Polk County Property Tax
Polk County, Texas has an average property tax rate of 1.12%, which is below the Texas average.
Written by Nick Kunze
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
With an average tax rate of 1.12%, Polk County, Texas residents pay an average of $755 a year in property taxes.
Property taxes are how your local government keeps up public works and community services. All property owners must pay property taxes to help fund their community.
However, the details of property tax can get pretty complex. If you’ve got questions, read on—home and
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Property tax 101
Here’s an explanation of how property taxes work:
- You pay property taxes to the local government. These taxes pay for both public works and community services—things like the fire department, the library, public schools, and local parks.
- Property taxes are applied to property like land, commercial buildings, and private homes.
- A local assessor will determine your home’s market value, which will impact how much you pay in property taxes.
- Both the housing market and local government budgets can impact how much you pay in property taxes.
Property taxes are how public works are maintained, staffed, and created. Property taxes use money from the community to enrich the community.
What is the property tax rate in Polk County?
The average tax rate in Polk County, Texas is 1.12%. That’s considerably lower than the Texas state average of 1.81%. On average, a Polk County home or property owner can expect to pay $755 a year in property taxes.
How Polk County property taxes are determined
Polk County residents are subject to multiple tax districts, all of which will affect how much they’re charged. There’s the county, the city, and the school district, all of which impact your tax rate. A county auditor will determine what the tax rate for your address is.
Also, the value of your property will affect how much you pay. A local tax assessor will check your property to determine its market value. This market value is the percentage off which you’ll pay your property taxes.
If you’re unhappy with the assessor’s decision, you can appeal the assessment with your local tax office.
What do Polk County property taxes pay for?
Here’s a list of some of the things your property taxes will pay for in Polk County:
- Transportation
- Roads and highways
- Libraries
- Law enforcement
- Public health
- Building safety
- Public libraries
- K-12 and community education
- Regional sewer system
- Mosquito control
- Watershed management
- Public housing
- Museums
If you want to influence how your taxes are spent, you should attend a local budget meeting—they’re open to the public!
How to pay property taxes in Polk County
In Polk County, you have from October 1st to January 31st to pay your property taxes. From February 1st onward, your taxes are considered late and you’ll begin to accrue interest on the payments.
There are a few options for paying your taxes in Polk County:
- By mail: You can mail your taxes to 416 N. Washington Ave, Livingston, TX 77351. Be sure to make the check out to Leslie Jones Burks, Polk County Tax Assessor/Collector, Polk County Tax Office
- In person: You can head to 416 N. Washington Ave, Livingston, TX 77351 to hand in your check in-person.
- Through your mortgage: You can also have Polk County send your tax information to your mortgage lender. Then your property tax payments can be included in your mortgage payment. Reach out to your lender for more information.
How to save money on homeowners and car insurance in Texas
Texas homeowners don’t have much say in how much they’re paying in property taxes. However, you can download Jerry and control how much you pay for your homeowners insurance.
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When are property taxes due in Polk County?
In Polk County, you have from October 1st to January 31st to pay your property taxes.
Are property taxes high in Polk County?
Polk County has a lower average property tax rate than the state of Texas. The Polk County average is 1.12% while the Texas average is 1.81%.
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