Crane, Texas
Crane is the principal community of Crane County in the Permian Basin of West Texas, about 31 miles south of Odessa across flat, arid country of oil fields, mesquite, and open rangeland. The town grew with the petroleum industry that dominates the surrounding basin, and oil and gas production remains central to the area's economy.
Property here runs through the Crane 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 Crane County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Crane County notes
What to know around Crane
Property Tax
Two offices handle your property tax in Crane County
Crane County has a separate appraisal district and tax office — they do different jobs, and you may need to contact both.
Oil & Gas / Mineral Rights
Oil and gas built Crane County — mineral rights still matter here
Crane County sits in the Permian Basin, and oil production has driven the local economy since 1926 — mineral rights can be worth real money and are often sold separately from surface land.
Water / Groundwater
Crane County has no local groundwater conservation district
Crane County is in Groundwater Management Area 3, but TWDB does not list a Crane County groundwater conservation district, so private-well due diligence matters.
County History
Crane County went from near-empty to oil boomtown in one decade
Crane County had fewer than 100 residents in 1900, but oil discovered in 1926 brought thousands of workers almost overnight.
Historic Sites
Horsehead Crossing on the Pecos River is a historic landmark in Crane County
Horsehead Crossing, on the Pecos River near the county's southern boundary, was a key ford used by cattle drives and travelers heading west in the 1800s.
Hunting & Wildlife
Hunting in Crane County is almost entirely on private land
There is no state wildlife management area or significant block of public hunting land in Crane County, so access depends on private landowner permission or a paid lease.
Nearby
Places near Crane
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Upton County
5 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Ector County
25 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Midland County
29 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Ward County
5 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Pecos County
5 local notes · Big Bend / Far West
Reagan County
6 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Next steps for Crane
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Property tax, land, outdoors, vehicles, rules, and history for the county.
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