Harris County · Houston · 4.73M residents · 1.7M parcels
Harris County property tax
Combined rate
2.13%
Sum of 8 adopted rates, before exemptions
Homestead
$140,000
File by April 30
MUD districts
200+
$1,000–$6,000+ a year, on top
Protest window
May 15
hearings to July 25 · no fee
Estimate for a Harris County home
Estimated annual tax
$5,691
$474 a month · 1.75% of appraised value · due by January 31
Your exemptions are worth $1,230 a year.
| Houston ISD (after homestead) | $1,625 |
| City of Houston | $1,687 |
| Harris County | $1,252 |
| Harris Health | $610 |
| Houston Community College | $321 |
| Harris County Flood Control | $161 |
| Harris County Dept of Education | $16 |
| Port of Houston Authority | $19 |
| Annual tax | $5,691 |
The homestead exemption reduces the Houston ISD portion only. The county, the city, the hospital district, HCDE and the community college are charged on the full appraised value — HCDE and HCC are not school districts, so the school exemption does not reach them.
The taxing units on a Houston bill
| Taxing unit | Rate per $100 | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Houston ISD | $0.87830 | K-12 education (M&O 0.7116 + I&S 0.1667) |
| City of Houston | $0.51919 | City services |
| Harris County | $0.38529 | General fund |
| Harris Health | $0.18761 | Hospital district |
| Houston Community College | $0.09880 | Community college (M&O 0.085585 + I&S 0.013217) |
| Harris County Flood Control | $0.04966 | Flood control district |
| Harris County Dept of Education | $0.00480 | County education services |
| Port of Houston Authority | $0.00590 | Port authority |
| Combined | $2.12955 | Before exemptions |
Adopted rates for the 2025 tax year on a City of Houston parcel in Houston ISD. Harris County’s rate is its general fund; the flood control, hospital, port, education department and community college districts are separate units billed on top of it, not included in it.
Other school districts in the county
Harris County spans more than twenty school districts. We have verified the Houston ISD rate for this tax year but not the others, and the figures we hold for them are of the same vintage as the Houston ISD number that turned out to be stale. They are shown for orientation only — get the current rate from the district before relying on it.
MUD districts
Harris County has 200+ municipal utility districts, the heaviest coverage in Texas. They are billed on top of the rates above, typically $0.50 to $1.50 per $100 of value, which is roughly $1,000 to $6,000 a year on a median home. They are common in newer suburban developments and run until the district’s bonds are repaid.
Before you buy
- Ask for the Property Information Document — the seller must provide it
- Ask the realtor which district, if any, the address sits in
- Search the TCEQ water district directory
- Confirm the current rate with the district office directly
- Call HCAD on (713) 957-7800 if the appraisal notice is unclear
Exemptions and protests
The school homestead exemption is $140,000 and an over-65 owner takes a further $60,000, so an eligible household exempts $200,000 of school taxable value and freezes the school portion at that year’s level. A 100% disabled veteran is fully exempt on the residence homestead. File by April 30 — and if you missed it, applications are accepted up to 2 years retroactively.
Protest by May 15, or 30 days after your appraisal notice arrives — whichever is LATER. There is no filing fee, HCAD takes protests online, and hearings run through about July 25. Bring evidence of what comparable homes sold for around 1 January, which is the date your value is measured against.
Harris County, the City of Houston and Harris Health each grant their own percentage homestead exemption on their own portion of the bill, separate from the school exemption above. Those are not modelled here, so a real bill with them claimed will come in below this estimate.
Who to call
Sources
- Houston ISD — adopted 2025 tax rate, 15 October 2025
- Harris County Commissioners Court — FY 2025-26 county rate
- City of Houston — adopted 2025 tax rate
- Harris Health, Flood Control, Port of Houston, HCDE — adopted 2025 rates
- Houston Community College — Truth in Taxation, adopted 2025 rate
- Harris Central Appraisal District — exemptions and protest procedure
- Texas Tax Code 11.13, 11.131, 23.23, 31.02, 41.44