Galveston County, TX property tax

Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates · updated 2026-09-20

The median effective property tax rate in Galveston County is 1.49%, below the Texas median of 1.58% and above the national median of 0.98%. The median homeowner pays $4,238 a year on a home worth $284,900.

Effective rate
1.49%
Median annual bill
$4,238
Median home value
$284,900
Rank in Texas
57of 245
Effective property tax rate: Galveston County compared with Texas and the United States
0.400.791.191.58Galveston County: 1.49%Galveston County1.49%Texas median: 1.58%Texas median1.58%United States median: 0.98%United States median0.98%

Median annual bill divided by median home value, Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates.

Estimated annual bill by home value

Home valueEstimated billPer month
$200,000$2,980$248
$300,000$4,470$373
$400,000$5,960$497
$500,000$7,450$621
$750,000$11,175$931
$1,000,000$14,900$1,242
At the county median effective rate of 1.49%, before exemptions. Jurisdictions inside the county differ; use the estimator for a specific home value and exemption.

Estimate for your home value

Galveston County property tax rate by year, 2021 to 2025

Galveston County adopted a 2025 tax rate of $0.322660 per $100 of taxable value, down from $0.333460 in 2024 and $0.414940 in 2021. That is $323 of county tax for every $100,000 of taxable value; cities, school districts and special districts levy their own rates on top.

YearAdopted county rateNo-new-revenue rateVoter-approval rateCounty tax per $100,000
2025$0.322660$0.325668$0.402768$323
2024$0.333460$0.326107$0.350430$333
2023$0.3419$0.341964$0.369366$342
2022$0.367587$0.376037$0.436464$368
2021$0.414940$0.424540$0.454780$415
Dollars per $100 of taxable value, as reported to the Texas Comptroller. The no-new-revenue rate would produce the same amount of taxes if applied to the same properties taxed in both years; the voter-approval rate is the maximum allowed by law without voter approval. The county rate totals its general fund, road and bridge, and farm-to-market or flood control rates. A blank means none was reported.

City tax rates in Galveston County

City20252024202320222021
Bayou Vista$0.422730$0.422273$0.422273$0.392485$0.382485
Dickinson$0.3682$0.3682$0.366870$0.388139$0.404583
Friendswood *$0.514172$0.514172$0.500728$0.487314$0.487314
Galveston$0.408687$0.408850$0.408850$0.4445$0.4985
Hitchcock$0.5400$0.5400$0.4950$0.5000$0.5300
Jamaica Beach$0.147355$0.145748$0.139594$0.165613$0.170497
Kemah$0.1999$0.1999$0.185560$0.1793$0.1793
La Marque$0.418501$0.398501$0.418058$0.461628$0.550764
League City *$0.363550$0.3690$0.3950$0.415526$0.465526
Santa Fe$0.231630$0.246097$0.2386$0.238602$0.265515
Texas City *$0.478433$0.488635$0.4900$0.4900$0.4900
Tiki Island$0.411738$0.415276$0.435746$0.472668$0.276883
Total rate each unit adopted, dollars per $100 of taxable value, as reported to the Texas Comptroller. A blank means no rate was reported for that year. * The unit also covers part of another county.

School district tax rates in Galveston County

School district20252024202320222021
Clear Creek ISD *$0.9690$0.9690$0.9746$1.1146$1.1797
Dickinson ISD$1.1420$1.1360$1.1780$1.2940$1.3120
Friendswood ISD *$1.0300$1.0400$1.0800$1.2094$1.2394
Galveston ISD$0.8415$0.8449$0.8475$1.0350$0.9632
High Island ISD$1.1573$1.2369$1.2076$1.2246$1.053440
Hitchcock ISD$1.030097$1.0669$1.0692$1.2046$1.0720
Santa Fe ISD$1.1014$1.1414$1.1003$1.2169$1.2343
Texas City ISD$1.1543$1.1005$1.1642$1.3113$1.3513
Total rate each unit adopted, dollars per $100 of taxable value, as reported to the Texas Comptroller. A blank means no rate was reported for that year. * The unit also covers part of another county.

