Property Tax Resources · Colorado County, Texas
A historic river county between Houston and San Antonio — where 69% of protests resolved informally in 2024 ended in a value reduction (Texas Comptroller, 2024 Appraisal District Operations Survey).
Source: County debt — Texas Bond Review Board, FY2025.
Population: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate. Effective tax rate: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024. Avg annual bill: not available — verify at coloradocad.org. Protest data: Texas Comptroller, 2024 Appraisal District Operations Survey.
🔴 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.
Colorado County sits along the Colorado River in the corridor between Houston and San Antonio. Columbus is the county seat, a historic community that has served as a waypoint since the Republic era. With a population around 20,500, the county has seen steady property value increases as growth pressure from both metro areas pushes outward along US-90.
1,594 ARB protests were filed in Colorado County in 2024; 69% of protests resolved through the informal process received a value reduction, and 25% of written ARB determinations lowered the appraised value (Texas Comptroller, 2024 Appraisal District Operations Survey). Roughly 2,710 accounts were contested, generating $5 million in tax savings. If you own property in Colorado County and have not protested recently, you are likely leaving money on the table.
Official CAD site — appraisal notices, exemption applications, and district contact information.
Search your property record, view current appraised value, and verify exemption status.
Colorado County 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 Colorado County.
Enter the date your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed to find your exact filing deadline.
Every taxing unit in Colorado 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 Colorado County Tax Rates →Photo: Colorado County Courthouse, Columbus, Texas. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
| Taxing Entity | Type | Rate (2025 adopted) |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado County | County | $0.4649/$100 |
| Columbus ISD | School District | $0.7631/$100 |
| Hallettsville ISD | School District | $0.8774/$100 |
| Rice CISD | School District | $0.8396/$100 |
| Weimar ISD | School District | $0.8209/$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 coloradocad.org. Know your Notice of Appraised Value and the deadline printed on it.
File online, by mail, or in person at Colorado County Appraisal District: 106 Cardinal Lane, Columbus, TX 78934. 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, 1836Colorado County was Republic of Texas territory before Texas was Texas. The courthouse in Columbus has stood as a civic anchor for generations of families who built something here and expected the government to serve — not extract. When your appraised value rises faster than the market justifies, the system is failing its purpose. Look up your value. File your protest. Show up to the hearings.
