Texas’ property tax is big and fast-growing. In 2016, more than 5,100 local tax jurisdictions levied more than $56 billion in property taxes, making it the single largest tax imposed in the Lone Star State. Of the total levy, school district taxes accounted for the bulk of the burden at $29.9 billion followed by cities ($9.2 billion), counties ($9 billion), and special districts ($8 billion). On a per capita basis, Texas’ property tax is large enough to collect more than $2,000 from every man, woman, and child in the state or more than $8,000 from a family of four.
Taxes & Spending
Assessing Tax Trends in the City of Ft. Worth
Does history suggest that property taxes are too high in the city of Ft. Worth? And, if so, have local decision-makers actively helped or hurt the situation? To help answer these questions, let’s review the city’s 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and gather four types of data—i.e., tax levies, local population, total tax rates, and taxable values—over a 10-year time horizon. Using these audited estimates, we can gauge the growth of government (i.e., tax levy trends), assess its...
February 19, 2026