Hemphill County, Texas

6 local notes for Hemphill County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Panhandle / High Plains.

Money & Taxes

Property Tax Basics

The appraisal district sets your property's value, but a separate tax office collects what you owe — and you deal with both.

Homestead Exemption

Texas law requires school districts to exempt at least $140,000 of your home's value — but only if you apply.

Ag Special Appraisal

Land used for farming or ranching can be appraised on what it produces, not what it would sell for — often a much lower number.

Mineral Rights

Hemphill County has active oil and gas production, and the mineral rights under land you buy may belong to someone else entirely.

Public Hunting & Fishing

Gene Howe Wildlife Management Area on the Canadian River is one of the few places in the Panhandle where the public can hunt, fish, hike, and camp.

Local History

The town of Canadian owes its existence to the railroad, which drove out the open-range cattle empires and put a permanent town on the map.