The median San Marcos homeowner pays $4,774 a year in property tax. If your appraisal district valued your home too high, a protest can lower that bill. File by Monday, May 17, 2027.
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When a property tax appraisal is higher than a home's market value, San Marcos owners can overpay year after year. Reviewing your appraisal is the first step toward finding out whether you could lower your bill.
San Marcos property owners can protest an appraisal they believe is too high. The usual deadline is May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal notice was mailed, whichever is later. Comparable sales, appraisal comparisons, negotiating with Hays CAD and preparing for an Appraisal Review Board hearing all take time and good data.
TaxDrop makes protesting simple. Our TDLR-licensed Texas property tax consultants handle the protest for you and review your value each year. Check your property for free.
Your San Marcos tax bill is several separate taxes added together. Each taxing unit sets its own 2025 rate per $100 of taxable value (Texas Comptroller, 2025 Tax Rates and Levies):
The school district is usually the biggest line on your bill, so two San Marcos homes with the same value can owe different amounts. MUDs, PIDs and other special districts add more in some subdivisions. Check the taxing units on your notice.
Homestead exemption: Texas school districts must exempt $140,000 of a homestead's value, plus another $60,000 for owners 65 or older or disabled (Texas Comptroller). Homestead appraisal increases are capped at 10% a year, plus new improvements.
All of San Marcos is in Hays County, so Hays Central Appraisal District appraises your home.
How to protest your San Marcos property taxes
Want a licensed consultant to handle it? A licensed San Marcos property tax consultant files with Hays CAD, handles the informal review and represents you at the ARB.
Protest results
Results vary by property, and a reduction is not guaranteed. See the Texas property tax protest statistics.
The median San Marcos homeowner pays about $4,774 a year on a median $310,400 home, an effective rate of about 1.54% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020β2024). Your bill depends on your appraised value, exemptions and school district.
For 2025, the City of San Marcos rate is $0.6515 per $100. Adding the county, school district and other countywide units gives a combined rate of about 2.07%β2.21% before special districts and exemptions (Texas Comptroller).
Monday, May 17, 2027, because May 15 falls on a Saturday, or 30 days after your appraisal notice was mailed, whichever is later.
San Marcos homes are appraised by Hays Central Appraisal District. Your Notice of Appraised Value names your district.
You can protest yourself for free. A licensed consultant gathers evidence, negotiates with Hays CAD and attends the ARB hearing for you. See TaxDrop pricing for current plans.
More on San Marcos-area property taxes