Matagorda County, Texas
13 local notes for Matagorda County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Gulf Coast / Coastal Bend.
Money & Taxes
Property Tax Basics
Two separate offices handle property taxes here
Matagorda County has two separate offices for property taxes — one sets values, and one collects the bills.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead exemption cuts your school tax bill
Texas law requires school districts to exempt a set amount of your home's value from school taxes — but you must file to get it.
Agricultural Tax Exemption
Farmers and ranchers can get a sales tax exemption on many purchases
Texas offers a sales and use tax exemption on many farm and ranch supplies — but you need a valid Ag/Timber Number from the Comptroller first.
Home & Property
Coastal Windstorm Insurance
Coastal homes may need windstorm insurance through the state
Matagorda County is one of 14 Texas coastal counties where private windstorm insurance can be hard to get, so many homeowners use the state's backup insurer instead.
Flood Maps
Flood maps for this county were recently revised
FEMA released revised preliminary flood maps for Matagorda County in early 2025, which could change flood insurance requirements for some properties.
Groundwater
A local district regulates groundwater in this county
If you plan to drill a water well in Matagorda County, you must work with the Coastal Plains Groundwater Conservation District.
Cars & Driving
Outdoors
Wildlife Management Area
Matagorda Island is a wild, boat-only public hunting and fishing area
Matagorda Island WMA covers more than 56,000 acres of barrier island and marsh, and you can only get there by boat.
Hunting Regulations
Deer hunting in this county has a specific antler rule
Matagorda County has a four-deer bag limit, but only one of your two bucks can have a wide antler spread — check TPWD for current season dates.
Rules & Licenses
History & Culture
Major Industry
A large nuclear power plant operates in this county
The South Texas Project nuclear power plant, about 12 miles south of Bay City, is one of the largest nuclear stations in the country and a major local employer.
Local History
Bay City replaced an older town as the county seat in 1894
Bay City was founded in 1894 on the Bay Prairie between the Colorado River and Caney Creek, then quickly grew into a railroad and rice-farming hub.
County History
Matagorda County was one of Texas's first counties
Organized in 1836, Matagorda County is among the original 23 counties created when Texas became a republic.