Texas · Wharton County · Local exemptions · Updated Oct 2026
Wharton County, TX property tax exemptions (2026)
The property tax breaks that are set or run locally in Wharton County, on top of Texas’s statewide rules: what each is worth here, who qualifies, where to apply and the deadline.
What is different in Wharton County
In Wharton County your exemptions depend on each taxing unit on your bill: of the 23 units the Central Appraisal District of Wharton County lists for 2026, 1 give a percentage homestead exemption, 12 non-school units add an over-65 amount, and 2 non-school units have adopted a tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners. Wharton County itself: $5,000 off for every homestead; $10,000 off for owners 65 or older; $10,000 off for disabled owners; no tax ceiling (freeze). El Campo ISD: A school tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners, as state law requires. It has no percentage homestead exemption and no local over-65 amount beyond the state $60,000.
Apply at
Central Appraisal District of Wharton County
Phone
979-532-8931
Local breaks
Wharton County local option homestead exemptions, El Campo ISD local option homestead exemptions, City Of El Campo local option homestead exemptions
$5,000 off for every homestead; $10,000 off for owners 65 or older; $10,000 off for disabled owners; no tax ceiling (freeze).
Set by
county
Tax year
2026
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in Wharton County. Over-65 amount: you are 65 or older; a surviving spouse 55 or older can keep it. Disabled amount: you meet the Social Security definition of disability. You can get the over-65 or the disabled amount from a unit, not both.
How to apply
No separate application to Wharton County: file Form 50-114 once with the Central Appraisal District of Wharton County, checking the age 65 or disabled box if it applies, with a copy of your Texas driver's license or ID showing the home's address. The appraisal district applies every taxing unit's exemptions to your home.
Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431).
Renewal
One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
A school tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners, as state law requires. It has no percentage homestead exemption and no local over-65 amount beyond the state $60,000.
Set by
school district
Tax year
2026
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in El Campo ISD.
How to apply
No separate application to El Campo ISD: file Form 50-114 once with the Central Appraisal District of Wharton County, checking the age 65 or disabled box if it applies, with a copy of your Texas driver's license or ID showing the home's address. The appraisal district applies every taxing unit's exemptions to your home.
Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431).
Renewal
One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
City Of El Campo local option homestead exemptions
$10,000 off for owners 65 or older; a tax ceiling (freeze) on its taxes for owners 65 or older or disabled. It has no percentage homestead exemption.
Set by
city
Tax year
2026
Who qualifies
You own the home and live in it as your principal residence (residence homestead) in City Of El Campo. Over-65 amount: you are 65 or older; a surviving spouse 55 or older can keep it. Tax ceiling: you have the over-65 or disabled exemption on the home.
How to apply
No separate application to City Of El Campo: file Form 50-114 once with the Central Appraisal District of Wharton County, checking the age 65 or disabled box if it applies, with a copy of your Texas driver's license or ID showing the home's address. The appraisal district applies every taxing unit's exemptions to your home.
Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431).
Renewal
One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
Roughly what an exemption could save you a year: the value it takes off, times your tax rate.
Eligibility finder for Wharton County
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Document checklist for Wharton County
Pick the breaks you plan to apply for. You get a checklist of forms, documents, steps and deadlines to print or keep on your phone.
Questions about property tax exemptions in Wharton County
What property tax exemptions are there in Wharton County?
In Wharton County your exemptions depend on each taxing unit on your bill: of the 23 units the Central Appraisal District of Wharton County lists for 2026, 1 give a percentage homestead exemption, 12 non-school units add an over-65 amount, and 2 non-school units have adopted a tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners. Wharton County itself: $5,000 off for every homestead; $10,000 off for owners 65 or older; $10,000 off for disabled owners; no tax ceiling (freeze). El Campo ISD: A school tax ceiling (freeze) for 65+/disabled owners, as state law requires. It has no percentage homestead exemption and no local over-65 amount beyond the state $60,000. Local breaks here: Wharton County local option homestead exemptions; El Campo ISD local option homestead exemptions; City Of El Campo local option homestead exemptions.
Where do I apply for a property tax exemption in Wharton County?
Central Appraisal District of Wharton County Phone: 979-532-8931 Address: 308 E. Milam St., Wharton, TX 77488-4918. Also: Wharton County Tax Assessor-Collector, which collects the property tax bill. Also: Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Assistance Division, which state agency: statewide exemption rules and forms.
When is the deadline to apply in Wharton County?
Wharton County local option homestead exemptions: Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431). El Campo ISD local option homestead exemptions: Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431). City Of El Campo local option homestead exemptions: Homestead: generally by April 30 of the tax year; age 65/disabled: within one year after you qualify. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes become delinquent (Tax Code §11.43, §11.431).
Do I have to reapply every year in Wharton County?
Wharton County local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply. El Campo ISD local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply. City Of El Campo local option homestead exemptions: One-time, unless the appraisal district asks you to reapply.
Do Texas’s statewide exemptions apply in Wharton County too?
Yes. The statewide breaks on our Texas page apply here as well, for example General Residence Homestead Exemption, Age 65 or Older or Disabled Residence Homestead Exemption and School Tax Ceiling (tax freeze) for Age 65 or Older or Disabled. This page adds what Wharton County sets or runs itself.
Good to know in Wharton County
Statewide, every school district must exempt $140,000 of a homestead's value and another $60,000 for owners 65+ or disabled, and freeze school taxes for them; the amounts in the table are what each local unit adds (Texas Tax Code §11.13, §11.26).
Median effective tax rate for Wharton County: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, county figures as published by Tax Foundation. The rate is property taxes paid divided by home value.