Property tax in Galveston County, Texas
The median property tax bill in Galveston County, Texas is $4,442 a year, which is about 1.41% of the county's median home value of $314,600. That effective rate is higher than the typical Texas county (1.19%) and higher than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Galveston County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Galveston County's average effective rate of 1.41% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $4,436 / year
Property tax in Galveston County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $4,442 |
| Median home value | $314,600 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.41% |
| Typical Texas county rate | 1.19% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Galveston County compare in Texas?
Among Texas's 250 counties, Galveston County has the 66th highest effective property-tax rate: 65 rank higher and 184 rank lower. That is on the higher side for Texas. Nationally, it ranks 459th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Texas county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Galveston County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Galveston County's 95,138 owner-occupied homes, 61.2% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 72.2% pay at least $2,000, and 8.5% pay under $800. Another 5.3% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 8,043 | 8.5% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 7,014 | 7.4% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 6,334 | 6.7% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 10,441 | 11% |
| $3,000 or more | 58,243 | 61.2% |
| No property tax paid | 5,063 | 5.3% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $5,207 and owners without one pay $3,448. Owners who have paid off a home have usually held it longer, and in states that cap how fast an existing owner's assessment can rise, long-held homes carry lower assessed values. Census table B25103.
How does the Galveston County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $4,442 is about 4% of the median income of Galveston County homeowner households, $111,467 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 67.6% of Galveston County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Galveston County?
Yes. The median bill went from $3,449 in 2015-2019 to $4,442 in 2020-2024, a 28.8% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 57.9%, from $199,200 to $314,600. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Galveston County
Galveston County borders 3 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazoria County, TX | 1.66% | $5,001 | $301,600 |
| Harris County, TX | 1.62% | $4,489 | $276,600 |
| Galveston County, TX (this county) | 1.41% | $4,442 | $314,600 |
| Chambers County, TX | 1.05% | $3,474 | $329,500 |
How is a home assessed in Galveston County?
Texas assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Galveston County included. How Texas assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Galveston County?
Yes. Texas exempts $140,000 of a home's value from school-district taxes, and local taxing units may add an exemption of up to 20% of value. That is the Texas rule, and it applies in Galveston County. Texas's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Galveston County?
Bills are mailed starting in October; taxes are due on receipt and delinquent February 1 (the standard January 31 deadline). Set and collected by local taxing units; certain age-65+/disabled owners may pay in installments.
That is the Texas rule. Galveston County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Galveston County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the Appraisal Review Board (ARB). The filing deadline is typically May 15. That is the Texas rule; Galveston County sets the exact dates and forms. The Texas appeal process step by step.
Texas rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Texas page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Galveston County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Texas income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Texas actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Galveston County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Galveston County, Texas: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.