Hays County, Texas
Property Taxes
The average property tax rate in Hays County, Texas is 1.66%. On the county's median home value of $399,800, that works out to $6,649 per year in property taxes, the 58th highest bill of all 3,211 counties nationally. The next deadline to protest your Hays County property tax appraisal is May 17, 2027.
Hays County, Texas Property Tax Calculator
How the Calculator Works
This Hays County, TX property tax calculator estimates your bill the same way the Hays Central Appraisal District does: your home's value multiplied by the local effective tax rate. The Hays County effective property tax rate is 1.66%, compared with the Texas average of 1.49% and the U.S. average of 0.94%. On the county's median home value of $399,800, that works out to roughly $6,649 a year in Hays County property taxes. Use the estimate above as a starting point, then check the protest playbook below if your county's assessed value looks higher than your calculator estimate suggests it should.
Lower Your Hays County, Texas Property Taxes
Step 1: Check
Your TimelineIn Hays County, your Notice of Appraised Value arrives in April, and the deadline to appeal it is . It is free to file!
- Notice arrives
- April
- Appeal deadline
- Filing fee
- free
Step 2: Gather
Your EvidenceTo file a strong appeal in Hays County, you need proof. Gather these four things before you begin to file.
- Look up your current assessed property value
- Research recent sales of similar properties in your area
- Download the required form:
Form 50-132 - Take photos of any property issues that affect value
Step 3: Submit
Your AppealAppeals in Hays County are filed with the Hays Appraisal Review Board, and a formal hearing is scheduled with at least 15 days notice. View filing instructions
- File with
- Hays Appraisal Review Board
- Hearing notice
- at least 15 days
- Refund timeline
- 60 days from the corrected tax roll
| Doing it yourself | With Abode | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $99/yr flat |
| Time investment | 6-10 hrs (research + filing) | 3 min (enrollment only) |
| Comparable sales | You pull sales from the appraisal district | Automated comp analysis included |
| Evidence formatting | You gather and format it | Professional evidence packet included |
| Filing process | You file Form 50-132 yourself | We file it for you |
| Hearing preparation | You appear before the review board | Consultant appears on your behalf |
| Success rate | 40-60% | 88% |
Lower your property tax in minutes with Abode Money
Hays County, Texas Property Tax Rate
The typical Hays County homeowner pays an effective rate of 1.66% of market value each year, above the Texas median of 1.49% and well above the U.S. median of 0.94%. By city the median rate runs from 0.81% in Hays to 1.84% in Kyle. The table lists the 25th, median, and 75th percentile effective rate for all 14 Hays County cities.
| City | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | 1.28% | 1.44% | 1.64% |
| Bear Creek | 1.01% | 1.17% | 1.31% |
| Buda | 1.63% | 1.77% | 1.95% |
| Creedmoor | 1.25% | 1.61% | 2.01% |
| Dripping Springs | 1.25% | 1.35% | 1.46% |
| Hays | 0.71% | 0.81% | 0.89% |
| Kyle | 1.71% | 1.84% | 1.95% |
| Mountain City | 1.43% | 1.54% | 1.68% |
| Niederwald | 0.96% | 1.16% | 1.36% |
| San Marcos | 1.27% | 1.54% | 1.72% |
| Wimberley | 1.03% | 1.18% | 1.42% |
| Woodcreek | 1.15% | 1.25% | 1.31% |
| Belterra | - | - | - |
| Uhland | - | 1.46% | 1.59% |
A dash means the Census withholds a figure this rate is worked out from: it does not publish a bill above $10,001 or a home value above $2,000,001. The 25th and 75th percentile rates are an Abode Money estimate, modelled from each city’s own home-value quartiles. The median is the city’s published effective rate.
Hays County, Texas Property Tax Bill
On a median home value of $399,800, the typical Hays County tax bill comes to $6,649 a year, well above the Texas median of $4,232 and well above the U.S. median of $3,119. Bills scale with value, so they track the map of where the expensive homes are. By city the median bill runs from $2,667 in Hays to $9,900 in Bear Creek. Search all 14 Hays County cities below to compare the 25th, median, and 75th percentile bill.
| City | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $5,656 | $8,024 | $11,683 |
| Bear Creek | $6,459 | $9,900 | $13,741 |
| Buda | $6,214 | $7,911 | $10,572 |
| Creedmoor | $2,274 | $4,760 | $9,151 |
| Dripping Springs | $6,786 | $8,571 | $10,873 |
| Hays | $1,752 | $2,667 | $3,408 |
| Kyle | $4,982 | $6,170 | $7,291 |
| Mountain City | $6,170 | $7,621 | $9,762 |
| Niederwald | $1,887 | $3,333 | $5,229 |
| San Marcos | $2,693 | $4,774 | $6,650 |
| Wimberley | $4,325 | $6,478 | $11,219 |
| Woodcreek | $4,149 | $5,308 | $6,107 |
| Belterra | - | - | - |
| Uhland | - | $4,097 | $5,262 |
A dash means the Census withholds that bill. It does not publish a bill above $10,001.
