Property Tax Resources · Zavala County, Texas
Zavala County
Property Taxes
The Spinach Capital of Texas — a 1.53% effective rate on one of the lowest-value housing markets in the state is a real burden.
Property Tax Resources · Zavala County, Texas
The Spinach Capital of Texas — a 1.53% effective rate on one of the lowest-value housing markets in the state is a real burden.
Sources: Population — U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 estimates; 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.
Zavala County in South Texas is known as the Spinach Capital of Texas, with Crystal City as county seat. Agriculture — primarily onions, spinach, and other vegetables — anchors the local economy, and the county has a long history of political activism and civic organizing. Despite very low median home values, the effective tax rate of 1.53% places a disproportionate burden on a low-income community.
1,390 ARB protests were filed in Zavala County in 2024; 15% of protests resolved through the informal process received a value reduction (Texas Comptroller, 2024 Appraisal District Operations Survey). Agricultural exemptions are essential in this county — farmland assessed at market value rather than productivity value can face taxes that make farming economically unviable. Verify your exemptions before filing your protest.
Official CAD site — appraisal notices, exemption applications, and district contact information.
Search your property record, view current appraised value, and verify exemption status.
Zavala Central Appraisal District protest procedures, online filing portal, and deadline information for the current year.
Every taxing entity’s proposed rate, adopted rate, and public hearing schedule for Zavala County.
Enter the date your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed to find your exact filing deadline.
Every taxing unit in Zavala 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 Zavala County Tax Rates →| Taxing Entity | Type | Rate (2025 adopted) |
|---|---|---|
| Zavala County | County | $0.6471/$100 |
| Crystal City ISD | School District | $0.9148/$100 |
| La Pryor ISD | School District | $1.1614/$100 |
| Uvalde CISD | School District | $0.6983/$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 zavalacad.com. Know your Notice of Appraised Value and the deadline printed on it.
File online, by mail, or in person at Zavala Central Appraisal District: 323 W. Zavala St., Crystal City, TX 78839. 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, 1836Zavala County has a long tradition of people standing up for what’s right — farmworkers, civic leaders, and ordinary residents who knew that accountability matters. The same conviction applies to property taxes. A 1.53% effective rate on a $24,000 home is not a small thing. The protest process is available to every property owner in this county, regardless of income or status. Look up your value. File your protest. Attend the rate hearings.