Hempstead, Texas
Hempstead is a city in Waller County on the coastal plain northwest of Houston, sitting near the Brazos River about 37 miles west of The Woodlands. It developed as a railroad and trading town and remains a market center for the surrounding farmland, long associated with the watermelons and produce grown in the fertile bottomlands nearby. The town lies at a crossing of highways and rail lines in the largely rural country between Houston and the Brazos Valley.
Property here runs through the Waller 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 Waller County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Waller County notes
What to know around Hempstead
Property Tax Basics
Two Separate Offices Handle Your Property Taxes
In Waller County, one office sets your home's value and another collects the taxes, and you need to know which is which.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill
If you own and live in your home in Waller County, you likely qualify for a homestead exemption that reduces your property taxes.
Agricultural Valuation
Land Used for Farming or Ranching May Be Taxed at a Lower Rate
In Waller County, qualifying farm and ranch land is taxed on its agricultural productivity, not its market value, which can mean a much lower tax bill.
Municipal Utility Districts
Many Waller County Subdivisions Are Inside a MUD
A Municipal Utility District (a MUD) is a small local government that provides utility service to a set area, and it can add its own taxing-unit line next to county and school taxes.
Flood Zones
Parts of Waller County Have Serious Flood Risk
The Brazos River and several creeks create real flood risk in Waller County, and some properties sit inside FEMA-designated flood zones where flood insurance is required.
Vehicle Registration
Waller County Vehicles Do Not Require an Emissions Test
If you register a vehicle in Waller County, you only need a safety inspection. No separate emissions test is required.
Nearby
Places near Hempstead
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Austin County
6 local notes · Houston / Upper Gulf Coast
Washington County
11 local notes · Houston / Upper Gulf Coast
Grimes County
7 local notes · Houston / Upper Gulf Coast
Montgomery County
55 local notes · Houston / Upper Gulf Coast
Brazos County
39 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Burleson County
7 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Next steps for Hempstead
Estimate property tax
Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Open estimator ->Waller 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 ->