The 2025 property tax protest season is underway across the Houston metro area, and the financial impact is clear: Homeowners who challenged their appraisals are saving significantly, while hundreds of thousands who didn’t are likely overpaying.
This comprehensive analysis examines protest activity across Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Montgomery, and Waller counties, revealing participation rates, average savings by market value to date, and what the data mean for Houston-area homeowners moving forward.
Key 2025 Houston Area Protest Takeaways
The Non-Protestor Reality: 68% of homeowners in the greater Houston area accepted their appraisals.
Most Left Behind: Harris County had 866,623 properties that didn't file protests; the largest number of potential missed savings opportunities in the region.
Best Participation: Montgomery County led the Houston area with 45% of residential properties filing protests, significantly higher than the county average of 32%.
Ownwell's Explosive Growth: In 2025, Houston-area homeowners increasingly trusted Ownwell, as we represented 127,298 residential protests — a 94% increase from the 65,618 protests in 2024.
The Non-Protestor Reality: 68% of Greater Houston Homeowners Accepted Their
Appraisals Despite widespread protest activity, over 1.4 million Houston-area residential properties (68%) did not file protests in 2025.
These homeowners accepted their county appraisal district's valuation at face value and without challenge, likely leaving substantial tax savings on the table.
Houston area protest participation by county:
County | Total Properties | Protested | Protest Rate | Didn't Protest |
Harris | 1,267,323 | 400,700 | 32% | 866,623 (68%) |
Montgomery | 299,230 | 135,591 | 45% | 163,639 (55%) |
Fort Bend | 303,997 | 102,793 | 34% | 201,204 (66%) |
Galveston | 172,564 | 44,769 | 26% | 127,795 (74%) |
Waller | 33,206 | 3,582 | 11% | 29,624 (89%) |
Total | 2,076,320 | 687,435 | 32% | 1,401,340 (68%) |
When property owners don't protest, they miss the opportunity to challenge potentially inflated appraisals that directly increase their tax bills.
Harris County: Over 866,000 Properties Didn't Protest
In Harris County, less than one-third of homeowners challenged their property appraisals, leaving the majority to accept valuations that may not reflect true market conditions.
Total Residential Properties: 1,267,323
Filed Protests: 400,700 (32%)
Who Handled the Protests?
DIY Homeowners: 56,320 (14%)
All Property Tax Firms: 344,380 (86%)
Ownwell's Share: 69,263 (17% of all protests)
Average Savings in Harris County by Market Value
Market Value Bands | Average Savings Thus Far* |
<$250K | $305 |
$250K-$500K | $471 |
$500K-$750K | $730 |
$750K-$1M | $989 |
$1M-$3M | $1,794 |
>$3M | $6,176 |
County Average | $641 |
Montgomery County: Nearly Even Split Between Protestors and Non-Protestors
Montgomery County stood out in the Houston area with the region's highest protest rate, though 55% of homeowners still didn't challenge their valuations.
Total Residential Properties: 299,230
Filed Protests: 135,591 (45%)
Who Handled the Protests?
DIY Homeowners: 64,001 (53%)
All Property Tax Firms: 71,590 (47%)
Ownwell's Share: 19,091 (14% of all protests)
Average Savings in Montgomery County by Market Value
Market Value Bands | Average Savings Thus Far* |
<$250K | $366 |
$250K-$500K | $455 |
$500K-$750K | $677 |
$750K-$1M | $944 |
$1M-$3M | $1,781 |
>$3M | $9,359 |
County Average | $618 |
Fort Bend County: Two-Thirds Left Savings Unclaimed
While Fort Bend County saw solid protest activity, two-thirds of residential properties (over 200,000 properties) accepted their initial appraisals without filing protests.
Total Residential Properties: 303,997
Filed Protests: 102,793 (34%)
Who Handled the Protests?
DIY Homeowners: 8,763 (9%)
All Property Tax Firms: 94,030 (91%)
Ownwell's Share: 29,924 (29% of all protests)
Average Savings in Fort Bend County by Market Value
Market Value Bands | Average Savings Thus Far* |
<$250K | $174 |
$250K-$500K | $311 |
$500K-$750K | $458 |
$750K-$1M | $618 |
$1M-$3M | $1,127 |
>$3M | $22,192 |
County Average | $406 |
Galveston County: Three-Quarters Didn't Challenge Their Values
Galveston County had one of the lowest protest rates in the Houston metro, with only 26% of homeowners filing — yet those who did saw the highest average savings in the region.
Total Residential Properties: 172,564
Filed Protests: 44,769 (26%)
Who Handled the Protests?
DIY Homeowners: 9,061 (20%)
All Property Tax Firms: 35,708 (80%)
Ownwell's Share: 7,856 (18% of all protests)
Average Savings in Galveston County by Market Value
Market Value Bands | Average Savings Thus Far* |
<$250K | $303 |
$250K-$500K | $445 |
$500K-$750K | $801 |
$750K-$1M | $1,254 |
$1M-$3M | $2,708 |
>$3M | $9,845 |
County Average | $737 |
Waller County: Lowest Protest Participation in the Region
Waller County recorded the Houston area's lowest protest rate, with a striking 89% of homeowners, nearly 30,000 properties, not filing protests in 2025.
Total Residential Properties: 33,206
Filed Protests: 3,582 (11%)
Who Handled the Protests?
DIY Homeowners: 685 (19%)
All Property Tax Firms: 2,897 (81%)
Ownwell's Share: 1,164 (32% of all protests)
Average Savings in Waller County by Market Value
Market Value Bands | Average Savings Thus Far* |
<$250K | $256 |
$250K-$500K | $326 |
$500K-$750K | $364 |
$750K-$1M | $691 |
$1M-$3M | $1,770 |
>$3M | $21,574 |
County Average | $448 |
Ownwell's Houston Area Growth
Ownwell emerged as the second most-chosen property tax company in the Houston area in 2025, representing significantly more protests than any firm except O'Connor & Associates, while charging half the contingency fee.
Ownwell Houston area growth:
2024: 65,618 Ownwell residential protests
2025: 127,298 Ownwell residential protests (+94% YoY)
Market position: Most chosen property tax company in the Houston metro
This dramatic growth reflects Houston homeowners' increasing trust in Ownwell's transparent approach and competitive 25% contingency fee compared to competitors like O'Connor & Associates, which charges 50%, and others charging 30-50% plus upfront mandatory fees.
Don't Miss Out on Property Tax Savings in 2026
If you own one of the 1.4 million residential properties that didn’t protest, don’t make the same mistake in 2026… Whether you own a home or commercial property in the Houston area, protesting your property taxes could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars annually.
Ownwell makes the process simple and risk-free.
Why Houston Area Property Owners Choose Ownwell:
Average savings of $1,102
86% win rate
No upfront costs or mandatory fees. Only a 25% contingency fee — a fraction of competitors
Transparent, data-driven approach backed by local expertise
Already trusted this year by 127,000+ Houston-area property owners
Ready to stop overpaying on your property taxes? Join the hundreds of thousands of Houston homeowners and commercial property owners who trust Ownwell.
*Important methodology note: All county average savings calculations are based solely on won protests when savings are achieved and explicitly exclude cases involving assessed value reductions that did not result in a tax liability reduction due to the homestead cap.
All data is based on public county data received or retrieved by Ownwell as of May 14, 2025, and updated from internal Ownwell processes as of September 18, 2025. Incomplete or late postings may alter the totals.
