Muleshoe, Texas
Muleshoe sits on the level, semi-arid High Plains of the Texas Panhandle, the seat of Bailey County, about 68 miles northwest of Lubbock near the state's western edge. The town is known for the National Mule Memorial, a life-sized statue nicknamed 'Ol' Pete' that honors the mule's role in the settlement of the West. Just south of town lies the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas, whose playa lakes draw one of the country's largest wintering concentrations of sandhill cranes. Cotton, cattle, and grain farming support the surrounding countryside.
Property here runs through the Bailey 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 Bailey County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Bailey County notes
What to know around Muleshoe
Property tax
How Bailey County Property Taxes Work
Bailey County property tax starts with the appraisal district, and a homestead exemption can lower the value used for school taxes.
Water / Wells
Groundwater in Bailey County Comes from the Ogallala Aquifer
Bailey County gets nearly all its water from the Ogallala Aquifer. A local district controls how much you can pump from a new well.
Driving / Registration
No Safety Inspection Required for Personal Vehicles in Bailey County
Since January 2025, Texas no longer requires a safety inspection for most personal vehicles. Bailey County is not an emissions-testing county, so you just pay a $7.50 fee at registration.
Wildlife / Public land
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge Draws Tens of Thousands of Sandhill Cranes Each Winter
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1935 and described by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas, sits 20 miles south of Muleshoe and hosts large concentrations of sandhill cranes during winter.
Agriculture / Property tax
Ag Valuation Can Change a Bailey County Tax Bill
Texas lets qualifying farm and ranch land be taxed on its productive value instead of its market value. That can matter a lot on working Bailey County acreage.
History
Bailey County Was XIT Ranch Territory Before Becoming Farm Country
Bailey County was named for an Alamo defender, spent its early years as part of the giant XIT Ranch, and became cotton and grain farmland after the railroad arrived in 1913.
Nearby
Places near Muleshoe
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Parmer County
6 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Lamb County
5 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Castro County
5 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Cochran County
5 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Hockley County
6 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Deaf Smith County
6 local notes · Panhandle / High Plains
Next steps for Muleshoe
Estimate property tax
Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Open estimator ->Bailey 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 ->