Property Taxes
How Much Are Property Taxes in Houston, TX? Rates and Bills on Homes Sold in 2026
Updated November 7, 2026
Reviewed by:
Head of Growth at TurboHome
Agent, Texas · Texas Realtor® License #674075
Property tax in Houston runs about 2.20% of a home's value: the median Houston home sold from May through October 2026 cost $316,000 and carries roughly $6,958 a year, or $580 a month, before the homestead exemption. Rates range from 2.13% to 2.32% for the middle half of homes depending on the school, utility and improvement districts a home sits in. Below: rates and bills for 12 Houston neighborhoods, by price tier and by home type, why the number on the listing understates your bill, and what the $140,000 school homestead exemption changes.
TurboHome Market Analysis · Houston, TX · Closings May to October 2026 · Published November 2026
Key findings
- Median bill: $6,958 a year ($580 a month) on the $316,000 median home, at 2.20% (median total tax rate on listings, all taxing units combined).
- Highest and lowest neighborhood: Memorial pays the most in our table, $18,445 a year on a $850,000 median home; Central Southwest pays the least, $5,575 on $250,000.
- Price tiers: the median bill runs from $5,018 a year in the under $300,000 tier (median $225,000) to $33,015 in the $1,000,000 and up tier (median $1,550,000).
- Year over year: the median sale price fell 0.6%, from $318,000 to $316,000 and the rate went from 2.19% to 2.20%, so the tax on the median home went from $6,972 to $6,958.
- Listing caution: the rate on this page is applied to the sale price; the bill printed on a listing reflects the seller's current appraised value and exemptions and typically resets toward the purchase price after you buy.
- Utility districts: 1,222 closings (11% of the city's) were flagged on the listing as inside a municipal utility district (MUD); their median rate was 2.34% against 2.20% for homes not flagged.
What the median Houston home pays
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Closings analyzed, May to October 2026 | 11,147 |
| Median sale price | $316,000 |
| Tax on the median home | $6,958 a year, $580 a month |
| Middle half of rates | 2.13% to 2.32% |
| Share of homes at 2.5% or higher | 11% |
| Share of homes at 3.0% or higher | 2% |
| Rate used | 2.20% (median total tax rate on listings, all taxing units combined) |
There is no state property tax in Texas. A Houston bill is the sum of the county, city, school district, community college, hospital district and any utility or improvement district rates that apply to the home, so two homes at the same price can carry different rates.
Rate source: TurboHome analysis of the total tax rate reported on the 10,060 listings in our MLS feed with a rate, closed May 1 through October 31, 2026.
Property tax by price point in Houston
The 2.20% rate applied to the purchase price. Each figure is the first full-year bill before the homestead exemption.
| Purchase price | Annual tax | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $6,606 | $550 |
| $400,000 | $8,808 | $734 |
| $500,000 | $11,010 | $917 |
| $750,000 | $16,514 | $1,376 |
| $1,000,000 | $22,019 | $1,835 |
Most lenders collect property tax monthly with the mortgage payment, hold it in an escrow account and pay the county when the bill is due. The monthly column is roughly what tax adds to the payment on top of principal, interest and insurance, so on a $1,000,000 home in Houston plan on about $1,835 a month for tax alone.
Property tax by home type
| Home type | Closings | Median sale price | Median rate | Tax on the median home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single family | 9,511 | $329,400 | 2.21% | $7,280 |
| Condo | 1,633 | $218,500 | 2.13% | $4,654 |
A condo in Houston sold for a median $218,500 and carries about $4,654 a year, against $7,280 on the $329,400 median single family home.
Property tax by price tier (what actually sold)
| Price tier | Closings | Median sale price | Median rate | Tax on the median home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300,000 | 5,114 | $225,000 | 2.23% | $5,018 |
| $300,000 to $500,000 | 3,209 | $367,000 | 2.23% | $8,184 |
| $500,000 to $750,000 | 1,264 | $600,000 | 2.13% | $12,780 |
| $750,000 to $1,000,000 | 542 | $850,000 | 2.13% | $18,105 |
| $1,000,000 and up | 1,018 | $1,550,000 | 2.13% | $33,015 |
These tiers group the homes that actually sold in our feed by sale price, so the closings column shows where the Houston market traded.
