Buying a home in Texas: county guides
HouseDirt builds a free report for any address in all 254 Texas counties from official public records. These guides cover the 56 counties with a local profile, where the most records are automated.
Free. Works for any Texas address. No sign-up.
- Counties covered
- 254
- Counties with a local profile
- 56
- MUDs with a 2025 tax rate
- 1,227
- School districts taxing
- 1,013
What every Texas buyer should check
- Special districts. 1,227 municipal utility districts reported a 2025 tax rate to the Comptroller; a MUD or PID can add thousands a year. MUD and PID taxes.
- Flood zone. Federally backed mortgages require flood insurance in FEMA's high-risk zones. FEMA flood zones.
- Windstorm. In the 14 first-tier coastal counties (Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Willacy) and part of Harris County, wind and hail are often insured separately through TWIA. TWIA windstorm insurance.
- Unpaid taxes. A Texas property tax lien stays with the property. Tax liens and unpaid taxes.
- Homestead exemption. Apply after you move in to cut the school tax. Homestead exemption.
County guides
- Angelina CountyLufkin & Angelina County
- Bastrop CountyBastrop, Elgin & Bastrop County
- Bell CountyKilleen, Temple, Belton & Bell County
- Bexar CountySan Antonio & Bexar County
- Bowie CountyTexarkana & Bowie County
- Brazoria CountyPearland, Alvin, Lake Jackson & Brazoria County
- Brazos CountyCollege Station, Bryan & Brazos County
- Caldwell CountyLockhart, Luling & Caldwell County
- Cameron CountyBrownsville, Harlingen & Cameron County
- Collin CountyPlano, McKinney, Frisco, Allen & Collin County
- Comal CountyNew Braunfels, Canyon Lake & Comal County
- Coryell CountyCopperas Cove, Gatesville & Coryell County
- Dallas CountyDallas & Dallas County
- Denton CountyDenton, Lewisville, Flower Mound & Denton County
- Ector CountyOdessa & Ector County
- El Paso CountyEl Paso & El Paso County
- Ellis CountyWaxahachie, Midlothian, Ennis & Ellis County
- Erath CountyStephenville & Erath County
- Fannin CountyBonham & Fannin County
- Fort Bend CountySugar Land, Missouri City, Katy & Fort Bend County
- Galveston CountyLeague City, Galveston, Texas City & Galveston County
- Gray CountyPampa & Gray County
- Grayson CountySherman, Denison & Grayson County
- Gregg CountyLongview, Kilgore & Gregg County
- Guadalupe CountySeguin, Schertz, Cibolo & Guadalupe County
- Harris CountyHouston & Harris County
- Harrison CountyMarshall & Harrison County
- Hays CountyHays County (Kyle, Buda, San Marcos, southwest Austin)
- Hidalgo CountyMcAllen, Edinburg & Hidalgo County
- Hood CountyGranbury & Hood County
- Hunt CountyGreenville & Hunt County
- Jefferson CountyBeaumont, Port Arthur & Jefferson County
- Johnson CountyCleburne, Burleson & Johnson County
- Kaufman CountyForney, Terrell & Kaufman County
- Kerr CountyKerrville & Kerr County
- Lamar CountyParis & Lamar County
- Lubbock CountyLubbock & Lubbock County
- McLennan CountyWaco & McLennan County
- Midland CountyMidland & Midland County
- Montgomery CountyConroe, The Woodlands & Montgomery County
- Navarro CountyCorsicana & Navarro County
- Nueces CountyCorpus Christi & Nueces County
- Parker CountyWeatherford, Aledo & Parker County
- Potter CountyAmarillo & Potter County
- Randall CountyAmarillo, Canyon & Randall County
- Rockwall CountyRockwall, Fate, Royse City & Rockwall County
- Smith CountyTyler & Smith County
- Tarrant CountyFort Worth, Arlington & Tarrant County
- Taylor CountyAbilene & Taylor County
- Tom Green CountySan Angelo & Tom Green County
- Travis CountyAustin & Travis County
- Walker CountyHuntsville & Walker County
- Webb CountyLaredo & Webb County
- Wharton CountyEl Campo, Wharton & Wharton County
- Williamson CountyWilliamson County (Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, north Austin)
- Wise CountyDecatur & Wise County
Not listed? Every other Texas county still gets a report from statewide and federal records. See what each county covers.
Explainers
- MUD and PID taxes in TexasSpecial districts that can add thousands a year to a tax bill, and the notices sellers owe you.
- FEMA flood zones: AE, VE, X and DWhat each zone on the flood map means, and when a lender requires flood insurance.
- TWIA windstorm insurance on the Texas coastWhy coastal homes often need a separate wind and hail policy, and the certificate it depends on.
- Unpaid property taxes and tax liens in TexasA Texas tax lien stays with the house. How penalties grow and how to make sure it's paid at closing.
- The Texas homestead exemptionThe $140,000 school-tax exemption, the 10% cap, and how to apply after you move in.
- Buying a Texas home with a septic systemPermits, aerobic maintenance contracts and inspections for on-site sewage systems.
- Colonias: what homebuyers should knowBorder-region subdivisions that may lack water, sewer, roads or a legal plat, and contract-for-deed risks.