Property Tax in Jefferson County, Texas
The median real estate tax bill in Jefferson County, Texas is $2,513 per year, and the median home is worth $159,600. Both figures are the US Census Bureau's survey medians for owner-occupied households (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What the Jefferson County numbers mean
The median is the midpoint of the county's actual bills: half of Jefferson County homeowners pay more than $2,513 a year and half pay less. The exact bill for any one home depends on its assessed value, exemptions, and which school, municipal and special districts cover it.
Set against the median home value of $159,600, the median bill works out to a derived effective rate of 1.57%. That rate is an estimate computed from the two medians — no county publishes a rate calculated this way — but it adjusts for home prices, which makes comparisons between counties more meaningful.
The key figures for Jefferson County
| Measure | Jefferson County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $2,513 |
| Median home value | $159,600 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.57% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $209 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $1,575 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $6,300 |
For context, the Texas medians are $4,111 of tax on $260,400 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Jefferson County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Texas: #62 of 250 counties
- Median home value rank in Texas: #123 of 250
- Population rank in Texas: #22 of 250 (253,939 residents)
- Population density rank: #23 of 250 (290 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Texas: #172 of 250 (876 sq mi, 0.3% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $209; per $1,000 of home value: $1.57
How Jefferson County compares
Of the 250 Texas counties with published data, 61 have a higher median property tax bill than Jefferson County's $2,513, putting the county at #62 in the state. Its bill is about 39% lower than the state median of $4,111 and about 15% lower than the national median of $2,969.
Rates and values pull in opposite directions: an expensive housing market can produce big bills at ordinary rates. Here the derived rate is 1.57%, versus 0.98% derived nationally, and the median home value ranks #123 within Texas.
Some extra context for Jefferson County: the median bill works out to about $209 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,575 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 253,939 people — the #22 most populous county in Texas, spread over 876 square miles, a density of about 290 people per square mile. Its median home value, $159,600, ranks #123 among the state's 250 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 672 record a higher median tax bill than Jefferson County — it sits in the top 21% nationally. The county holds roughly 0.9% of Texas's people. Its homes are worth less than the state norm (median $159,600 versus $260,400), and a decade at the derived rate of 1.57% adds up to about 15.75% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Crockett County, medians $466 — $2,047 less than Jefferson County per year.
Counties nearest Jefferson County in the Texas ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llano County, TX | $2,587 | $322,300 | 0.80% |
| Tom Green County, TX | $2,523 | $186,700 | 1.35% |
| Coryell County, TX | $2,509 | $177,400 | 1.41% |
| Hemphill County, TX | $2,502 | $214,900 | 1.16% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Jefferson County's derived rate of 1.57%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $6,300 a year. That is only an illustration using the derived rate — a real bill is computed from the property's assessed value, its exemptions, and the combined rates of its specific taxing districts, so it can be higher or lower.
The usual sequence is: the local assessor values the property; exemptions are applied; the taxable value is multiplied by the combined local rates; and the county bills and collects the tax, distributing it to the schools, municipalities and districts that levied it.
Checking your assessment in Jefferson County
If your bill looks wrong, work through these steps:
1. Get your property record card from the assessor and check the basics — living area, lot size, bedrooms, condition, and any exemptions you should have.
2. Compare your assessed value with recent sale prices of similar homes in Jefferson County.
3. Talk to the assessor's office informally first; clear errors are often fixed without a hearing.
4. If needed, file a formal appeal with the local review board before the deadline on your assessment notice, with your evidence attached.
5. Keep paying the bill as issued while the appeal runs, unless your notice says otherwise — unpaid taxes accrue penalties regardless of an appeal.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Jefferson County, Texas?
The median real estate tax paid in Jefferson County, Texas is $2,513 per year, on a median home value of $159,600 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Jefferson County, Texas?
On a derived basis, 1.57%: the county's median tax bill of $2,513 divided by its median home value of $159,600. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Jefferson County compare with the rest of Texas?
By median taxes paid, Jefferson County stands at #62 among the 250 Texas counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $2,513 median bill is about 39% lower than the state median ($4,111), and 61 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Jefferson County, Texas?
The assessor estimates your property's market value; exemptions (such as a homestead exemption) reduce the taxable amount; and the result is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts — county, municipality, school district and any special districts. In Jefferson County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $2,513 on a median home value of $159,600.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Jefferson County, Texas?
Yes. Request your property record card from the Jefferson County assessor's office and check it for errors, then compare your assessed value with recent sales of similar homes. If it still looks too high, file a formal appeal with the local review board named on your assessment notice before the deadline printed on the notice — windows are short, often 30 to 90 days.