Clay County, Texas

7 local notes for Clay County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. DFW / North Texas.

Money & Taxes

Property tax

How to lower your Clay County property tax bill with a homestead exemption

Homeowners who live in their Clay County home can file for a homestead exemption that removes part of the home's appraised value from taxation.

Property tax / Agriculture

Farm and ranch land in Clay County can be taxed on productivity, not market value

Clay County farm and ranch land may qualify for a special appraisal that taxes it based on what it produces, not what it could sell for.

Home & Property

Mineral rights / Oil and gas

In Clay County, the person who owns the oil may not own your land

Oil was found near Petrolia in 1901. More than a century of leasing has left many Clay County parcels with separate surface and mineral owners.

Septic / Water

Building outside Henrietta in Clay County means you need a permitted septic system

Most of Clay County has no public sewer. Rural homes use private septic systems that must be permitted under Texas state rules.

Outdoors

State park / Recreation

Lake Arrowhead State Park offers camping, fishing, and trails in Clay County

Lake Arrowhead State Park sits on a large reservoir in Clay County and offers fishing, camping, hiking, and equestrian trails about 15 minutes south of Wichita Falls.

Rules & Licenses

Hunting / TPWD

Deer and turkey hunting rules for Clay County

Clay County falls under North Zone rules for deer and turkey, with specific bag limits and antler restrictions hunters must know before heading out.

History & Culture

History / Settlement

Clay County was named for Henry Clay and abandoned during the Civil War

Clay County was split from Cooke County in 1857, named for Kentucky statesman Henry Clay, and had fewer than 110 residents by 1860 before settlers abandoned it during the Civil War.