Texas’ local property tax is big and fast-growing. In fiscal 2013, local governments received in excess of $45 billion in property tax revenue, making it the single largest tax imposed in the Lone Star State. Of the total levy, school district taxes represented more than half of the overall burden, at $24.9 billion. The number of taxing jurisdictions levying a property tax grew to more than 4,000 statewide, an increase of 10.6% compared to a decade prior.
Taxes & Spending
Assessing Tax Trends in the City of Austin
Does history suggest that property taxes are too high in the city of Austin? 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 reasonability...
February 19, 2026