Taxes in College Station
Texas has no state income tax, the headline tax fact for anyone relocating to College Station from a state that levies one. Property taxes carry more of the local-funding load as a result -- Brazos County's estimated effective rate runs above the national median, though the numbers involved (median home price around $337K-$365K) keep the actual dollar bill comparatively moderate next to pricier Texas metros.
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Learn moreNo state income tax
Texas levies no state personal income tax -- a constitutional feature since a 2019 amendment, not something a future legislature can change without a two-thirds vote in each chamber plus a statewide referendum (see the Texas state record for the full detail). This is a state-level fact, not specific to College Station, but it is a real and simple savings for anyone relocating from a higher-income-tax state.
Property tax: county rate vs. blended effective rate
Two different numbers matter here and shouldn't be confused: Brazos County's own adopted tax rate for tax year 2025 was $0.4197 per $100 valuation (the county government's own levy only), with commissioners proposing a Voter Approval Rate ceiling of $0.423059 for FY2025-26. Ownwell's median *effective* rate of approximately 1.50% is a blended figure across county, school district, city, and special-district levies combined -- the number that actually determines a typical homeowner's total bill. 1.50% runs above the U.S. national median (~1.02%) but roughly in line with the Texas statewide average (~1.60%, per the Texas state record).
Sales tax
College Station's combined sales tax rate is 8.25% -- Texas's statutory cap -- made up of the 6.25% state rate, 0.5% Brazos County, and 1.5% City of College Station (per Avalara's 2026 rate data). Some ZIP codes within the city carry a special local levy instead of the standard city rate, but the total combined rate remains 8.25% either way.
Texas homestead exemption
Texas's homestead exemption reduces a primary residence's taxable value for school-tax purposes and caps annual assessed-value increases at 10% for homesteaded properties -- a different mechanism than Florida's Save Our Homes model (which caps increases at 3% or CPI) that some relocators from Florida may be expecting. Confirm current exemption amounts and the filing deadline directly with the Brazos Central Appraisal District, since specific current-year dollar figures were not independently verified this session.
Key takeaways
- Texas has no state income tax -- the single biggest tax draw for movers from higher-tax states, and a state-level (not College Station-specific) fact.
- Brazos County's own adopted county tax rate is $0.4197 per $100 valuation (county-only); the blended effective rate across all taxing entities is estimated at roughly 1.50% (Ownwell), above the national median (~1.02%) but roughly in line with the Texas statewide average.
- Combined sales tax is 8.25% (6.25% state + 0.5% county + 1.5% city) -- Texas's statutory cap.
- Texas's homestead exemption caps assessed-value increases at 10% annually for a primary residence -- a different mechanism than Florida's 3%/CPI Save Our Homes cap.
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