Property Tax Resources · Ellis County, Texas
Ellis County
Property Taxes
One of the fastest-growing counties in Texas — DFW spillover growth is pushing appraisals up fast. Your protest rights are the only check on that pressure.
Property Tax Resources · Ellis County, Texas
One of the fastest-growing counties in Texas — DFW spillover growth is pushing appraisals up fast. Your protest rights are the only check on that pressure.
Population: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate. Effective tax rate: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024. Avg annual bill: calculated from Census ACS median home value. Protest success rate: TaxDrop.com 2024 (74% informal / 73% ARB).
🔴 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.
Ellis County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. Waxahachie, Midlothian, Ennis, Red Oak — communities that were rural just a decade ago are now absorbing waves of DFW suburban growth. The Ellis Central Appraisal District uses mass-appraisal models that pull existing home values toward new-construction prices, without accounting for the age, condition, and lot differences that make those comparisons inaccurate. Long-time residents whose land has been in the family for generations are receiving tax bills that bear no relationship to local economic reality.
In 2024, nearly 22,000 Ellis County property owners protested — 21% of all parcels — and 74% of informal protests resulted in a reduction. The median home value is approaching $418,000, and at an effective rate near 2%, every dollar of overassessment costs you real money every year you let it stand. The tools below will get you started.
Official CAD site — appraisal notices, exemption applications, and district contact information.
Search your property record, view your current appraised value, and verify exemption status.
Ellis CAD protest procedures, filing options, and deadline information for the current protest period.
Every taxing entity’s proposed rate, adopted rate, and public hearing schedule for Ellis County.
Enter the date your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed to find your exact filing deadline.
Every taxing unit in Ellis 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.
Photo: Ellis County Courthouse, Waxahachie, Texas. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
| Taxing Entity | Type | Rate (2024 approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Ellis County | County | ~$0.2814/$100 |
| Waxahachie ISD | School District | ~$1.1392/$100 |
| Midlothian ISD | School District | ~$1.1392/$100 |
| Ennis ISD | School District | ~$1.1392/$100 |
| Red Oak ISD | School District | ~$1.1392/$100 |
| Mansfield ISD | School District | ~$1.1392/$100 |
| City of Waxahachie | City | ~$0.6600/$100 |
| City of Midlothian | City | ~$0.6750/$100 |
| City of Ennis | City | ~$0.6900/$100 |
| Multiple MUDs & Special Districts | Special District | Varies |
Rates shown are approximate 2024 adopted rates. Your school district and city depend on your property’s location within Ellis County. Verify current rates at ellis.countytaxrates.com and check your tax statement for all entities billing your property.
Search your account at elliscad.com. Know your Notice of Appraised Value and the deadline printed on it.
File online, by mail, or in person at Ellis CAD: 400 Ferris Ave., Waxahachie, TX 75165. Deadline: May 15, 2026 or 30 days after your notice was mailed.
Recent sales of comparable homes, your purchase price, photos of condition issues, and repair estimates strengthen your case. New-construction comps used by ECAD are often the weakest point to attack.
Before your ARB hearing, a CAD appraiser may offer to settle. Review any offer carefully — you can accept or proceed to the formal hearing.
The Appraisal Review Board is independent of Ellis 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
Ellis County is growing fast — but that growth serves developers and taxing entities far more than it serves the families who have owned land here for generations. When ECAD applies new-construction valuations to 20-year-old homes in Waxahachie or Midlothian, it is not accurately appraising your property. It is funding budgets on your back. The founders were explicit: property is not to be taken without consent and just compensation. Show up. Look up your value. File your protest. Attend the hearings. The people setting these rates are your neighbors. They work for you — as long as you hold them to 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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