Howard County, Texas
13 local notes for Howard County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos.
Money & Taxes
Property Tax Basics
Two Offices Handle Your Property Tax in Howard County
Howard County has two separate offices for property taxes — the appraisal district sets your value, and the tax assessor-collector sends your bill.
Property Tax Savings
Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill in Big Spring
If you own and live in your home in Howard County, a homestead exemption can reduce the taxable value of your property.
Agricultural Appraisal
Farm and Ranch Land Can Be Taxed on Productivity, Not Market Value
In Howard County, agricultural land can qualify for a special lower tax valuation based on what the land produces, not what it would sell for.
Home & Property
Groundwater Rules
A Groundwater District Regulates Water Wells in Most of Howard County
Most of Howard County falls under the Permian Basin Underground Water Conservation District, which requires permits and spacing rules for new water wells.
Mineral Rights
Oil and Gas Activity Is Common in Howard County — Know Who Owns the Minerals
Howard County sits in the Permian Basin, where active oil and gas drilling is common — and mineral rights are often owned separately from the surface land.
Flood Risk
Check FEMA Flood Maps Before Buying Property in Howard County
Even in dry West Texas, low-lying areas near draws and creeks in Howard County can be in FEMA flood zones that affect insurance and building rules.
Cars & Driving
Roads and Access
County Roads in Unincorporated Howard County Are Maintained by the County
If you live outside Big Spring city limits in Howard County, your road may be a county road — maintained by the county, not the city.
Vehicle Registration
Register Your Vehicle Through the Howard County Tax Office
Vehicle registration and title transfers in Howard County are handled by the county Tax Assessor-Collector, which also serves as the local TxDMV office.
Outdoors
State Park
Big Spring State Park Is Inside City Limits and Free to Enter
Big Spring State Park is a 382-acre park within Big Spring city limits, open daily with no entrance fee and several miles of trails.
Water and Climate
Drought Is a Persistent Condition in Howard County
Howard County averages less than 16 inches of rain a year, and drought affects agriculture, water supplies, and wildfire risk on a regular basis.
Rules & Licenses
History & Culture
County History
Big Spring Grew From a Water Hole to a Railroad Town to an Oil Boom City
Big Spring and Howard County went through three waves of growth: a natural spring drew travelers, then a railroad brought settlers, then oil brought a boom.
Historic Structure
A Depression-Era CCC Pavilion Still Stands in Big Spring State Park
Civilian Conservation Corps workers built stone structures in Big Spring State Park in 1934-35 that are still in use today.