Property tax in Harris County, Texas
The median property tax bill in Harris County, Texas is $4,489 a year, which is about 1.62% of the county's median home value of $276,600. 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 Harris County
Enter a home's market value to estimate its annual property tax using Harris County's own assessment rules. This is an estimate; for the exact bill, use the county's official tools linked below.
Estimated property tax: $3,011 / year
| Assessed value | $276,600 |
|---|---|
| Less homestead exemption | -$140,000 |
| Taxable value | $136,600 |
| Tax rate applied | 2.20% |
For your exact bill, Harris County publishes the authoritative tools: official tax estimator, or the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD), appraises value & administers exemptions; Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector (Annette Ramirez), bills & collects the tax.
Assessment ratio, exemption, and rate from Harris County's certified medium-confidence sources, reviewed 2026-08-30. Millage varies by taxing district and exemptions vary by owner, so treat this as a close estimate, not the exact bill.
Property tax in Harris County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $4,489 |
| Median home value | $276,600 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.62% |
| 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 Harris County compare in Texas?
Among Texas's 250 counties, Harris County has the 23rd highest effective property-tax rate: 22 rank higher and 227 rank lower. That places it among the most heavily taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 248th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Texas county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Harris County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Harris County's 961,437 owner-occupied homes, 61.7% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 71.6% pay at least $2,000, and 7.7% pay under $800. Another 7.8% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 74,062 | 7.7% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 72,272 | 7.5% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 52,036 | 5.4% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 95,112 | 9.9% |
| $3,000 or more | 593,162 | 61.7% |
| No property tax paid | 74,793 | 7.8% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $5,291 and owners without one pay $3,409. 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 Harris County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $4,489 is about 4.3% of the median income of Harris County homeowner households, $104,763 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 54.7% of Harris 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 Harris County?
Yes. The median bill went from $3,527 in 2015-2019 to $4,489 in 2020-2024, a 27.3% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 57.4%, from $175,700 to $276,600. 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 Harris County
Harris County borders 7 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Bend County, TX | 1.86% | $6,965 | $374,500 |
| Brazoria County, TX | 1.66% | $5,001 | $301,600 |
| Harris County, TX (this county) | 1.62% | $4,489 | $276,600 |
| Montgomery County, TX | 1.52% | $5,268 | $346,200 |
| Galveston County, TX | 1.41% | $4,442 | $314,600 |
| Waller County, TX | 1.27% | $4,046 | $318,700 |
| Liberty County, TX | 1.17% | $2,133 | $181,700 |
| Chambers County, TX | 1.05% | $3,474 | $329,500 |
How is a home assessed in Harris County?
Texas assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Harris County included. How Texas assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Harris 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 Harris County. Texas's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Harris 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. Harris County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Harris 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; Harris 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 Harris 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 Harris County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Harris 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.