Big Sandy, Texas
Big Sandy is a town in Upshur County in the East Texas Piney Woods, situated about 20 miles northeast of Tyler and a similar distance west of Longview. It grew up as a railroad town in the timber and farming country of the region, where pine forests and creek bottoms cover the rolling land. The surrounding area is part of the wooded, small-town landscape of Northeast Texas.
Property here runs through the Upshur 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 Upshur County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Upshur County notes
What to know around Big Sandy
Property Tax
Where to Handle Property Tax in Upshur County
The Upshur Appraisal District in Gilmer sets property values and handles exemption applications for all taxing entities in the county.
Property Tax Exemption
Homestead Exemption Lowers Your School Tax Bill
Texas law requires school districts to give homeowners a $140,000 exemption on their main home. This can lower the school part of your property tax bill.
Property Tax
Multiple Taxing Entities Mean Multiple Tax Lines
Upshur County property owners may owe taxes to several different groups at once: the county, a school district, a city, and special districts.
Ag Exemption
Agricultural Valuation Can Cut Land Tax Bills Significantly
Land used for farming, timber, or wildlife management in Upshur County can qualify for a special lower tax value based on what the land produces, not what it would sell for.
Fishing
Lake O' the Pines Offers Fishing on Upshur County's Edge
Lake O' the Pines is a 19,780-acre reservoir on Big Cypress Creek that touches Upshur County and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Lake Access
Free Public Boat Ramps Serve Lake O' the Pines
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates free public boat ramps at Lake O' the Pines, including the Lone Star ramp open year-round.
Nearby
Places near Big Sandy
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Smith County
36 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Gregg County
23 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Wood County
13 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Camp County
4 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Rusk County
25 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Franklin County
4 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
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