Smiley, Texas
Smiley is a small city in Gonzales County, in the rolling farm and ranch country of south-central Texas about 41 miles southeast of New Braunfels. It sits on the gently rolling plains between the San Antonio area and the Guadalupe River country, in a region long tied to cattle, cotton, and other row crops. The community is rural and compact, ringed by open farmland and pasture.
Property here runs through the Gonzales 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 Gonzales County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Gonzales County notes
What to know around Smiley
Property Tax
Two Offices Handle Your Property Tax in Gonzales County
Gonzales County splits property tax work between two offices. One sets your value, the other sends the bill.
Homestead Exemption
Apply for a Homestead Exemption to Lower Your Tax Bill
Texas homeowners who live in their home can apply for a homestead exemption that reduces the value used to calculate property taxes.
Water Wells
A Groundwater District Oversees Water Wells in Gonzales County
If you plan to drill a water well or buy rural land in Gonzales County, a local groundwater district has rules you need to know first.
Flood Risk
The Guadalupe River Floods Hard in Gonzales County
The Guadalupe River runs through the county and can flood far beyond its banks — check FEMA maps before buying land near the river.
Fishing
Lake Gonzales Offers Good Bass and Crappie Fishing
Twelve miles west of town on US 90A, the 696-acre Lake Gonzales has been holding bass, crappie, and catfish since the dam went up in 1931.
Texas History
Gonzales Fired the First Shot of the Texas Revolution
On October 2, 1835, colonists in Gonzales refused to hand over a cannon to Mexican troops, starting the Texas Revolution.
Nearby
Places near Smiley
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
DeWitt County
5 local notes · Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend
Wilson County
11 local notes · San Antonio / South Central
Karnes County
6 local notes · San Antonio / South Central
Guadalupe County
39 local notes · San Antonio / South Central
Caldwell County
11 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Lavaca County
5 local notes · Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend
Next steps for Smiley
Estimate property tax
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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