Hays Property Tax Values and Protest Facts

Hays County may be known for being in the shadow of Austin, but this suburban area is a power in its own right. With an estimated $68.22 billion in taxable value as of 2024, Hays County has more than quadrupled in value in the past decade. However, these rising taxable values also mean that more taxes are levied against business and homeowners, leading to rocketing expenses. Property taxes are usually the biggest bill a homeowner faces, but they do have an option to fight back. Tax protests are becoming more popular every year, and O’Connor is here to help. Join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and be assured that your taxes are being protested every year. No upfront costs or hidden fees, and you will never pay a single cent unless your taxes decrease.

Total Market Value Hays CountySource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.

	Billions of $
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
$ Total Market Value	13.191	19.302	20.521	23.518	25.984	29.380	33.292	38.358	56.348	64.499	68.218
Single Family	8.649	10.002	11.249	12.626	13.977	15.735	17.670	20.802	31.168	37.775	37.633
Multi-family	0.995	1.167	1.349	1.437	1.688	1.982	2.313	2.491	3.222	3.519	4.035
Commercial	0.943	2.106	2.328	2.498	2.817	3.343	3.836	4.037	4.915	5.811	5.906
All Other	2.605	6.028	5.595	6.957	7.502	8.320	9.474	11.028	17.044	17.394	20.645

Texas property owners should protest annually As part of maintaining their property, like a HVAC checkup.

Hays County Property Tax Trends

The stratospheric growth of Austin in the past decade has made the property in Travis County and the surrounding area some of the most in-demand real estate in America. Hays County is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing counties in the United States, which is bringing both taxable values and taxes up to levels never seen before. The only way to lower both is through property tax appeals , the specialty of O’Connor. O’Connor has been lowering taxes across Texas for 50 years and is one of the largest firms fighting property taxes in the United States.

Hays CAD Total Market Value of Property

It has been the general trend in Texas that taxable values have doubled in the past decade. Hays County has far surpassed that milestone, with real estate values climbing 388.96% since 2014. As of 2024, the property in Hays was valued at a combined $68.22 billion. The value of the area has almost quintupled due to the massive influx of people moving to Austin thanks to the growth in the tech and entertainment industries.

The biggest contributor to both growth and total value has been single family homes, which hit $37.63 billion in value in 2024. Single family homes currently make up 55.17% of the total value across the county. In second place is a combination of industrial, utility, and other related businesses at $20.65 billion. Commercial properties, typically the biggest land value after residential properties, only notched a total of $5.91 billion. These numbers paint the picture of the county being a residential area, which tracks with its suburban qualities.

Property Value Reduction By Type of Appeal Source: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.

	Billions of $
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Total	0.788	0.509	0.412	0.670	0.713	1.069	1.297	2.105	2.695	3.360	2.34
Informal Appeal	0.472	0.307	0.244	0.457	0.457	0.472	0.564	0.801	0.799	0.760	0.616
Formal ARB Determination	0.3160	0.2000	0.1610	0.2000	0.2390	0.5650	0.6800	1.2310	1.7820	2.4860	1.5450
Judicial Appeal	0	0.0020	0.0060	0.0120	0.0170	0.0310	0.0520	0.0730	0.1140	0.1140	0.1800

Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas law requires property owners to protest to get information on their property and comparable sales in the area. This information is free and available upon request via U.S. mail (once you file a protest).

Hays CAD Value Reduction by Type of Appeal

All taxpayers have the right under the Texas Constitution to protest their taxes. This right should be used every year, especially in places like Hays County where taxes are increasing at a record pace. Tax protests allow overzealous or inflated values to be cut, which will then push tax bills down. Tax protests are on the rise across Texas, reaching over 30% of all properties in some parts of Texas.

The county saw $2.34 billion in property values cut in 2024 thanks to appeals. Informal appeals created $616 million in cuts, while formal appeals produced $1.55 billion in reductions. This is a fairly typical pattern seen in counties with high-dollar valuations, including Travis and Fort Bend counties, some of the most heavily taxed in America. As Hays is one of the most rapidly growing areas in Texas, this pattern should deepen even more.

Total Property Tax Savings All Protests and AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.

	Millions of $
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
All Property Types	16.55	10.69	8.65	14.06	14.98	22.44	27.23	44.21	56.59	70.57	49.15
Single Family	2.62	1.48	1.61	3.43	2.72	3.22	3.54	6.51	13.58	21.16	10.47
Commercial / All other	13.93	9.21	7.04	10.63	12.26	19.22	23.69	37.70	43.01	49.41	38.68

Texas property owners should protest annually since Because it is the surest way to reduce property taxes.

Total Hays CAD Property Tax Savings by Property Type

Value reductions to property typically bring big tax cuts and Hays County was no exception. In 2024, a total of $49.15 million was saved for taxpayers, down from a record high of $70.57 million in 2023. Total savings due to tax appeals have grown yearly since 2014, culminating in a 326.40% increase between 2014 and 2023. While tax savings have not kept up with property tax growth, it is certainly a step in the right direction.

Commercial properties, industrial facilities, and multi family homes combined for a total of $38.68 million. Single family homes made up the rest with $10.47 million. It is common to see this type of breakdown in savings in Texas counties. Residential properties clearly outnumber businesses, but commercial and related properties are worth more individually. While businesses typically save more than residential properties in appeals, the county is still seeing strong returns on single family appeals.