Austin County, Texas

7 local notes for Austin County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Houston / Upper Gulf Coast.

Money & Taxes

Property tax

Austin County has two separate property tax offices

The appraisal district values your property and collects taxes. The tax assessor-collector handles vehicle titles and registration. They are different offices at different addresses.

Agriculture / Property tax

Productive land in Austin County can qualify for ag valuation

Landowners who farm, ranch, or manage land for wildlife may qualify for ag valuation (1-d-1). It taxes land on what it produces, not what it would sell for — often a much lower bill.

Home & Property

Flood

The Brazos River forms the eastern edge of Austin County — and a real flood risk

The Brazos River runs along Austin County's eastern border. Property near the river and its tributaries can sit in a FEMA high-risk flood zone. That can mean required flood insurance and stricter building rules.

Outdoors

State park / Outdoor recreation

Stephen F. Austin State Park offers camping and trails near the Brazos

Stephen F. Austin State Park sits along the Brazos River in San Felipe and offers year-round camping, five miles of trails, and easy access to the adjacent state historic site.

Rules & Licenses

Septic / Water

Most rural Austin County homes use private septic systems regulated by the state

Outside city limits in Austin County, most homes use a private septic system. Texas calls these on-site sewage facilities (OSSFs). You need a permit before installing or making major repairs to one.

History & Culture

History / State historic site

San Felipe de Austin was the original capital of Texas's first Anglo colony

The San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site in Austin County preserves the townsite of the first colonial capital of Stephen F. Austin's settlement — burned by its own residents during the Texas Revolution and now open to the public with a museum and trails.

History / Immigration

Austin County was a gateway for German and Czech immigrants to Texas

The towns of Industry and Cat Spring in Austin County were two of the earliest immigrant settlements in Texas. Industry was the first permanent German settlement. Cat Spring was the main starting point for Czech immigrants spreading across the state.