Every year, millions of Texas homeowners receive a Notice of Appraised Value and face the same question: should I protest? The conventional wisdom says yes — but the real answer depends on your county. Some counties reduce nearly every protest that reaches an informal hearing. Others push the majority of cases to formal hearings at the Appraisal Review Board (ARB). The strategies that work differ, too.
We pulled the official numbers from the Texas Comptroller's 2024 Operations Survey — the same data the state uses to evaluate appraisal district performance. This is not a survey of opinions or anecdotes. These are the actual case counts, resolution rates, and dollar amounts reported by each county's appraisal district.
Below is what we found across eight of the largest counties in Texas: Harris (Houston), Dallas, Tarrant (Fort Worth), Bexar (San Antonio), Travis (Austin), Collin (Plano/McKinney), Denton (Denton/Frisco), and Fort Bend (Sugar Land/Katy). Together, these counties represent the vast majority of property tax protests filed in Texas each year.
Key findings at a glance
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Bexar County has the highest informal win rate at 99.1%. Of 145,394 protests resolved informally, 144,019 resulted in a value reduction. If you file in Bexar County, you are almost certain to get some reduction at the informal stage.
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Tarrant County resolved the most protests informally (224,517). With 201,291 resulting in reductions (89.7%), Tarrant handles the overwhelming majority of cases before they ever reach ARB. Only 4,205 cases went to formal hearings.
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Dallas County pushes the most cases to ARB (128,650). With a 51.5% informal rate, Dallas resolves fewer protests at the informal stage than any other major county. But its ARB reduces 66.6% of cases that get there.
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Harris County had the largest total value protested ($504 billion). As the state's largest county, Harris sees 516,654 total protests annually, with $24.8 billion reduced at informal and $7.1 billion at ARB.
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Travis County had massive ARB activity (149,911 cases). More ARB determinations than any other county, with an 89.3% reduction rate. Travis resolves relatively few cases informally, pushing the bulk to formal proceedings.
The full data: 2024 protest outcomes by county
This table shows how each county performed across the two main stages of the protest process: the informal hearing (where you meet one-on-one with an appraiser) and the ARB hearing (a formal panel that makes a binding determination). Understanding how your county handles protests tells you what to expect and how to prepare. For a detailed walkthrough of the full Texas protest process, see our 2026 guide.
| County | Total Protests | Informal Win Rate | Informal Reduction | ARB Win Rate | ARB Reduction | Value Protested |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | 516,654 | 88.6% | $24.8B | 68.1% | $7.1B | $504B |
| Dallas | 206,170 | 51.5% | $4.3B | 66.6% | $27.5B | $308B |
| Tarrant | 172,216 | 89.7% | $27.1B | 76.8% | $489M | $205.8B |
| Bexar | 185,673 | 99.1% | $4.5B | 92.0% | $6.9B | $148B |
| Travis | 186,871 | 86.5% | $1.8B | 89.3% | $29.3B | $277.2B |
| Collin | 118,633 | 69.8% | $2.3B | 55.2% | $8.3B | — |
| Denton | 126,406 | 88.4% | $1.9B | 76.3% | $6.3B | — |
| Fort Bend | 60,222 | 87.5% | $2.7B | — | — | — |
Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, 2024 Operations Survey. SFR = single-family residential. ARB = Appraisal Review Board. Dashes indicate data not reported for that metric.
County-by-county breakdown
The table tells the headline story, but the details matter. Each county's appraisal district operates differently — different staffing levels, different informal hearing practices, different tendencies to settle or push to ARB. Here is what the data reveals about each county.
Harris County (Houston)
Total Protests
516,654
SFR Protests
383,719
Agent-Filed
419,829
Online Filed
155,687
Harris County is the volume leader in Texas property tax protests — and it is not close. Over half a million protests were filed in 2024, with $504 billion in total value protested. That is more than the GDP of many countries.
The Harris County informal process is strong: 372,846 protests were resolved informally, with 330,399 (88.6%) resulting in a value reduction. That is $24.8 billion in assessed value removed at the informal stage alone.
When cases go to ARB, 56,879 of 83,515 determinations resulted in reductions (68.1%), removing another $7.1 billion in value. The combined informal and ARB reduction of $31.9 billion makes Harris County the single largest source of protest-driven value corrections in Texas.
A notable feature of Harris County is the dominance of agent-filed protests: 419,829 of 516,654 total protests (81.2%) were filed by property tax consultants or agents. This is one of the highest agent penetration rates in the state. However, the data shows that owner-filed protests can also succeed — the key is bringing strong comparable property evidence.
Dallas County
Total Protests
206,170
SFR Protests
120,199
Agent-Filed
156,823
Online Filed
137,231
Dallas County is an outlier — and not in the way you might expect. Its informal win rate of 51.5% is the lowest among major Texas counties by a significant margin. Only 27,618 of 53,652 informally resolved protests resulted in reductions, with $4.3 billion in value removed.