Property tax by age of home
| Age of home | Closings | Median sale price | Median rate | Tax on the median home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built before 2000 | 6,653 | $275,000 | 2.17% | $5,968 |
| Built 2000 to 2019 | 2,779 | $370,000 | 2.23% | $8,251 |
| Built 2020 or later | 1,698 | $369,900 | 2.21% | $8,175 |
Newer master-planned communities often carry higher rates because the utility or improvement district that paid for their roads, water and sewer lines repays that debt through the tax bill on each home.
Property tax by neighborhood in Houston
The 12 neighborhoods below are the largest neighborhoods by closings, sorted by rate, each with at least 20 closings in our feed.
| Neighborhood | Closings | Median sale price | Median rate | Tax on the median home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake | 366 | $325,000 | 2.37% | $7,703 |
| Spring Branch East | 195 | $650,000 | 2.27% | $14,755 |
| Champions | 230 | $335,250 | 2.26% | $7,577 |
| Central Southwest | 197 | $250,000 | 2.23% | $5,575 |
| Eldridge / West Oaks | 194 | $353,850 | 2.18% | $7,714 |
| Memorial | 314 | $850,000 | 2.17% | $18,445 |
| Greater Heights / Houston Heights | 525 | $682,000 | 2.13% | $14,527 |
| Central Northwest | 374 | $585,000 | 2.13% | $12,460 |
| Greater Uptown | 325 | $515,000 | 2.13% | $10,970 |
| Briar Forest | 248 | $462,500 | 2.13% | $9,851 |
| Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park | 330 | $523,000 | 2.13% | $11,140 |
| Montrose | 219 | $669,000 | 2.13% | $14,250 |
Memorial has the biggest bill in the table, $18,445 a year on a $850,000 median home. Central Southwest has the smallest, $5,575 a year on $250,000.
How Houston compares with a year ago
| Measure | May to October 2025 | May to October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Closings | 13,123 | 11,147 |
| Median sale price | $318,000 | $316,000 (-0.6%) |
| Tax on the median home | $6,972 | $6,958 |
| Rate | 2.19% | 2.20% |
The median sale price fell 0.6%. A buyer's bill follows the appraisal district's value, which moves toward the price paid, while an existing homestead's taxable value can rise at most 10% a year.
Why your bill will not match the listing
The appraisal district values every home at market each January 1, so the bill on a Houston listing reflects the seller's appraised value and exemptions, and it typically rises toward the purchase price the year after you buy. New construction is often taxed as a lot only in its first year.
The school district homestead exemption is $140,000, and the over-65 or disabled exemption adds $60,000. Once the exemption is in place, a homestead's taxable value can rise at most 10% a year. Filing is free with the county appraisal district by April 30. A buyer whose seller already had an exemption waits until the next year to file; a buyer whose seller had none can apply right away for the rest of the year (source: The Texas Tribune, October 20, 2026, read November 7, 2026).
Illustration: at a 1.0% school district rate, the $140,000 exemption is worth about $1,400 a year. Your district's rate will differ.
What is driving Houston's property taxes (local commentary)
Houston's median total rate, 2.20%, puts the $316,000 median home at $6,958 a year, the smallest median bill in this series. The spread is narrower than Katy's: the middle half of homes sits between 2.13% and 2.32%, and only 11% reach 2.5%. The higher rates cluster in Clear Lake (2.37%), Spring Branch East (2.27%) and Champions (2.26%), while the inner loop (the Heights, Montrose, Greater Uptown and the Washington Avenue and Memorial Park area) sits at 2.13%, and Memorial's $850,000 median makes it the biggest bill in the table at $18,445. Homes flagged on the listing as inside a municipal utility district (about 11% of closings) carried a 2.34% median rate against 2.20% for the rest. The median rate was essentially unchanged from a year earlier (2.19% to 2.20%) while the median price slipped 0.6%.
