McLennan County, Texas
26 local notes for McLennan County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country.
See the Waco place page ->Money & Taxes
Property Tax
McLennan CAD Handles Your Property Appraisal
McLennan Central Appraisal District sets property values for all 44 taxing entities in the county, but a separate office collects the tax.
Property Tax Exemption
File for a Homestead Exemption to Lower Your Tax Bill
Texas homeowners who live in their home can file for a homestead exemption that reduces the taxable value of the property.
Agricultural Appraisal
Ag Valuation Can Cut Taxes on Rural Land
Land used mainly for farming or ranching can be taxed on its agricultural value instead of its market value, which is usually much lower.
Appraisal Protest
You Can Protest Your Property Appraisal
Property owners in McLennan County can formally challenge their appraised value each year if they believe it is too high.
Wildlife Valuation
Landowners Can Shift From Ag to Wildlife Management Use
Land that already qualifies for ag appraisal can switch to wildlife management use, keeping the low tax rate while supporting native species.
Home & Property
Mineral Rights
Mineral Rights and Surface Rights Can Be Owned Separately
In Texas, the person who owns the surface of the land may not own the minerals below it — and those are two separate legal estates.
On-Site Sewage
Rural Properties Usually Need a Septic System Permit
If your property is outside a city sewer system, you need a permitted on-site sewage facility — commonly called a septic system.
Flood Zones
Brazos River Flooding Is a Real Risk Here
The Brazos River and Bosque River tributaries cross McLennan County, putting many properties in or near FEMA flood zones.
Groundwater
Groundwater Comes From the Trinity Aquifer — With Limits
The Trinity Aquifer underlies McLennan County, but heavy pumping has caused significant water level declines along the I-35 corridor.
Severe Weather
McLennan County Has a Long History of Tornadoes
McLennan County sits in a tornado-prone part of Central Texas, and the National Weather Service tracks storm history back to 1880.
Water Supply
Lake Waco Is Part of the Brazos River Water System
Lake Waco is a key surface water source for McLennan County, impounding the Bosque Rivers as part of the broader Brazos River basin.
Cars & Driving
Outdoors
Fishing
Lake Waco Offers Year-Round Fishing Access
Lake Waco is an 8,465-acre reservoir with multiple public boat ramps managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Paddling
Two Paddling Trails Run Through Downtown Waco
The Bosque Bluffs and Brazos Bridges paddling trails offer beginner-friendly canoe and kayak routes through the heart of Waco.
Hunting
White-Tailed Deer and Turkey Hunting in McLennan County
McLennan County falls in TPWD's North Zone for deer and has both fall and spring turkey seasons, with antler restrictions in place.
Land and Soil
McLennan County Sits on Two Distinct Prairie Zones
The county spans both the Grand Prairie to the west and the Blackland Prairie to the east, giving it fertile soils suited to row crops, hay, and cattle.
Climate
Hot Summers and Unpredictable Rain Define the Local Climate
McLennan County averages about 34 inches of rain per year but sees high heat in summer and occasional hard freezes in winter.
Rules & Licenses
Short-Term Rentals
Short-Term Rental Rules Apply Inside Waco City Limits
The City of Waco regulates short-term rentals such as Airbnb-style properties within city limits; no county-level STR rules apply in unincorporated areas.
City vs. County
Where You Live in the County Changes What Rules Apply
McLennan County has several incorporated cities, each with its own ordinances, plus unincorporated areas where fewer local rules apply.
Oil and Gas Regulation
McLennan County Has Oil and Gas Activity Under RRC District 5
The Railroad Commission of Texas regulates oil and gas drilling in McLennan County under District 5, headquartered in Henderson.
History & Culture
National Monument
Waco Has a National Monument With Mammoth Fossils
Waco Mammoth National Monument preserves the fossils of at least 24 Columbian mammoths, including a rare nursery herd, discovered starting in 1978.
Local History
Waco Grew Up as a Cattle Town on the Chisholm Trail
After the Civil War, Waco became a major cattle crossing point, with hundreds of thousands of cattle driven through town by 1871.
County History
McLennan County Was Created in 1850
McLennan County was established in January 1850 and named after Neil McLennan, a Scottish settler who came to Texas in 1835 and moved to the Bosque River area in the 1840s.
Indigenous History
Waco Gets Its Name From the Waco Indian Village
The city of Waco is built on the site of an agricultural village of the Waco (Huaco) people that had hundreds of residents in the early 1800s.
Higher Education
Baylor University Has Called Waco Home Since 1887
Baylor University relocated to Waco in 1887 and remains a major presence in McLennan County's economy and culture.
Disaster History
The 1953 Tornado Killed 114 People in Downtown Waco
On May 11, 1953, a tornado struck downtown Waco, killing 114 people and destroying hundreds of buildings in one of Texas's deadliest tornadoes.