Leon County, Texas

6 local notes for Leon County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. East Texas / Piney Woods.

Money & Taxes

Property Tax

Two offices handle your property tax in Leon County

The appraisal district sets your property value; a separate tax office collects what you owe — they are different offices with different jobs.

Homestead Exemption

Filing a homestead exemption caps how fast your tax value can rise

If you live in your home and file a homestead exemption, your taxable value cannot go up more than 10 percent per year, no matter how fast the market moves.

Home & Property

Water Wells

Leon County has a groundwater district that oversees water wells

The Mid-East Texas Groundwater Conservation District covers Leon County and can require permits for new water wells.

Mineral Rights

In Leon County, someone else may own the mineral rights under your land

Oil and gas have been produced in Leon County for decades, and in many cases the mineral estate has been separated from the surface — meaning a prior owner kept the rights to what is underground.

Outdoors

Public Hunting Land

Keechi Creek WMA gives hunters access to 1,500 acres in Leon County

Keechi Creek Wildlife Management Area is a 1,500-acre public hunting area in northeastern Leon County that is open to hunters with the right state permits.

History & Culture

County History

Leon County was formed in 1846 and Centerville has been county seat since 1851

Leon County was carved out of Robertson County in 1846, and Centerville replaced Leona as county seat in 1851 because the law required the seat to be near the county's geographic center.