Montgomery County Property Tax Guide 2026
Complete guide to Montgomery County (Montgomery CAD) property tax — rates, deadlines, payment options, and how to protest your appraisal in Conroe and surrounding areas.
Key Dates
- Payment due
- February 1, 2027
- Notices mailed
- Usually April
- 2027 protest deadline
- May 17, 2027
- or the 30th day after your notice is mailed, if later
- The 2026 deadline was May 15, 2026. A late notice still gives 30 days from its mailing date, and the 30th day moves to the next business day when it falls on a weekend or holiday.
- ARB Hearings
- Usually May to September
Tax rates
Average Total (Montgomery): 2.0% - 2.5%
- School district
- ~1.0-1.3%
- County
- ~0.38%
- City
- ~0.4-0.6%
- Special Districts
- Varies (MUD/Special Districts)
About Montgomery Property Tax
Montgomery Central Appraisal District covers approximately 330,000 properties across one of Texas's fastest-growing counties, encompassing Conroe, The Woodlands (the unincorporated township), Magnolia, Montgomery, Splendora, and a large rural and semi-rural fringe area including Lake Conroe's lakefront communities. The Woodlands Township is a master-planned community with its own service district overlapping the county and Conroe ISD or Tomball ISD tax bills, and many residents also fall within one of Montgomery County's numerous Water Control and Improvement Districts (WCIDs). Lakefront properties on Lake Conroe, Lake Windcrest, and surrounding water bodies often carry significant premiums that Montgomery CAD's mass appraisal model may exaggerate — especially in years following declining water recreation activity or drought conditions. Certified rolls are on Montgomery CAD's appraisal data exports page. Adopted tax rates are the Comptroller's statewide total rates. The county borders Harris County to the south, with many residents commuting to Houston, and Walker County to the north.
Average Home Value
$360,000
Typical Annual Tax
$7,200/year
Official Resources - Montgomery
Why Protest in Montgomery?
- Montgomery County is among the fastest-growing in Texas, and Montgomery CAD's mass appraisal models sometimes overshoot actual market values in newer subdivisions and rural-to-suburban transition zones where comparable sales data is thin.
- Lakefront premiums on Lake Conroe properties are volatile — during drought years or following algae bloom events, waterfront access is materially diminished, and Montgomery CAD may not reflect that diminution in its appraisal.
- The Woodlands-area properties benefit from a premium location, but Montgomery CAD sometimes assigns blanket neighborhood values that do not differentiate between interior lots, greenbelt-backed lots, and busy-road-facing lots.
- Many Montgomery County homeowners are unaware of the WCID (Water Control and Improvement District) layer that adds to their effective tax rate, compounding the dollar impact of an inflated appraisal.
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How to Protest Your Property Tax
File your protest at mcad-tx.org by May 17, 2027; the Montgomery CAD online portal allows you to upload evidence and request an informal conference without visiting the office in Conroe.
For lakefront properties, document any access limitations (low water level, algae conditions, dock restrictions) and pull recent lakefront sales that show per-foot water-access pricing — Montgomery CAD's model may not capture seasonal premium erosion.
The Woodlands properties should be compared only against sales within the same village (Creekside Park, Sterling Ridge, Alden Bridge, etc.) — values vary significantly between villages, and Montgomery CAD sometimes uses broader neighborhood boundaries that mix premium and non-premium areas.
Request Montgomery CAD's property record card to verify your square footage, year built, and condition grade; these inputs determine the cost approach value and are frequently misstated for older rural properties.
If your property is in a WCID, identify the district and its tax rate through the Montgomery County Tax Office at mctx.org, then factor in the combined effective rate when deciding whether the appraisal warrants a protest.
Payment Information
Mail Payment
Montgomery County Tax Office, 400 N San Jacinto St, Conroe, TX 77301
Property tax exemptions
Homestead Exemption
For your primary residence. Provides $140,000 off school taxable value and a 10% cap on annual value increases.
- $140,000 school district exemption
- Up to 20% exemption from county/city taxes
- 10% annual cap on appraised value increases
Over-65 Exemption
Additional benefits for seniors 65 and older, including a school tax freeze and optional tax deferral.
- Extra $60,000 school district exemption
- School tax ceiling frozen at age 65 amount
- Optional deferral of all taxes until sale
Disabled Veteran Exemption
For veterans with a VA disability rating. Exemption amount depends on disability percentage.
- 10-69% disability: $5,000-$10,000 exemption
- 70-100% disability: $12,000+ exemption
- 100% disabled: Complete tax exemption
Apply through your county appraisal district. You only need to apply once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Search at mcad-tx.org/property-search using your address, owner name, or PIN (account number). The PIN is a numeric identifier (e.g., 107739). GIS map data is also available at data-moco.opendata.arcgis.com.
Cities in Montgomery County
City-specific property tax guides for Montgomery County — rates vary by jurisdiction.
Compare with Nearby Counties
| County | Avg. Tax Rate | Major City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 2.0% - 2.5% | Houston | View Guide |
| Walker County | 2.1% - 2.6% | Huntsville | View Guide |
| Grimes County | 1.8% - 2.3% | Navasota | View Guide |
Check your savings potential
Enter your address to see your current tax bill and estimate how much you could save by protesting.
Free. No account required.