Total Parcels and Total Protests State of TexasSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Parcels | 18,305.50 | 19,154.10 | 19,207.00 | 19,931.27 | 20,663.60 | 21,205.14 | 21,249.55 | 20,959.78 | 22,165.25 | 23,035.74 | 23,215.99 | |
| Total Protests Filed | 1,195.87 | 1,347.33 | 1,576.89 | 1,874.34 | 1,814.91 | 1,997.33 | 2,186.12 | 2,190.76 | 2,712.97 | 3,126.39 | 3,004.94 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Mass appraisal used by appraisal districts includes many errors based on limited resources. About 500 appraisers value all 20 million Texas tax parcels; about 40,000 per appraiser. Another 1,500 appraisers measure new construction.
Texas Property Tax Protests
Parcels are the standard unit of measurement that Texas appraisal districts use to bundle together properties. These can then be assessed, categorized, and taxed, providing funds for local government entities like school districts, MUDS, and more. Texas is notorious for its size, and this proved true with over 23.22 million parcels being accounted for in 2024. 3 million parcels were protested in the same timeframe, representing a significant wave of engagement.
Due to their large cost, reducing property taxes is a priority for every Texan. While these taxes can be protested on your own, you will experience the best chance to win by engaging with experts in the field. O’Connor is here to help and will protest your taxes every year at no cost, only charging you if your taxes are lowered. O’Connor is not only based in Texas but is also one of the largest property tax firms in the United States.
Total Protests TexasSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Protests | 1,195.87 | 1,347.33 | 1,576.89 | 1,874.34 | 1,814.91 | 1,997.33 | 2,186.12 | 2,190.76 | 2,712.97 | 3,126.39 | 3,004.94 | |
| Single Family Home Protests | 694.20 | 754.92 | 888.89 | 1,087.27 | 1,035.37 | 1,141.44 | 1,258.30 | 1,284.53 | 1,647.48 | 1,878.00 | 1,747.48 | |
| Commercial / Other Protests | 501.68 | 592.42 | 688.00 | 787.07 | 779.54 | 855.89 | 927.82 | 906.23 | 1,065.49 | 1,248.39 | 1,257.46 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since It is their right.
% of Parcels Protested TexasSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Percent | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Percent Protested | 6.53% | 7.03% | 8.21% | 9.4% | 8.78% | 9.42% | 10.29% | 10.45% | 12.24% | 13.57% | 12.94% | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since About 60% of appeals are successful.
State of Texas - Percent Parcels Protested
Tax protesting in Texas has become far more common in recent years. As the value of property climbs every year, people are seeing their taxes going up. Every Texan has a right to protest the valuation of their property taxes, and more people than ever are using that right. In 2014, only 6.3% of people protested their property taxes. In 2024, that number was 12.9%, a slight decrease from a record of 13.57% in 2023. About two-thirds of Texans who protest turn to property tax consultants to advocate for them.
Protests by Property Type TexasSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Number | 1,195.87 | 1,347.33 | 1,576.89 | 1,874.34 | 1,814.91 | 1,997.33 | 2,186.12 | 2,190.76 | 2,712.97 | 3,126.39 | 3,004.94 | |
| Single Family | 694.20 | 754.92 | 888.89 | 1,087.27 | 1,035.37 | 1,141.44 | 1,258.30 | 1,284.53 | 1,647.48 | 1,878.00 | 1,747.48 | |
| Multi-Family Res | 31.03 | 35.63 | 49.35 | 52.26 | 49.98 | 44.29 | 56.36 | 56.70 | 67.00 | 74.46 | 77.16 | |
| Commercial | 182.33 | 205.19 | 223.84 | 257.13 | 236.86 | 241.95 | 278.54 | 267.02 | 271.82 | 301.88 | 303.45 | |
| All Other | 288.31 | 351.59 | 414.81 | 477.68 | 492.69 | 569.65 | 592.92 | 582.52 | 726.67 | 872.05 | 876.85 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Correcting an error in the appraisal district’s description of your property can reap savings in future years.
Texas Protests by Property Type
The majority of property taxes that are protested are those of single family homes. 58.15% of protests in 2024 were of single family homeowners, a percentage that had increased every year, except for 2018. 2024 was the first downturn, albeit coming on the heels of a record 60% in 2023. While that number is impressive, it is only a fraction of homeowners eligible to protest across Texas. With more Texans than ever knowing about their right to protest, this number will only grow in the future.
Business property owners can benefit from tax protests as well, and many do so annually. Property taxes are a huge overhead cost for businesses, and even a small reduction could have a big boost to the bottom line. Commercial property owners often have an edge over homeowners, thanks to having internal support teams or employees. 1.2 million businesses of all types protested in 2024. Oil and gas, utilities, and industrial property led the way with 876,850 protests. Standard commercial properties followed with 303,448. Apartments and other multifamily residences came in last with 77,164.
Value of Property Protested by TypeSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Value Protested Total | 766.37 | 1,007.74 | 1,090.55 | 1,195.15 | 1,315.64 | 1,551.14 | 1,671.73 | 1,666.80 | 2,252.37 | 2,663.15 | 2,708.37 | |
| Single Family | 178.54 | 248.31 | 283.90 | 324.13 | 344.96 | 401.10 | 422.45 | 467.85 | 724.72 | 891.24 | 902.51 | |
| Multi-Family Res | 95.91 | 127.74 | 139.03 | 155.17 | 181.21 | 201.55 | 244.63 | 258.02 | 320.68 | 371.52 | 382.49 | |
| Commercial | 286.41 | 392.44 | 424.84 | 452.35 | 487.19 | 548.14 | 617.31 | 594.64 | 689.64 | 759.25 | 806.51 | |
| All Other | 205.51 | 239.26 | 242.78 | 263.51 | 302.28 | 400.35 | 387.33 | 346.29 | 517.32 | 641.15 | 616.86 | |
Value of Texas Property Protested by Type
The value of Texas property taxes contested are ever-increasing, and this trend has been constant since 2014. Since 2022, there has been an interesting change. Commercial properties traditionally had larger amounts protested due to their higher cost. However, in 2022, single family homes have exceeded them and seem to be rising. Of the $2.71 trillion protested in 2024, $902.51 came from single family homes, the highest to be seen yet. Though it featured slightly fewer protests, 2024 saw the most value ever contested in Texas.
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