Harris County raised its combined property tax rate for 2026. Here is what the new rate adds to your bill and what you can still do about it.
Key Takeaways
The Harris County property tax increase for 2026 came from a higher combined rate adopted September 17, 2026.
The combined rate for the county's four taxing entities rose from $0.6241 to $0.6715 per $100 of appraised value.
On an average $400,000 homestead, the county portion adds about $188 a year, and a $300,000 home adds about $142.
The rate is final, but your appraised value is not, so you can check exemptions now and protest in 2027.
Your 2026 taxes are due January 31, 2027.
Harris County Raised Its Property Tax Rate. Here's What Changed.
At Ownwell, we track county rate changes so you do not have to. Our Ownwell Texas Homeowner Survey 2026 found that 9 in 10 Texas homeowners are worried about property tax affordability. In that same survey, 67% said their most recent bill surprised or shocked them, up from 57% a year earlier.
Here is the short answer. On September 17, 2026, Harris County Commissioners Court voted to raise the combined rate for its four county taxing entities from $0.6241 to $0.6715 per $100 of appraised value. That is about a 7.6% increase, one of the largest increases in recent county history.
The combined rate covers four entities:
The Harris County general fund
The Harris County Flood Control District
The Harris Health and the Hospital District
The Port of Houston Authority
The vote was 3-1. Commissioner Tom Ramsey cast the lone no vote, and Judge Lina Hidalgo stepped out before the vote, calling it symbolic.
The rate is the number the county sets. Your appraised value is the number the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) sets. Both decide your bill, and the difference matters for what you can still change this year.
Below, we translate that rate into real dollars by home value. We also explain why it rose, when your bill is due, and the one number you can still fight.
How Much the 2026 Increase Adds to Your Tax Bill
County budget officials estimate the increase adds about $188 a year on an average $400,000 homestead, and about $142 on a $300,000 home. Commissioner Lesley Briones estimated closer to $198 for the same $400,000 case. We present these as official estimates, not a single guaranteed figure.
Here is the math. The combined rate climbed about $0.0474 per $100 of taxable value. That works out to roughly $47 more per $100,000 of taxable value.
Within the combined rate, the county's general-fund rate rose from $0.38096 to $0.41750 per $100, about a 9.6% increase.
Taxable Value | Estimated County-Portion Increase per Year |
|---|---|
$200,000 | ~$95 |
$300,000 | ~$142 |
$400,000 | ~$190 |
$500,000 | ~$237 |
These are county-portion estimates before exemptions, and they line up with the county's own $188 and $142 figures. They cover the county portion only. Your school district, city, and municipal utility district rates are separate and set by other bodies. You can review local context on our Harris County tax rate trends page.
One more point. Your taxable value, after the homestead cap and exemptions, drives the actual bill, not your raw market value. A homestead limits annual appraised-value growth to 10%, which can hold your taxable value well below market.
So two homes on the same street can see very different dollar increases. The one with a long-held homestead and a capped value may pay far less than a recent purchase at full market value. That is why we run this math on each property rather than applying one average to everyone.
How Much Are You Over Paying?
Why Your Rate Went Up, Even After the 2025 State Relief
The confusion here is fair, since the state raised homestead exemptions in late 2025. These two levers decide your bill. The state sets exemptions, which lower your taxable value. The county sets its own rate, which still applies to what is left.
The 2026 school homestead exemption is $140,000, with an added $60,000 for homeowners 65 and older or disabled. Those exemptions cut taxable value. They do not stop the county from raising its rate.
Think of it as two dials turned by two different hands. The state turned the exemption dial down on your taxable value. The county turned the rate dial up on what remains. For many homeowners, the county increase offsets part of the state relief on the county line of the bill.
The driver was the county budget. Commissioners pointed to rising healthcare costs, noting the county's healthcare costs rose $89 million this year compared with last, and that property taxes fund about 80% of the county's budget.
Commissioners also cited a projected budget shortfall of about $180 million. A companion fiscal 2027 budget passed in a separate 3-2 vote.
When Your 2026 Bill Arrives and When It's Due
The new rate takes effect with the county fiscal year on October 1, 2026. It is included in the bills mailed this fall. Many homeowners pay these taxes through a mortgage escrow account. If you own your home outright, you pay the county directly by the due date.