Hays County, Texas Home Values
The median Hays County home is worth $399,800, the value your tax bill is calculated from, versus a Texas median of $283,800 and a U.S. median of $332,700. Values range widely, with the middle half of Hays County homes between $394,399 and $857,910. By city the median value runs from $279,900 in Uhland to $847,500 in Bear Creek. The table lists the 25th, median, and 75th percentile value for all 14 cities.
| City | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $391,400 | $555,300 | $808,500 |
| Bear Creek | $552,900 | $847,500 | $1,176,300 |
| Belterra | $532,200 | $773,400 | $943,100 |
| Buda | $350,800 | $446,600 | $596,800 |
| Creedmoor | $141,100 | $295,300 | $567,700 |
| Dripping Springs | $503,200 | $635,600 | $806,300 |
| Hays | $215,000 | $327,300 | $418,200 |
| Kyle | $270,200 | $334,600 | $395,400 |
| Mountain City | $400,600 | $494,800 | $633,800 |
| Niederwald | $162,200 | $286,500 | $449,500 |
| San Marcos | $175,100 | $310,400 | $432,400 |
| Wimberley | $367,700 | $550,800 | $953,900 |
| Woodcreek | $332,700 | $425,600 | $489,700 |
| Uhland | - | $279,900 | $359,500 |
A dash means the Census withholds that value. It does not publish a home value above $2,000,001. The middle-half range above is an Abode Money estimate, built from the median home values of the county’s own towns.
Hays County, Texas Property Tax History
Effective tax rate, median annual bill, and median home value in Hays County, tracked year by year. Across the published years the median annual bill rose 23.9%, the median home value rose 55.0%, and the effective tax rate fell 20.0%.
Solid years are published figures. Dashed years are Abode predictions, from each county's own trend and the state's newest property roll.
| Tax year | Effective rate | Rate change | Median bill | Bill change | Median home value | Value change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.08% | - | $5,365 | - | $258,000 | - |
| 2021 | 2.05% | -1.31% | $5,705 | +6.34% | $278,000 | +7.75% |
| 2022 | 1.85% | -10.03% | $6,198 | +8.64% | $335,700 | +20.76% |
| 2023 | 1.73% | -6.37% | $6,420 | +3.58% | $371,400 | +10.63% |
| 2024 | 1.66% | -3.79% | $6,649 | +3.57% | $399,800 | +7.65% |
| 2025(predicted) | 1.57% | -5.44% | $6,730 | +1.22% | $427,930 | +7.04% |
| 2026(predicted) | 1.49% | -5.43% | $6,812 | +1.22% | $458,039 | +7.04% |
Hays County, Texas vs. Nearby Counties
Thinking of moving? Run the tax math first. Of the five counties bordering Hays County, five tax the same home for less. Move a $399,800 home into Blanco County, the cheapest neighbor, and the bill falls $2,920 a year, while Travis County, the most expensive, still costs $742 less. Bordering effective rates run from 0.93% to 1.48% against Hays County’s 1.66%. Four of the five largest Texas metro counties tax the same home for less. The widest gap across the county line is $2,178 a year.
Hays County vs. Its Neighboring Counties
Effective rate, median bill, and the tax on the same $399,800 home · Hays County and its five bordering counties
| County | Effective rate | Their median bill | Same home here | vs. Hays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hays CountySan Marcos | 1.66% | $6,649 | $6,649 | - |
| Blanco CountyJohnson City, Blanco | 0.93% | $4,510 | $3,729 | -$2,920/yr |
| Caldwell CountyLockhart, Luling, Martindale | 1.35% | $3,235 | $5,378 | -$1,271/yr |
| Comal County | 1.13% | $4,833 | $4,523 | -$2,126/yr |
| Guadalupe County | 1.43% | $4,343 | $5,704 | -$945/yr |
| Travis CountyAustin, Pflugerville, Lakeway | 1.48% | $7,727 | $5,907 | -$742/yr |
Hays County vs. the Big Texas Metros
Effective rate, median bill, and the tax on the same $399,800 home · Texas’s five largest metro counties
| County | Effective rate | Their median bill | Same home here | vs. Hays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bexar County | 1.73% | $4,535 | $6,915 | +$266/yr |
| Dallas County | 1.58% | $4,798 | $6,331 | -$318/yr |
| Harris County | 1.62% | $4,489 | $6,488 | -$161/yr |
| Tarrant County | 1.65% | $5,334 | $6,584 | -$65/yr |
| Travis County | 1.48% | $7,727 | $5,907 | -$742/yr |
Hays County, Texas Property Tax Exemptions
There are 4 property tax exemptions available in Hays County, Texas. The broadest, General residence homestead, is worth about $1,236 a year on the median $399,800 home and must be filed by April 30, and up to two years late. An exemption is the one way to lower a Hays County bill without disputing the appraisal.
