Property Tax Around Medina Lake

2025 Rates by County and School District

Per official Bandera County and Medina County Central Appraisal District figures, rates per $100 of assessed valuation break down as follows across the entities most relevant to Medina Lake buyers:

No Incorporated City Means No Municipal Tax

Lakehills, Mico, and Pipe Creek are all unincorporated communities, meaning there is no city government and therefore no municipal property tax anywhere around Medina Lake. This is a genuinely meaningful, permanent cost advantage compared with an incorporated lake town elsewhere in Texas, since buyers here never need to factor in a city rate on top of county and school taxes.

A Worked Example: Bandera County Side

A home in unincorporated Bandera County within Bandera ISD combines county (0.4654) and school (0.7769) rates for a total of roughly 1.24 per $100 of assessed valuation, before any applicable emergency services or groundwater district fees. On a $350,000 home, that translates to roughly $4,347 in annual property tax before exemptions.

A Worked Example: Medina County Side

A home in unincorporated Medina County within Medina Valley ISD combines county (~0.45) and school (1.1527) rates for a total of roughly 1.60 per $100 of assessed valuation, somewhat higher than the Bandera County side given Medina Valley ISD's higher school rate.

Confirm Which School District Actually Serves a Specific Address

Because Bandera ISD, Medina Valley ISD, Hondo ISD, and Devine ISD each serve different parts of the broader Medina Lake area, and boundaries don't always align neatly with a specific community's name, confirm the exact district serving any address directly with the relevant county appraisal district before relying on a listing's stated school district.

Hondo and Devine ISDs Serve the Outer Ring

Buyers looking at properties further from the immediate shoreline, particularly toward the southern and eastern edges of the broader Medina Lake market, may fall within Hondo ISD or Devine ISD instead of the two primary lakefront districts. Both carry rates below Medina Valley ISD's 1.1527, a genuinely worthwhile comparison for buyers weighing total cost across the wider area.

Emergency Services and Groundwater District Fees Apply on Top

Given the rural, unincorporated character of this area, properties may carry additional emergency services district or groundwater conservation district fees beyond the core county and school rates. Confirm current applicable fees directly for a specific address, since these can add a meaningful amount to the total effective rate.

Agricultural Valuation Can Meaningfully Lower Rural Parcel Taxes

Rural parcels around Medina Lake actively used for qualifying agricultural purposes may be eligible for agricultural or wildlife management valuation, substantially reducing taxable value compared with standard market valuation. Confirm current qualification requirements directly with the relevant county appraisal district.

Cross-County Buyers Should Confirm the Exact Boundary Line

Because Medina Lake straddles the Bandera-Medina county line, and a property's address doesn't always make the exact county obvious, confirm which county actually holds jurisdiction over a specific parcel directly with the appraisal district before assuming a rate from the incorrect neighboring county mistakenly applies to a specific parcel under active review.

Homestead Exemptions Apply the Same as Anywhere Else in Texas

Texas's standard homestead exemption, along with the over-65 and disability exemptions and school-tax freeze, apply the same way here as anywhere else in the state. Confirm current exemption amounts and filing deadlines directly with the relevant county appraisal district.

Compare Total Rates Between the Two Counties Directly

Because Bandera County's combined rate runs meaningfully lower than Medina County's combined rate, buyers weighing genuinely comparable properties on either side of the county line should factor this difference directly into their comparison, alongside other considerations like proximity to specific communities, school district reputation, and current water access.

Rates Skew Lower Than Rapidly Growing Austin-Area Counties

Compared with Travis County or the Highland Lakes counties covered elsewhere on this site, Bandera and Medina counties' combined rates run broadly comparable or somewhat lower, though buyers should still request a direct rate comparison for their specific target communities rather than assuming Medina Lake is automatically cheaper across every entity.

Request a Tax Certificate Before Closing

As with any Texas property purchase, request a current property tax certificate from the relevant county appraisal district before closing, confirming there are no outstanding tax liens or unpaid special assessments tied to the specific parcel, a routine but genuinely important step buyers shouldn't skip.

Property Tax Doesn't Reflect Water-Level Risk Directly

Unlike insurance underwriting, which can factor in specific risk profiles, property tax assessments here don't automatically discount for the lake's documented drought history. Buyers should factor water-level risk into their own purchase decision separately from the tax bill itself, since the appraisal district doesn't typically adjust valuation for a temporarily low lake.

What This Means for Your Search

Property tax around Medina Lake benefits from the area's unincorporated status, with no municipal tax anywhere on the lake, though the exact combined rate still varies meaningfully depending on which county and school district serve a specific address. Confirm exact combined rates directly with the relevant appraisal district before finalizing your search, and factor this into your broader comparison against other nearby Hill Country communities.