Property Tax Resources · Madison County, Texas
East Texas piney woods between Houston and Dallas on I-45 — Madison County’s 1.21% effective rate sits above the national median, with rural and recreational land values rising with corridor spillover demand.
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.
Madison County sits astride I-45 between Houston and Dallas, with Madisonville as its county seat — a small city at the junction of two state highways that has long served the agricultural and timber communities of the region. The county’s East Texas character is defined by piney woods, rolling terrain, and a mix of cattle operations, timber tracts, and hunting leases that have attracted increasing outside buyer attention.
At 1.21%, Madison County’s effective rate is above the national median. For agricultural and timber landowners whose values have begun rising with I-45 corridor demand, keeping appraisals current with actual comparable sales rather than speculative market values is the key lever. Half of those who protested in 2024 achieved reductions. Your deadline is May 15, 2026.
Official CAD site — appraisal notices, exemption applications, and district contact information.
Search your property record, view current appraised value, and verify exemption status.
Madison 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 Madison County.
Enter the date your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed to find your exact filing deadline.
Every taxing unit in Madison 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 Madison County Tax Rates →| Taxing Entity | Type | Rate (2025 adopted) |
|---|---|---|
| Madison County | County | $0.5000/$100 |
| Madisonville CISD | School District | $0.8552/$100 |
| Normangee ISD | School District | $1.1469/$100 |
| North Zulch ISD | School District | $0.8951/$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 madisoncad.org. Know your Notice of Appraised Value and the deadline printed on it.
File online, by mail, or in person at Madison County Appraisal District: P.O. Box 1448, Madisonville, TX 77864. 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 — 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, 1836Madison County sits between two of America’s largest cities and has somehow remained rural and agricultural in character. The founders wrote that no property shall be taken without consent and just compensation — a principle that applies to the Madisonville timber farmer whose land is being priced by Houston buyers as much as anyone in the state. Look up your value. File your protest. East Texas corridor property deserves fair assessment.