How to budget for property tax when buying in Houston
- Estimate from your price, not the listing. Multiply your purchase price by the rate on this page (2.20%); on a $1,000,000 home that is $22,019 a year.
- Divide by 12 and add it to the mortgage payment. Most lenders escrow property tax, so about $1,835 a month on that $1,000,000 home is part of the payment you qualify for.
- File the homestead exemption as soon as you are eligible. Filing is free with the county appraisal district by April 30.
- Check the prior owner's full bill on the county portal. Look for MUD or PID charges that sit outside the percentage rate.
- Compare two homes you like on tax, not just price. A district line can be worth over $1,000 a year.
Methodology
We looked at closings of single family homes, condos and townhouses in Houston from our MLS feed, closed May 1 through October 31, 2026 (11,147 closings), compared with May through October 2025 (13,123 closings). The rate is the total tax rate reported on each listing, and the tax is that rate applied to the sale price. Neighborhoods need at least 20 closings; figures are medians. Of the 11,147 closings, 10,060 had a tax rate on the listing; rates are medians of those homes, and every bill is shown before exemptions. The utility district comparison uses the municipal utility district (MUD) flag on the listing. Dollar figures on this page use the unrounded median rate (2.2019%); the rate is shown rounded to two decimals. Published November 2026.
FAQ
How much is property tax in Houston?
About 2.20% of the home's value (median total tax rate on listings, all taxing units combined). On the $316,000 median home sold in Houston from May through October 2026, that is $6,958 a year, or $580 a month, before the homestead exemption.
Who are the flat-fee buyer's agents in Houston?
TurboHome is a flat-fee buyer's brokerage serving Houston. Its buyer's agents charge a flat fee instead of a percentage commission and refund the rest of the buyer-side commission to the buyer at closing. See TurboHome's answers on commissions and rebates.
Will my property tax be the same as the seller's?
No. The appraisal district moves the home's value toward your purchase price, usually the year after you buy, and your exemptions differ from the seller's. Budget from the rate on this page times your price, not the bill on the listing.
How much does the homestead exemption save in Houston?
The school district homestead exemption takes $140,000 off the home's taxable value, and the over-65 or disabled exemption adds $60,000. As an illustration, at a 1.0% school district rate the $140,000 exemption is worth about $1,400 a year. Filing is free with the county appraisal district by April 30.
Which Houston neighborhoods have the lowest property tax?
Among the 12 neighborhoods in our table, Central Southwest ($250,000 median, $5,575 a year) and Champions ($335,250 median, $7,577 a year) have the smallest bills on the median home.
Related guides
- Property taxes by city
- Greater Houston home buying guides
- HOA fees in Houston
- Down payment on a house in Houston
- Income needed to buy a home in Houston
- How much over asking to offer in Houston
- How long it takes to close in Houston
- Up and coming neighborhoods in Houston
- Best Houston neighborhoods for first-time buyers
- Best time to buy a house in Houston
- New construction vs resale homes in Houston
- Texas home buying guides
- Answers on commissions and rebates
About the Author
Vinura Abeysundara
Vinura Abeysundara is a real estate and growth professional with experience scaling homebuying platforms across Canada and the United States. Formerly Head of Growth at Zown, he now works with TurboHome and writes about homebuyer savings, flat-fee real estate, commissions, and technology in real estate.
View Vinura on LinkedInAbout Jake Shuler
Agent, Texas
Jake Shuler is a Texas REALTOR® with more than 10 years of real estate experience and over 200 successful transactions. As an agent at TurboHome, he helps buyers navigate the Texas housing market and writes about homebuying, negotiations, local market trends, and ways buyers can save throughout the process.
View Jake's profile