Rankin, Texas
Rankin is a small city in Upton County in the Permian Basin country of West Texas, about 50 miles southeast of Odessa. The surrounding land is open, arid ranch country underlain by the oil and gas fields that define the region's economy. It serves as the seat of Upton County, a sparsely populated area where ranching and the petroleum industry have long shaped daily life.
Property here runs through the Upton 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 Upton County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Upton County notes
What to know around Rankin
Property Tax
Two offices handle property taxes in Upton County
The appraisal district and the tax assessor-collector are separate offices in different towns, so knowing which one to call saves you time.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead exemption can lower your property tax bill
If your home in Upton County is your primary residence, you can apply for a homestead exemption that reduces the taxable value of your property.
Mineral Rights / Oil & Gas
Oil and gas activity is regulated by the Railroad Commission
Upton County is one of the top crude-oil-producing counties in Texas, and the deed to a parcel here may not include a thing about the oil under it.
Water / Wells
Upton County has a water district but limited groundwater conservation district coverage
Most of Upton County has no local groundwater district to set rules on well drilling. A small part of the county does fall inside a regional district. A county water district also exists, but it handles other water services.
Local History
Rankin became the county seat after a railroad reroute
Rankin replaced Upland as the county seat after a railroad changed its route in 1911, then oil booms shaped the town into what it is today.
Nearby
Places near Rankin
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Reagan County
6 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Crane County
7 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Midland County
29 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Crockett County
6 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Glasscock County
7 local notes · West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Pecos County
5 local notes · Big Bend / Far West
Next steps for Rankin
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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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