Washington County, the birthplace of Texas independence, saw significant changes in its property tax landscape from 2019 to 2022, mimicking trends in counties all over the state.
For years, Texans have been wilting under the pressure of ever-increasing property taxes, and the fixes touted as significant wins in the legislature have done little to alleviate the pain.
What’s frequently observed is increasing appraisals zeroing out any benefit property owners receive from a decreased or held-in-check rate. Still, there are instances where the taxpayer comes out on top.
In Washington County, Giddings Independent School District, during the three years of review, dropped its rate from 1.2997 to 1.1385, and the average taxable value only edged up slightly, resulting in one of the largest tax cuts in the county of 12.22 percent or just over $100 in savings.
The City of Burton outpaced Giddings with a rate drop from 0.5 to 0.3213. Even with an increase of $44,000 in average taxable value, the average tax break was -18.60 percent, saving ratepayers nearly $150.
In Washington County, the average taxable property value of a residential property rose from $193,644 in 2019 to $236,013 in 2022, representing a substantial 21.9 percent increase. The county countered by decreasing its rate from 0.495 in 2019 to 0.386 in 2022, which, in the case of the county, kept bills relatively in check.
The average tax bill from the county went from $911 in 2019 to $959 in 2022.
Washington County’s population continues to grow steadily, reaching 37,646 residents in 2024, and the county’s median household income stands at $70,043, placing it in the top 50 in the state.
The largest taxing entity in Washington County, the City of Brenham, has seen steadily decreasing rates of taxation accompanied by leaps in property values. The resultant tax bills in 2022 were a little more than $100 from what they were in 2019.
In 2022, Brenham ISD floated two bond proposals to voters. Both were defeated.
The county, established in 1836, was one of Texas’ original counties and home to Washington-on-the-Brazos, where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed.
From now until tax day in 2025, Texas Scorecard will report on counties across the state, highlighting local officials working to lighten, or at the very least not add to, property taxpayers’ burdens. Those raising taxes will be covered as well.
