Hale Center, Texas
Hale Center is a city in Hale County on the Llano Estacado of the Texas High Plains, about 34 miles north of Lubbock. The surrounding land is flat, high, and intensively farmed, with cotton and grain grown across the level fields and grain elevators marking the horizon. Its position along the corridor between Lubbock and Plainview places it in the heart of one of the state's major agricultural regions.
Property here runs through the Hale 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 Hale County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Hale County notes
What to know around Hale Center
Property Tax Basics
Two offices handle property taxes in Hale County
Hale County splits property tax duties between two offices, which can confuse new property owners.
Homestead Exemption
A homestead exemption can lower your property tax bill
Texas law lets homeowners reduce what their home is taxed on if they live there as their main residence.
Agricultural Valuation
Farm and ranch land can be taxed on what it produces, not its market price
Texas allows working agricultural land to be appraised at its farming productivity value, which is usually much lower than market value.
Mineral Rights
Mineral rights and surface rights are often owned by different people in Hale County
Oil was discovered in Hale County in 1946, and mineral rights on many properties were severed from surface rights long ago — check before you buy.
Groundwater
Your well water in Hale County comes from the Ogallala Aquifer — a finite resource
Hale County sits over the Ogallala Aquifer, which supplies most irrigation and many private wells but is slowly declining.
Weather Hazards
Hale County sits in prime tornado and hail country
The South Plains around Plainview sees frequent severe thunderstorms, large hail, and occasional tornadoes, especially from March through June.
Nearby
Places near Hale Center
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Lamb County
5 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Lubbock County
41 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Floyd County
6 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Swisher County
5 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Castro County
5 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Hockley County
6 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Next steps for Hale Center
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Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
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Property tax, land, outdoors, vehicles, rules, and history for the county.
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