48 special districts (utility, emergency services, water, hospital or college districts) also tax property in parts of Galveston County (2024 list), each adding its own rate inside its boundaries. Rates are as reported by the appraisal district; a rate changed later, for example by an election, may not appear here, so confirm with the Galveston County tax office.

Property tax rates by city in Galveston County

Among the 7 places listed, League City city has the highest median effective rate at 1.73% and Galveston city the lowest at 1.18%, against 1.49% for the county as a whole.

PlaceEffective rateMedian billMedian home valuePopulation
League City city *1.73%$5,788$334,000114,885
Texas City city *1.38%$2,635$190,60054,159
Galveston city1.18%$3,485$294,30053,348
Friendswood city *1.57%$6,271$399,50040,827
Dickinson city1.57%$3,842$244,50021,612
Seabrook city *1.67%$5,528$332,00013,617
Santa Fe city1.46%$4,232$290,20012,828
Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates for each place as a whole. Listed: places with at least 5,000 residents whose medians have a margin of error within 20% of the estimate. * The place extends into a neighboring county, so its figures cover the whole place.

Galveston County compared with Texas and the US

AreaEffective rateMedian billMedian home value
Galveston County1.49%$4,238$284,900
Texas median1.58%$4,111$260,400
United States median0.98%$2,969n/a

Galveston County compared with neighboring counties

Galveston County borders 3 counties. Ranked from lowest to highest median effective rate, it places 2 of 4.

CountyEffective rateMedian billMedian home value
Chambers County1.13%$3,290$289,900
Galveston County1.49%$4,238$284,900
Harris County1.72%$4,382$255,000
Brazoria County1.75%$4,831$276,800
Counties sharing a border with Galveston County, from the Census Bureau county adjacency file; figures from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates, lowest effective rate first.

Texas statewide: School districts must grant a $140,000 residence homestead exemption under Tax Code Section 11.13(b), and any taxing unit may adopt a local option exemption of up to 20 percent of appraised value, with a $5,000 floor. Apply with the county appraisal district; the general deadline is April 30.

Due dates and payment

Texas statewide: bills mailed October; due January 31 of the following year. Confirm the local schedule with the Galveston County tax office.

Appealing your assessment

File a protest with the appraisal review board by May 15 or within 30 days of the appraisal notice, whichever is later. Bring recent sales of comparable homes, photos of condition issues, and any error in the record such as square footage or lot size. How to appeal, step by step.

How Texas assesses value

100% of appraised market value, set annually by the county appraisal district. Full Texas rules, exemptions and deadlines.

Rates and medians: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 5-year estimates, tables B25103 and B25077. Effective rate is median taxes paid divided by median owner-occupied home value. Places: Census place by county reference file. Texas adopted rates: Texas Comptroller, Tax Rates and Levies, 2021 to 2025. Neighbors: Census county adjacency file. Rules: Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Exemptions and Appraisal Protests.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Galveston County, TX?

The median effective property tax rate in Galveston County is 1.49% of home value, below the Texas median of 1.58% and above the national median of 0.98%. The median homeowner pays $4,238 a year on a median home value of $284,900 (Census ACS 2023 5-year).

How much is property tax on a $400,000 house in Galveston County?

About $5,960 per year at the county's median effective rate of 1.49%, before exemptions. The exact bill depends on the city, school district and special districts that serve the parcel, so treat this as a planning estimate.

When are property taxes due in Galveston County?

Texas statewide: bills mailed October; due January 31 of the following year. Check the Galveston County tax office for the exact local dates.

How do I appeal a property tax assessment in Galveston County?

File a protest with the appraisal review board by May 15 or within 30 days of the appraisal notice, whichever is later. Full Texas rules are on the Texas page.

What is the Galveston County tax rate for 2025?

$0.322660 per $100 of taxable value for the county itself, as reported to the Texas Comptroller. Cities, school districts and special districts add their own rates, so the combined rate depends on the address. This page lists the rate of every city and school district that taxes property in Galveston County.

How does Galveston County compare with the rest of Texas?

Galveston County ranks 57 of 245 Texas counties by effective rate. The Texas median is 1.58% and the median bill is $4,111.