But that does not mean protesting in Dallas County is a bad bet. The county simply operates differently: it pushes an enormous volume of cases to ARB. In 2024, 128,650 protests went to ARB determinations — more than Harris County despite having fewer than half the total protests. And at ARB, 85,717 of those cases (66.6%) resulted in reductions, totaling $27.5 billion in value reductions.
The practical implication for Dallas County homeowners: if you file a protest, expect that your case may go to ARB. Prepare accordingly. Bring your best comparable properties and be ready for a formal hearing. The system rewards persistence — the data shows a strong majority of cases that reach ARB ultimately receive a reduction.
Tarrant County (Fort Worth)
Total Protests
172,216
SFR Protests
120,907
Agent-Filed
156,080
Online Filed
157,144
Tarrant County is the most efficient informal resolution machine in Texas. Of 224,517 protests resolved informally, 201,291 (89.7%) resulted in reductions — delivering $27.1 billion in value reductions at the informal stage. That informal reduction number is actually higher than Harris County despite Tarrant having fewer than a third of the total protests.
The contrast with Dallas County could not be starker. While Dallas pushes 128,650 cases to ARB, Tarrant sends only 4,205 — roughly 97% fewer. The Tarrant County Appraisal District clearly prioritizes resolving cases before they reach formal proceedings. When cases do reach ARB in Tarrant, 3,228 of 4,205 (76.8%) result in reductions with $489 million in value removed.
For Tarrant County homeowners, the practical message is straightforward: file your protest, bring your evidence to the informal hearing, and there is a very strong chance of a resolution. The informal hearing is where the vast majority of Tarrant County protests are decided, and the data shows the district is willing to negotiate.
Bexar County (San Antonio)
Total Protests
185,673
SFR Protests
125,140
Agent-Filed
119,392
Online Filed
85,899
Bexar County's numbers are extraordinary. A 99.1% informal win rate means that of 145,394 protests resolved informally, 144,019 received a value reduction. That is nearly automatic. Only 1,375 protests went through the informal process without a reduction.
The ARB numbers are similarly impressive: 23,594 of 25,642 ARB determinations (92.0%) resulted in reductions, totaling $6.9 billion. Combined with $4.5 billion in informal reductions, Bexar County delivered $11.4 billion in total value reductions on $148 billion protested.
What explains the nearly perfect informal rate? The Bexar County Appraisal District appears to take an approach of offering modest reductions to nearly every protest that reaches informal hearing, rather than holding firm and pushing cases to ARB. For homeowners, this means even a basic protest filing with minimal evidence is likely to result in some reduction. But bringing strong comps can push that reduction further.
One other notable detail: Bexar has a relatively lower online filing rate (85,899 of 185,673 = 46.3%) compared to suburban counties like Denton (80.2%) or Collin (81.1%). This suggests a larger share of paper filings and walk-in protests compared to the DFW suburbs.
Travis County (Austin)
Total Protests
186,871
SFR Protests
140,325
Agent-Filed
158,704
Online Filed
148,129
Travis County presents the most unusual pattern of any major Texas county. Only 23,844 protests were resolved informally — a tiny fraction of the 186,871 total protests filed. Of those, 20,636 (86.5%) received reductions, removing $1.8 billion in value. But the real story is what happens next.
A staggering 149,911 protests went to ARB determinations — the highest ARB volume of any Texas county, including Harris which has nearly three times the population. At ARB, 133,861 of those cases (89.3%) resulted in reductions, totaling $29.3 billion in value reductions.
The Travis County Appraisal District (TCAD) clearly routes the vast majority of protests directly to ARB rather than resolving them informally. For Travis County homeowners, this means: prepare for a formal hearing. Your case is very likely going to ARB, and you need your evidence organized and ready for presentation to a panel. The good news is that the 89.3% ARB win rate is among the highest in the state.
Travis also has the highest agent-filing rate: 158,704 of 186,871 protests (84.9%) were filed by agents. In a county where ARB hearings are nearly guaranteed, many homeowners opt to have a professional represent them at the formal stage.
Collin, Denton, and Fort Bend counties
The suburban counties rounding out our analysis — Collin (Plano, McKinney, Allen), Denton (Denton, Frisco, Lewisville), and Fort Bend (Sugar Land, Missouri City, Katy) — show strong filing activity relative to their populations and high online adoption rates.
Collin County: 118,633 total protests
85,274 SFR protests. Informal win rate of 69.8% (32,376 of 46,351 reduced, $2.3B). ARB win rate of 55.2% (33,279 of 60,299, $8.3B). Agent-filed: 98,410. Online: 96,270 (81.1%). Collin has a moderate informal rate and a significant ARB pipeline, similar to the Dallas County pattern but with somewhat higher informal success.
