Polk County, Texas
Property Taxes
The average property tax rate in Polk County, Texas is 0.90%. On the county's median home value of $184,800, that works out to $1,661 per year in property taxes, the 1441st highest bill of all 3,211 counties nationally. The next deadline to protest your Polk County property tax appraisal is May 17, 2027.
Polk County, Texas Property Tax Calculator
How the Calculator Works
This Polk County, TX property tax calculator estimates your bill the same way the Polk Central Appraisal District does: your home's value multiplied by the local effective tax rate. The Polk County effective property tax rate is 0.90%, compared with the Texas average of 1.49% and the U.S. average of 0.94%. On the county's median home value of $184,800, that works out to roughly $1,661 a year in Polk 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 Polk County, Texas Property Taxes
Step 1: Check
Your TimelineIn Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County are filed with the Polk Appraisal Review Board, and a formal hearing is scheduled with at least 15 days notice. View filing instructions
- File with
- Polk 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
Polk County, Texas Property Tax Rate
The typical Polk County homeowner pays an effective rate of 0.90% of market value each year, well below the Texas median of 1.49% and just below the U.S. median of 0.94%. By city the median rate runs from 0.31% in Pleasant Hill to 1.24% in Onalaska. The table lists the 25th, median, and 75th percentile effective rate for all 10 Polk County cities.
| City | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrigan | 0.82% | 1.02% | 1.19% |
| Livingston | 0.83% | 1.00% | 1.12% |
| Onalaska | 0.92% | 1.24% | 1.42% |
| West Livingston | 0.69% | 0.92% | 1.15% |
| Big Thicket Lake Estates | 0.64% | 0.71% | - |
| Cedar Point | 0.45% | 0.57% | - |
| Goodrich | - | 0.83% | 0.89% |
| Indian Springs | - | - | - |
| Pleasant Hill | - | 0.31% | - |
| Seven Oaks | 0.48% | 0.54% | - |
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.
Polk County, Texas Property Tax Bill
On a median home value of $184,800, the typical Polk County tax bill comes to $1,661 a year, well below the Texas median of $4,232 and well below 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 $250 in Pleasant Hill to $2,056 in Onalaska. Search all 10 Polk County cities below to compare the 25th, median, and 75th percentile bill.
| City | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrigan | $658 | $1,257 | $1,957 |
| Livingston | $1,136 | $2,002 | $2,754 |
| Onalaska | $847 | $2,056 | $3,054 |
| West Livingston | $616 | $1,409 | $2,753 |
| Big Thicket Lake Estates | $555 | $765 | - |
| Cedar Point | $730 | $1,429 | - |
| Goodrich | - | $1,785 | $2,237 |
| Indian Springs | - | - | - |
| Pleasant Hill | - | $250 | - |
| Seven Oaks | $431 | $620 | - |
A dash means the Census withholds that bill. It does not publish a bill above $10,001.
Polk County, Texas Home Values
The median Polk County home is worth $184,800, 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 Polk County homes between $95,030 and $271,219. By city the median value runs from $79,900 in Pleasant Hill to $250,400 in Cedar Point. The table lists the 25th, median, and 75th percentile value for all 10 cities.
| City | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrigan | $64,300 | $122,900 | $191,300 |
| Indian Springs | $54,200 | $95,900 | $291,000 |
| Livingston | $113,500 | $200,100 | $275,300 |
| Onalaska | $68,300 | $165,800 | $246,300 |
| West Livingston | $67,100 | $153,600 | $300,100 |
| Big Thicket Lake Estates | $77,800 | $107,200 | - |
| Cedar Point | $127,900 | $250,400 | - |
| Goodrich | - | $216,100 | $270,800 |
| Pleasant Hill | - | $79,900 | - |
| Seven Oaks | $79,400 | $114,100 | - |
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.
Polk County, Texas Property Tax History
Effective tax rate, median annual bill, and median home value in Polk County, tracked year by year. Across the published years the median annual bill rose 23.1%, the median home value rose 47.3%, and the effective tax rate fell 16.4%.
