What you need to know
Each year, local governing bodies like county commissioners, City Councils and school boards review budgets and set tax rates based on projected revenue needs and voter-approved measures.
No matter where someone lives in Travis County, there are two taxing entities that apply to all properties: the Travis County government and the county’s hospital district, Central Health. Both entities have approved tax increases for the upcoming year.
In addition to the broader county tax rates, other taxing authorities vary depending on where someone lives. These may include:
- Cities
- School districts
- Local community college taxing districts
- Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs)
- Emergency Service Districts (ESDs)
- Water Control and Improve Districts (WCIDs)
City tax rates vary from one city to another. In Travis County, the cities of Pflugerville and Austin have consistently held some of the highest property tax rates in the county over the last several years.
However, even if tax rates stay the same, property taxes can increase if property values rise, like a recent years’ spike in real estate prices throughout Central Texas.
In contrast, many of the various tax rates set by school districts are lower than in previous years—a result of stagnant state funding. With inflation and operating costs increasing over the years, many districts are placing voter-approved tax rate elections on this November’s ballot.
If approved by voters, local school district property tax increases will help offset budget deficits, according to school officials.
Austin Community College also receives a large portion of its funding from property taxes. The school’s taxing district spans much of Travis County.
With the approval of this year’s tax rate, ACC remains among the lowest in all Texas community colleges and means the average property tax bill won’t increase for taxpayers living within the community college’s taxing district, according to a news release.
Taxpayers will see a tax rate of $0.1013 per $100 valuation for the upcoming fiscal year.
