Property tax in Karnes County, Texas
The median property tax bill in Karnes County, Texas is $1,392 a year, which is about 0.93% of the county's median home value of $149,000. That effective rate is lower 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 Karnes County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Karnes County's average effective rate of 0.93% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $1,386 / year
Property tax in Karnes County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $1,392 |
| Median home value | $149,000 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.93% |
| 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 Karnes County compare in Texas?
Among Texas's 250 counties, Karnes County has the 213th highest effective property-tax rate: 212 rank higher and 37 rank lower. That places it among the least taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 1294th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Texas county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Karnes County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Karnes County's 2,953 owner-occupied homes, 24.6% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 34.5% pay at least $2,000, and 29% pay under $800. Another 10.8% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 856 | 29% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 546 | 18.5% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 214 | 7.2% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 292 | 9.9% |
| $3,000 or more | 727 | 24.6% |
| No property tax paid | 318 | 10.8% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,355 and owners without one pay $1,415. That is within 10% either way, so in Karnes County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Karnes County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $1,392 is about 1.9% of the median income of Karnes County homeowner households, $72,199 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 62.4% of Karnes 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 Karnes County?
Yes. The median bill went from $1,036 in 2015-2019 to $1,392 in 2020-2024, a 34.4% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 45.7%, from $102,300 to $149,000. 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 Karnes County
Karnes County borders 7 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bee County, TX | 1.45% | $1,615 | $111,300 |
| Gonzales County, TX | 1.31% | $2,084 | $159,100 |
| Atascosa County, TX | 1.29% | $2,254 | $174,800 |
| Wilson County, TX | 1.22% | $3,928 | $321,300 |
| Live Oak County, TX | 0.96% | $1,525 | $159,200 |
| Goliad County, TX | 0.94% | $1,812 | $192,500 |
| Karnes County, TX (this county) | 0.93% | $1,392 | $149,000 |
| DeWitt County, TX | 0.86% | $1,469 | $170,900 |
How is a home assessed in Karnes County?
Texas assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Karnes County included. How Texas assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Karnes 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 Karnes County. Texas's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Karnes 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. Karnes County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Karnes 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; Karnes 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 Karnes 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 Karnes County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Karnes 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.