Hays County, Texas property tax
The median homeowner in Hays County, Texas pays $6,420 a year in property tax on a home worth $371,400, an effective rate of 1.73%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.73%, Hays County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Both the rate and the house are above national. That is the expensive combination, and the $6,420 median bill reflects it.
It ranks #13 of 202 Texas counties by effective rate, against a statewide 1.58%, and #183 nationally. The state runs from 2.09% in El Paso County down to 0.60% in Ward County.
The median home costs 4.33 times the median household income of $85,827, close to the national 3.86. At 256,429 residents the county is large enough that its median blends several distinct housing markets.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Hays County | Texas | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.73% | 1.58% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $6,420 | $4,111 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $371,400 | $260,400 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,417 | $1,339 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $85,827 | $76,292 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 4.33× | 3.41× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 19.81% | 21.06% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 64.11% | 62.56% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 256,429.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 1.57% | $2,513 | $159,600 |
| McLennan County | 1.53% | $3,347 | $219,200 |
| Webb County | 1.85% | $3,312 | $178,900 |
| Smith County | 1.25% | $2,749 | $220,800 |
| Brazos County | 1.64% | $4,580 | $279,700 |
Hays County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Hays County, Texas?
The effective rate is 1.73% of home value, from a median tax bill of $6,420 against a median home value of $371,400. That is 0.75 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Hays County?
Roughly $6,920 a year at the county effective rate of 1.73%.
Is Hays County expensive compared with the rest of Texas?
It ranks #13 of 202 Texas counties by effective property tax rate, and #183 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.15 points above the Texas average of 1.58%.
What does housing cost in Hays County?
The median home is worth $371,400 and median gross rent is $1,417 a month. Median household income is $85,827, which puts the home at 4.33 times annual income and rent at 19.81% of it.