Property Tax Resources · Caldwell County, Texas
Caldwell County — home to Lockhart, the barbecue capital of Texas — is absorbing Austin-area growth pressure that is pushing appraisals far beyond what local residents can sustain.
Source: County debt — Texas Bond Review Board, FY2025.
🔴 2026 Protest Deadline: May 15, 2026 — or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value is mailed, whichever is later. Miss this date and you waive your right to protest.
Caldwell County sits just 30 miles south of Austin, and the growth spillover has been relentless. Lockhart — long known as the barbecue capital of Texas — is now a bedroom community for Austin tech workers, and values in the county have surged accordingly. With a total market value exceeding $10.5 billion in 2023 and an effective tax rate approaching 1.5%, longtime residents are facing bills that reflect a housing market they never asked for.
In 2023, property owners who protested at Caldwell CAD saved an average of $865 per account. Only about 5,000 accounts were protested out of roughly 50,000 — meaning the vast majority of Caldwell County property owners paid whatever the CAD decided without question. If your value went up this year, that is money you can fight for.
Official CAD site — appraisal notices, exemption applications, and district contact information.
Search your property record, view current appraised value, and verify exemption status.
Caldwell CAD online protest portal, filing instructions, and deadline information for 2026.
Every taxing entity’s proposed rate, adopted rate, and public hearing schedule for Caldwell County.
Enter the date your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed to find your exact filing deadline.
Every taxing unit in Caldwell County — your school district, city, county — must publish its proposed rate and hold a public hearing before adopting any rate exceeding the no-new-revenue rate. These meetings are open. Your voice is on the record.
View Caldwell County Tax Rates →Photo: Caldwell County Courthouse, Lockhart, Texas. Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.
| Taxing Entity | Type | Rate (2025 adopted) |
|---|---|---|
| Caldwell County | County | $0.4391/$100 |
| Gonzales ISD | School District | $0.8750/$100 |
| Hays CISD | School District | $1.1546/$100 |
| Lockhart ISD | School District | $0.9396/$100 |
| Luling ISD | School District | $0.8469/$100 |
| Prairie Lea ISD | School District | $0.9455/$100 |
| San Marcos CISD | School District | $1.0152/$100 |
| Waelder ISD | School District | $0.6678/$100 |
2025 adopted rates per Texas Comptroller Tax Rates & Levies (source). City, MUD, college and other special-district rates may also apply depending on your parcel. Your total depends on which districts your property falls in — verify current rates at your county appraisal district.
What your Notice means and exactly what to do — and by when — after it arrives.
How the Texas homestead exemption lowers your taxable value, including recent changes.
When a property tax consultant is worth it for protesting your appraisal.
Lesser-known special valuations that can cut the taxable value of qualifying land.
The state office that oversees appraisal districts and protects taxpayers.
Who sets your county’s values and why that role matters to your bill.
Search your account at esearch.caldwellcad.org. Know your Notice of Appraised Value and the deadline printed on it.
File online, by mail, or in person at Caldwell CAD: 211 Bufkin Ln, Lockhart, TX 78644. Deadline: May 15, 2026 or 30 days after your notice was mailed.
Recent sales of comparable homes, your purchase price, photos of property condition issues, and repair estimates all strengthen your case.
Before your ARB hearing, a CAD appraiser may offer to settle. Review any offer carefully before accepting — you can accept or proceed to the formal hearing.
The Appraisal Review Board is independent of the CAD. Present your evidence clearly and concisely. Most hearings run 15–30 minutes.
Disagree with the ARB ruling? You may appeal to district court, binding arbitration, or SOAH (properties over $1 million).
“No person’s particular services shall be demanded, nor property taken or applied to public use, unless by the consent of himself or his representative, without just compensation being made therefor.”
— Section 13, Declaration of Rights, Republic of Texas, 1836Lockhart is one of the most distinctly Texas places left in the state — and it’s being priced out of its own identity. The people who built this community on real work, longstanding roots, and genuine Texas character are now being handed tax bills sized for a different county entirely. That is not what property taxation is for. The appraisal district, the school boards, the city councils — they all have public meetings before they touch your bill. Find your value. File your protest. Show up to the hearings. Make them answer for it.
For informational and educational purposes only. Property-Taxes-Texas.com is a citizen advocacy and education resource. Nothing on this site constitutes legal, financial, tax, or appraisal advice. We are not attorneys, CPAs, or licensed appraisers. Consult a licensed Texas attorney, qualified financial advisor, or certified appraiser for guidance specific to your situation. Deadlines, rates, and statutes are subject to change — verify all details with your county appraisal district or the Texas Comptroller before acting.
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