Austwell, Texas
Austwell is a small community in Refugio County on the Texas Gulf Coast, roughly 52 miles northeast of Corpus Christi in the low, marshy Coastal Bend. It sits near the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, the coastal wintering grounds famous for the endangered whooping cranes that migrate there each year. The surrounding landscape is a mix of tidal flats, bays, and coastal prairie.
Property here runs through the Refugio Central Appraisal District and the county tax office — the homestead exemption, the appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level. The Refugio County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Refugio County notes
What to know around Austwell
Property Tax
Two offices handle your property taxes in Refugio County
The appraisal district sets your property value; a separate tax office collects the bill.
Windstorm Insurance
Refugio County is in the TWIA windstorm insurance zone
Refugio County is one of the first-tier coastal counties where TWIA wind and hail coverage can come into play after a private-market denial.
Groundwater & Wells
A groundwater district regulates water wells across Refugio County
Refugio Groundwater Conservation District covers the whole county and manages many water-well rules.
Hunting
Refugio County sits in TPWD's South Zone for deer and dove hunting
Refugio County hunters work from TPWD's South Zone table, where deer, dove, turkey, and reporting rules sit on one county page.
Oil & Gas / Mineral Rights
Oil and gas activity in Refugio County is regulated by the Railroad Commission
Refugio County has a long history of oil and gas production, and the Texas Railroad Commission's District 2 office in San Antonio handles permits and complaints for the area.
History & Identity
Refugio County takes its name from a Spanish mission founded in 1793
The county seat of Refugio and the county itself are both named after the Nuestra Senora del Refugio Mission, one of the last Spanish missions established in Texas.
Nearby
Places near Austwell
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Calhoun County
12 local notes · Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend
Aransas County
7 local notes · Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend
Victoria County
24 local notes · Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend
Goliad County
7 local notes · Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend
Jackson County
7 local notes · Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend
San Patricio County
22 local notes · Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend
Next steps for Austwell
Estimate property tax
Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Open estimator ->Refugio County notes
Property tax, land, outdoors, vehicles, rules, and history for the county.
Browse county ->Look up another place
Every Texas town and all 254 counties.
Find a place ->