Your 2026 property taxes are due by January 31, 2027. They become delinquent on February 1, 2027, when penalties and interest start. For a deeper breakdown of when Texas property taxes are due, see our full guide.
If the bill is a strain, you have options. Homeowners 65 and older or disabled can use installment plans, and they may also defer county taxes indefinitely at 5% annual interest. A deferral delays payment while you own and occupy the home.
Exemptions to Check Before Your Bill Arrives
Exemptions are the fastest way to cut your taxable value without filing a protest. We file and manage these for customers, and in Texas we can claim missed homestead exemptions retroactively. Here are the main ones to confirm:
General residence homestead: Removes $140,000 from your school taxable value and unlocks the 10% annual appraisal cap.
Over-65 or disabled: Adds a $60,000 school exemption, stacking to $200,000, plus a school tax ceiling.
Disabled veteran: Provides tiered relief from $5,000 up to a full homestead exemption, based on your disability rating.
Local-option exemptions: Vary by taxing unit, up to 20% of appraised value, so confirm yours with HCAD.
You file these with HCAD. The 2026 general homestead deadline of April 30 has passed, but you can file retroactively for up to two years, so you can still claim a missed exemption. The 2027 deadline is expected around April 30, 2027. For details on homestead and other exemptions, start here.
Unsure Which Exemptions You Qualify For?
The One Number You Can Still Fight: Your Appraised Value
You cannot vote down the approved rate, but you can protest your HCAD appraisal.
Our Ownwell Houston Area Property Tax Protest Patterns study (Fall 2025) found that 68% of greater-Houston homeowners did not protest in 2025, including 866,623 properties that didn't file protests in Harris County alone. Among those who did, Harris protesters averaged about $641 in savings, and about $471 on homes valued at $250,000-$500,000.
Those are large numbers hiding real money. Each unprotested account is a bill that stood as HCAD valued it, with no second look. A protest gives you a chance to make the county prove the value before it applies the rate.
You can protest on two grounds: market value and unequal appraisal. Texas sets the deadline at May 15, or 30 days after HCAD mails your notice of appraised value, whichever is later. The clock runs from the mailing date, not the date you receive it.
The 2026 protest window has closed for most accounts, so plan for the 2027 cycle, which is expected around May 15, 2027. Check HCAD or the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) for your exact date rather than assuming a universal one. For the full walkthrough, see our Harris County property tax guide.
How the Harris County Property Tax Increase Hits Rentals
Rental and investment owners feel this increase differently. At Ownwell, we handle both residential rentals and commercial portfolios. Non-homestead property has no 10% homestead cap, so a rate increase can hit investment properties harder than owner-occupied homes.
The same protest right applies to your rentals. Unequal appraisal is often the strongest ground for income property, because it compares your value to similar properties. Portfolio owners feel the combined rate increase across every property at once, so a coordinated protest strategy is worth more.
The timing is the same as for homeowners, so the 2026 window has closed for most accounts, and the 2027 cycle is the next chance to act. We treat each parcel as its own case while keeping your portfolio on one plan.
How Ownwell Can Help Harris County Homeowners
At Ownwell, we manage the full process end to end. We build the evidence, file your exemptions, protest your HCAD value, and attend hearings for you. You only pay if we save you money, and our Texas contingency fee is 25% of your savings.
The proof is in the numbers for our customers:
An 88% protest success rate.
About $774 in average annual savings.
A 4.7 rating across 3,000-plus Google reviews.
All it takes to begin is your address. Start your Texas protest with zero upfront cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Harris County raise property taxes in 2026?
Commissioners raised the combined rate for the county's four taxing entities from $0.6241 to $0.6715 per $100 of appraised value, about a 7.6% increase.
How much will the increase add to my bill?
The county portion adds roughly $47 per $100,000 of taxable value, or about $188 a year on an average $400,000 homestead. That figure is the county portion only, before exemptions.
When are my 2026 Harris County property taxes due?
Your 2026 taxes are due by January 31, 2027, and they become delinquent on February 1, 2027.
Can I do anything now that the rate is set?
You cannot change the rate, but you can confirm your homestead and other exemptions now and protest your appraised value in the 2027 cycle.
Why did my rate go up if the state cut property taxes?
State relief raised homestead exemptions, lowering your taxable value, while the county sets its own rate to cover a budget shortfall and rising healthcare costs.