| Exemption | What you get | Saves a year | When to file |
|---|---|---|---|
| General residence homesteadOwner-occupants, on the home they live in as of January 1 · primary residence | $140,000 off school taxable value | $1,236 | By April 30, and up to two years late |
| Over 65Homestead owners who turn 65 during the year · stacks on the general homestead · school taxes frozen at that first year's level | $60,000 off school taxable value | $530 | By April 30, any time after you qualify |
| Disabled personHomestead owners who meet the Social Security disability test · stacks on the general homestead, but not with the over-65 exemption | $60,000 off school taxable value | $530 | By April 30 |
| Disabled veteranVeterans with a VA disability rating, and their surviving spouses | $5,000 to $12,000 off taxable value, or all of it at a 100% rating | Varies by rating | By April 30 |
Hays County, Texas Cheat Sheet
Value, rate, bill, rank, and the protest and payment dates · every figure the sections above establish, restated as label and value · Hays County, Texas
| Median tax bill | $6,649 a year+3.6% year over year |
|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 1.66%of market value · Texas 1.49% · U.S. 0.94% |
| Median home value | $399,800the value your bill is calculated from |
| Middle half of homes | $394,399 – $857,91025th to 75th percentile home value |
| National rank | 58th highestmedian bill, of 3,211 U.S. counties |
| Change since 2020 | +23.9%median bill, $5,365 to $6,649 |
| Effective rate since 2020 | -20.0%percent change in the rate, not percentage points |
| Cheapest neighbor | Blanco County$2,920 a year less on the same $399,800 home |
| Who values your home | Hays Central Appraisal Districtmarket value as of the assessment date |
| Notice arrives | AprilSent to every owner whose market value rose by at least $1,000. |
| Protest window | Through May 17Form 50-132 · free to file · Hays Appraisal Review Board |
| Protest odds | 88% win a reductionwith Abode Money · we build the evidence, file, and argue it for you |
| Payment due | January 317% in February, rising to 18% by July |
Statistics here come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey: what owners report their home is worth and what they paid in tax. They are not appraisal roll figures, so they will not match your notice. Nothing here is tax advice.
Hays County, Texas Property Tax FAQ
Straight answers about property taxes in Hays County, Texas: the effective rate and typical bill, when taxes are due, the protest deadline, whether an appeal is worth filing, what evidence wins a reduction, and how Abode lowers your bill every year.
The effective property tax rate in Hays County is 1.66%. The typical homeowner pays $6,649 a year on a median home value of $399,800.
The Hays County protest deadline is May 17, 2027, or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value arrives, whichever is later. Notices go out in April, so most owners get about six weeks to file Form 50-132 with the Hays Appraisal Review Board. Filing is free.
Hays County property taxes are due January 31. Bills are mailed each October, and the penalty for paying late starts February 1 — 7% in February, rising to 18% by July, then 1% more per month. Qualifying owners can split the bill into four penalty-free installments instead.
Usually yes. A protest backed by comparable sales or evidence of condition problems stands a real chance of a reduction, and most are settled at an informal review without a hearing. A lower value also becomes the starting point for the following year, so a single win keeps paying. Filing in Hays County is free, and your value cannot be raised because you protested.
The strongest evidence is recent sales of comparable homes: three to five from the past year, nearby, and similar in size, age, and condition. Photos and repair estimates for condition problems help too, because the appraisal district values homes from the outside. Budget about 2-4 hrs to assemble it.
Abode protests your Hays County appraisal every year for $99/yr flat and wins a reduction 88% of the time. Doing it yourself is free but takes 6-10 hrs and wins 40-60% of the time.
Every house on this street pays a different bill.
Make sure yours is the right one. Abode checks your assessment, files your exemptions, and protests when the numbers are off.