Denton County: 126,406 total protests
98,319 SFR protests. Informal win rate of 88.4% (59,696 of 67,522 reduced, $1.9B). ARB win rate of 76.3% (31,995 of 41,926, $6.3B). Agent-filed: 107,446. Online: 101,442 (80.2%). Denton's informal rate is strong, closer to the Tarrant and Harris County pattern. A solid county for informal resolution.
Fort Bend County: 60,222 total protests
40,872 SFR protests. Informal win rate of 87.5% (25,717 of 29,396 reduced, $2.7B). Agent-filed: 34,069 (56.6%). Online: 32,654 (54.2%). Fort Bend has the lowest agent penetration of any county in our analysis, suggesting more homeowners file on their own. The strong 87.5% informal rate means DIY filers have good odds.
These suburban counties share some common traits: high online filing rates (54-81%), strong SFR representation (65-78% of total protests), and meaningful agent involvement. For homeowners in these counties, the process is well-established and the appraisal districts are accustomed to handling large volumes of residential protests.
See how your property compares
Our free tool checks your assessed value against comparable properties in your county. Find out in 30 seconds if you have a case.
Check Your Property FreeWhat the data tells us about protesting in Texas
Filing a protest is almost always worth it
Even in Dallas County — the county with the lowest informal win rate at 51.5% — the combined informal-plus-ARB outcomes show that the majority of protesters who persist through the full process get a reduction. The "worst" county still delivers billions in value reductions annually. If you believe your property is over-assessed based on comparable property evidence, the data supports filing a protest regardless of which county you are in.
Counties handle protests very differently
The contrast between Tarrant and Travis is remarkable. Tarrant resolves 224,517 protests informally and sends only 4,205 to ARB. Travis resolves 23,844 informally and sends 149,911 to ARB. Both counties have high ultimate success rates, but the path to getting there is completely different. Understanding your county's pattern is essential for knowing how to prepare. Review the decision framework for guidance on choosing your approach.
Agent-filed protests dominate, but owner-filed can succeed
Across all eight counties, agent-filed protests represent 60-85% of total filings. But the success rates reported are for all protests combined — agent and owner-filed alike. The Comptroller data does not break down win rates by filing type, but the overall rates (especially in counties like Bexar at 99.1% and Tarrant at 89.7%) suggest that a well-prepared owner-filed protest has strong odds. Our DIY vs. consultant analysis digs deeper into when professional help is worth the cost.
Online filing adoption is high
Online filing rates range from 46% in Bexar to over 91% in Tarrant County. The trend is clear: most Texas homeowners now file their protests online through their county's appraisal district website. This makes the process more accessible but also means you need to be organized about uploading evidence digitally. See our deadline guide for county-specific filing links and cutoff dates.
How to improve your odds of a successful protest
The data shows that most protests succeed at some stage. But the size of your reduction — and whether you get one at all — depends heavily on preparation. Here is what the most successful protesters do, based on patterns we see across all counties.
Bring comparable properties
This is the single most important factor. Find 5-10 homes in your neighborhood with similar size, age, and condition that are appraised lower than yours. The appraiser and ARB panel are comparing numbers — give them numbers to compare. Our evidence preparation guide walks through exactly how to select and present comps.
File for unequal appraisal, not just market value
Under Texas Tax Code Section 41.43(b)(3), you can argue that your property is appraised higher than the median of comparable properties. This is an easier standard to meet than proving market value, because you only need to show your assessment is higher than your neighbors — not that your home is worth less than what the district says. Read more about the difference between appraised value and market value.
Do not accept the first informal offer if it is not close
Especially in counties like Dallas and Travis where ARB activity is heavy, the informal offer may be a starting point rather than a final answer. If your evidence supports a lower number, be willing to go to ARB. The data shows ARB panels reduce the majority of cases they hear.
Be willing to go to ARB if needed
ARB win rates across these counties range from 55.2% (Collin) to 92.0% (Bexar). Even the lowest rate means more than half of ARB cases get a reduction. The hearing scripts guide covers exactly what to say and how to present your case at a formal hearing.
Use data, not emotions
The appraiser and ARB panel respond to numbers: comparable property values, per-square-foot assessments, condition adjustments. They do not respond to arguments about affordability, fairness, or how much your taxes went up. The 30-minute checklist shows you how to organize your data for maximum impact.
Check your property for free
The Comptroller data is clear: property tax protests work in Texas. Across these eight counties, billions of dollars in assessed value are reduced every year through informal hearings and ARB proceedings. The success rates are high. The process is accessible. And the financial stakes — typically hundreds to thousands of dollars per year in tax savings — make it one of the most valuable things a homeowner can do each spring.
Our toolkit uses the same county appraisal district data to identify over-assessed homes and generate protest-ready evidence. Enter your address to see how your property's assessed value compares to similar homes in your neighborhood. If the data shows you are an outlier, we provide a complete evidence packet with comparable properties, per-square-foot analysis, and filing instructions specific to your county — everything you need to walk into your hearing prepared.