Property Tax Resources · Donley County, Texas
Panhandle Plains cattle country — Donley County has fewer than 3,200 residents and a 2.20% effective rate that falls heaviest on ranchers and small landowners.
Sources: Population — U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 estimates; Effective Tax Rate & Avg Annual Bill — Ownwell (2024); Protest Success Rate — Texas Comptroller PTAD data, approximate.
🔴 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.
Donley County anchors a stretch of the Panhandle Plains south of the Canadian Breaks, where Clarendon College serves as the educational anchor and cattle operations define the landscape. The county was organized in 1882 — the same era when the JA Ranch, one of the largest in Texas history, dominated the surrounding territory. Today’s property owners are smaller-scale, but the tax burden relative to land values remains substantial.
With a 2.20% effective rate and a median bill of $745 on relatively modest property values, Donley County landowners pay more in taxes as a share of their property’s value than most Texans realize. Many owners in small Panhandle counties never file a protest — which means value errors go unchallenged year after year. You have the right to protest, and the deadline is the same as everywhere else in Texas.
Official CAD site — appraisal notices, exemption applications, and district contact information.
Search your property record, view current appraised value, and verify exemption status.
Donley 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 Donley County.
Enter the date your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed to find your exact filing deadline.
Every taxing unit in Donley 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.
| Taxing Entity | Type | Rate (2024 approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Donley County | County | ~$0.60/$100 |
| Clarendon ISD | School District | ~$0.97/$100 |
| Hedley ISD | School District | ~$0.90/$100 |
| City of Clarendon | City | ~$0.45/$100 |
| Donley County Hospital District | Special District | ~$0.30/$100 |
| Multiple Special Districts | Special District | Varies |
Rates shown are approximate 2024 adopted rates. Verify current rates at donley.countytaxrates.com. Special districts vary by location — check your tax statement for all entities billing your property.
Search your account at donleycad.org. Know your Notice of Appraised Value and the deadline printed on it.
File online, by mail, or in person at Donley County Appraisal District: P.O. Box 1220, Clarendon, TX 79226. Deadline: May 15, 2026 or 30 days after your notice was mailed.
Recent sales of comparable properties, your purchase price, photos of 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, 1836
Charles Goodnight and the other cattlemen who moved into this stretch of Panhandle land in the 1870s didn’t ask for a bureaucracy to tell them what their range was worth. They fought for it — against the elements, against competing interests, against the odds. The Republic’s founders understood that principle: property belongs to the person who built it, improved it, and defends it — not to a taxing unit that sets rates in the fall and mails bills in October. If your Notice of Appraised Value says your land is worth more than the market justifies, you have the right to say so. Look up your value. File your protest. Show up to the hearings. The rates in Donley County are set by your neighbors — hold them accountable.
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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