Most Texas Homeowners Are Worried About Property Tax Affordability, But Over Half Have Never Protested

We at Ownwell surveyed 520 Texas homeowners in March 2026 regarding their property tax experiences, protest behavior, awareness of legislative reform, and use of technology in appraisals.

 We conducted a similar survey of 173 Texas property owners in 2025, allowing us to track year-over-year shifts in financial strain, protest behavior, and awareness.

The findings reveal a population that is financially strained, often underinformed, and cautiously skeptical that political promises will translate to real relief.

Key Stats

Section 1) Texas Property Taxes Are Straining Budgets

More than three in four Texas homeowners say their property taxes have increased since they moved in. But the headline financial pressure isn't just that taxes are high; it’s that they’re higher than budgeted.

Long-term affordability is a serious worry, with 9 in 10 Texas homeowners concerned about property tax increases.

For most, their 2025 bill landed hard: 67% say their most recent property tax bill surprised or shocked them, up sharply from 57% in 2025, the largest year-over-year jump in the study.

That bill shock reflects something deeper: 88% of respondents agree that their county's property tax process negatively affects homeowners; 36% strongly agree. 

Despite that widespread frustration, most haven't taken the annual step that can directly reduce their bill: filing a protest.

The data suggests the barrier isn't the system itself, but rather, knowledge of and access to it. More than a third of homeowners who had never protested didn't know they had the right to protest. 

When homeowners do protest, the results speak for themselves. 

Section 2) More Than Half of Texas Homeowners Have Never Protested

Despite real financial pressure, most Texas homeowners have never used the one tool the system most readily offers them: the formal and legal right to contest their property's assessed value.

 In 2025, 62% of Texas homeowners had never protested their taxes. That number has since dropped to 54% — an encouraging shift, though the majority still haven't protested.

Our own analysis of 17 high-density Texas counties found that only 32% of residential properties protested in 2025 — somewhat mirroring this survey’s findings — with non-protesting homeowners leaving an estimated $1.2 billion in potential savings unrealized that year.

Note that our study was limited to those 17 counties, and the data cover 2025 protests specifically, while the survey question asked about homeowners’ protest history overall.

Among the 54% of respondents who have never protested, the story splits in two.

Thirty-seven percent simply didn't know they could protest. The knowledge gap is closing, though. In 2025, 53% of non-protesters were unaware of their right; that’s a 16-point gain in awareness in a single year.

What’s more concerning is that the other 63% knew and still didn't act. Meaning, it’s likely more of a friction-and-confidence problem than an awareness issue.

Only 18% are very confident they could succeed without professional help, while 40% express some degree of doubt.

Section 3) Many Texans Are Unaware of Last Year’s Statewide Property Tax Relief

Awareness around protesting isn’t the only lack of knowledge. Most Texas homeowners are unaware of the property tax relief passed during the November 2025 election.

Even more concerning is that 68% of Texas homeowners say they're unaware of any other way to reduce their property taxes if they don't qualify for current exemptions, i.e., protesting.

With so many residents unaware of the updated homestead exemption legislation or their right to protest property taxes, there is a clear opportunity for local governments and advocacy organizations to invest in broader public education.

Section 4) Rising Taxes Have Some Homeowners Considering Leaving

For most Texas homeowners, moving isn't on the table. But for a meaningful share, high property taxes have pushed the thought to the surface.

The 59% majority hasn't entertained the idea. But the 41% figure underscores what's at stake: property taxes aren't just an annual line item. For over 4 in 10 homeowners, they're shaping decisions about where to live.

Section 5) Most Homeowners Are Open to Professional Help, But Privacy Is a Barrier

Given the friction of self-filing and the knowledge gaps documented above, one question follows naturally: Are Texas homeowners willing to let someone else handle a protest on their behalf? 

The answer, largely, is yes.

However, among distrustful respondents, the primary reason is self-reliance (46%), rather than skepticism about effectiveness (20%). Still, though, privacy concerns (34%) are a meaningful secondary barrier.

Section 6) 2027 Proposed Property Tax Relief

Texas homeowners may see additional relief heading into the 2027 legislative session (the Texas Legislature meets biennially, with the 90th session beginning in January 2027). Two competing proposals are on the table from the state’s top leaders.

The Governor’s five-point plan includes two structural guardrails aimed at limiting how much local governments can raise taxes in the first place.

• The first would cap local government spending growth to the rate of population growth plus inflation, or 3.5%, whichever is lower.

• The second would require two-thirds voter approval before any local property tax increase could take effect, a higher bar than what the current law demands.  

The Lt. Governor’s “Operation Double Nickel” takes a different approach: raise the general homestead exemption from $140,000 to $180,000, and lower the age for enhanced senior exemptions — including frozen school district taxable values — from age 65 to 55.

Both proposals would require legislative approval and, in the Governor’s case, a statewide voter referendum. Until then, ensuring that you have all qualified exemptions and that the protest process remains the two direct paths to property tax relief.

Conclusion: What These Findings Mean for Texas Homeowners

Texas homeowners are under real and growing financial pressure. Three in four say property taxes have exceeded their budget. That's up from 72% last year — a signal that household strain isn't plateauing. However, 9 in 10 still worry about long-term affordability.

Yet the most direct tool available — the legal right to protest an appraisal — remains unknown to more than a third of those who've never used it and underutilized even by many who do know about it.

The protest window is open until May 15 or 30 days after your county mails your notice of value, whichever comes later. No legislation is required to protest today!

Methodology

This study is based on a March 2026 survey of 520 Texas homeowners conducted via Pollfish. For questions specific to Texas property ownership and state policy, the base includes 520 respondents who confirmed owning property in Texas.

Pollfish handled the data collection. Survey responses are self-reported and subject to the standard limitations of online survey research, including recall and self-reporting bias.

We conducted a similar survey via Pollfish of 173 Texas property owners in 2025, allowing us to track year-over-year shifts in property tax protest sentiment and behavior. 

Lastly, all percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number. In some cases, rounded figures may not sum to exactly 100%; these instances are noted where applicable.