Tatum, Texas
Tatum is a small city in the Piney Woods of East Texas, straddling Panola and Rusk counties about 18 miles southeast of Longview. The surrounding area has an economy rooted in timber, oil, and lignite, and the large Martin Lake power plant and its cooling reservoir lie in the countryside nearby. The terrain is the forested, gently rolling land characteristic of the East Texas oil-and-timber belt.
Property here runs through the Panola 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 Panola County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Panola County notes
What to know around Tatum
Property Tax
Who Appraises Your Property in Panola County
The Panola County Appraisal District sets the value of your property. A separate Tax Assessor-Collector office then bills and collects what you owe.
Homestead Exemption
How to Apply for a Homestead Exemption in Panola County
Texas homeowners who live in their home as a primary residence can apply for a homestead exemption to reduce the taxable value of their property.
Water Wells
Drilling a Water Well in Panola County
Panola County has its own Groundwater Conservation District that oversees wells tapping the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, the county's main underground water source.
Oil and Gas
Mineral Rights and the Haynesville Shale in Panola County
Panola County sits over the Haynesville/Bossier Shale, a major natural gas formation, so buyers here should always ask whether mineral rights are included in a land sale.
Fishing Access
Free Public Fishing on the Sabine River in Panola County
TPWD leases the Grand Bluff Boat Ramp on the Sabine River near Carthage, giving the public free access to launch a boat or fish from the bank.
Paddling
Paddling the Sabine Sandbar Trail Near Panola County
The Sabine Sandbar Paddling Trail offers 4, 15, or 19-mile canoe and kayak routes on the Sabine River through the Piney Woods.
Nearby
Places near Tatum
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Harrison County
24 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Rusk County
25 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Gregg County
23 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Marion County
6 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Upshur County
13 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Shelby County
6 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Next steps for Tatum
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Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
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