details.
No state income tax
One of the primary reasons why people move to Texas is the absence of personal income tax on their earnings. These income tax savings can be significant, especially for those relocating from states with high tax rates, like California and New Jersey.
Sadly for investors, the answer is no, there are no states without property tax. This is because property tax is a useful way for local governments to fund public services such as schools, fire and police departments, infrastructure and libraries.
The Texas Constitution forbids personal income taxes. Instead of collecting income taxes, Texas relies on high sales and use taxes. When paired with local taxes, total sales taxes in some jurisdictions are as high as 8.25%. Property tax rates in Texas are also high.
The sales tax law specifically exempts the sale of water, including spring water, sparkling water, or mineral water, from sales or use tax. The exemption includes the sale of bottled water and water that a restaurant or any other food service provider sells. An exemption certificate is not required.
Do you have to pay taxes on Social Security in Texas?
As one of nine states with no income tax, Texas levies no taxes on Social Security income, or any other source of retirement income including retirement account withdrawals and pensions.
The homestead exemption is a onetime exemption - no need to re-apply every year. Likewise, if you believe you qualified for the homestead exemption in prior years, simply fill out one application and enter the first year you believe you qualified when filling out the application.
At What Age Can You Stop Filing Taxes? Taxes aren't determined by age, so you will never age out of paying taxes. People who are 65 or older at the end of 2024 have to file a return for tax year 2024 (which is due in 2025) if their gross income is $16,550 or higher.
Exemption Amount Up To
A disabled veteran may also qualify for an exemption of $12,000 of the assessed value of the property if the veteran is age 65 or older with a disability rating of at least 10 percent; totally blind in one or both eyes; or has lost use of one or more limbs.
- Sabine County – 0.64%
- Crockett County – 0.66&
- Terrell County – 0.67%
- Ward County – 0.76%
- Zapata County – 0.76%
- Kent County – 0.81%