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 | 1.07% | - | $1,349 | - | $125,500 | - |
| 2021 | 1.07% | -0.04% | $1,356 | +0.52% | $126,200 | +0.56% |
| 2022 | 0.99% | -7.67% | $1,499 | +10.55% | $151,100 | +19.73% |
| 2023 | 1.04% | +4.53% | $1,597 | +6.54% | $154,000 | +1.92% |
| 2024 | 0.90% | -13.33% | $1,661 | +4.01% | $184,800 | +20.00% |
| 2025(predicted) | 0.86% | -4.37% | $1,764 | +6.20% | $205,274 | +11.08% |
| 2026(predicted) | 0.82% | -4.37% | $1,874 | +6.24% | $228,016 | +11.08% |
Polk County, Texas vs. Nearby Counties
Thinking of moving? Run the tax math first. Of the six counties bordering Polk County, one taxes the same home for less. Move a $184,800 home into Tyler County, the cheapest neighbor, and the bill falls $12 a year, while Liberty County, the most expensive, costs $508 more. Bordering effective rates run from 0.89% to 1.17% against Polk County’s 0.90%. None of the five largest Texas metro counties taxes the same home for less: Polk has the lowest effective rate of the group. The widest gap across the county line is $520 a year.
Polk County vs. Its Neighboring Counties
Effective rate, median bill, and the tax on the same $184,800 home · Polk County and its six bordering counties
| County | Effective rate | Their median bill | Same home here | vs. Polk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk CountyLivingston | 0.90% | $1,661 | $1,661 | - |
| Angelina County | 1.09% | $1,775 | $2,006 | +$345/yr |
| Hardin County | 1.09% | $2,238 | $2,011 | +$350/yr |
| Liberty County | 1.17% | $2,133 | $2,169 | +$508/yr |
| San Jacinto County | 0.99% | $2,066 | $1,824 | +$163/yr |
| Trinity County | 1.06% | $1,264 | $1,955 | +$294/yr |
| Tyler County | 0.89% | $1,404 | $1,649 | -$12/yr |
Polk County vs. the Big Texas Metros
Effective rate, median bill, and the tax on the same $184,800 home · Texas’s five largest metro counties
| County | Effective rate | Their median bill | Same home here | vs. Polk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bexar County | 1.73% | $4,535 | $3,196 | +$1,535/yr |
| Dallas County | 1.58% | $4,798 | $2,926 | +$1,265/yr |
| Harris County | 1.62% | $4,489 | $2,999 | +$1,338/yr |
| Tarrant County | 1.65% | $5,334 | $3,043 | +$1,382/yr |
| Travis County | 1.48% | $7,727 | $2,730 | +$1,069/yr |
Polk County, Texas Property Tax Exemptions
There are 4 property tax exemptions available in Polk County, Texas. The broadest, General residence homestead, is worth about $1,100 a year on the median $184,800 home and must be filed by April 30, and up to two years late. An exemption is the one way to lower a Polk 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 | $1,100 | 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 | $471 | 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 | $471 | 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 |
Polk 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 · Polk County, Texas
| Median tax bill | $1,661 a year+4.0% year over year |
|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 0.90%of market value · Texas 1.49% · U.S. 0.94% |
| Median home value | $184,800the value your bill is calculated from |
| Middle half of homes | $95,030 – $271,21925th to 75th percentile home value |
| National rank | 1441st highestmedian bill, of 3,211 U.S. counties |
| Change since 2020 | +23.1%median bill, $1,349 to $1,661 |
| Effective rate since 2020 | -16.4%percent change in the rate, not percentage points |
| Cheapest neighbor | Tyler County$12 a year less on the same $184,800 home |
| Who values your home | Polk 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 · Polk 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.
Polk County, Texas Property Tax FAQ
Straight answers about property taxes in Polk 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 Polk County is 0.90%. The typical homeowner pays $1,661 a year on a median home value of $184,800.
The Polk 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 Polk Appraisal Review Board. Filing is free.
Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk 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.
