Medina County, Texas
13 local notes for Medina County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. San Antonio / South Central.
Money & Taxes
Property Tax
Who Handles Your Property Tax in Medina County
Two separate offices handle your property tax: the appraisal district sets your value, and the tax assessor-collector sends the bill.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead Exemption Lowers Your Tax Bill in Medina County
If your home is your main residence, you can apply for a homestead exemption that reduces the value used to calculate your property taxes.
Agricultural Appraisal
Ag Valuation Can Sharply Cut Taxes on Rural Land in Medina County
If your land qualifies as agricultural, it gets taxed on its farming productivity value instead of its market value, which is usually much lower.
Home & Property
Groundwater & Wells
New Water Wells in Medina County Require a Permit
The Medina County Groundwater Conservation District regulates new wells and requires permits before you drill.
Land & Geography
The Balcones Escarpment Splits Medina County into Two Very Different Landscapes
A geological fault line called the Balcones Escarpment runs east-west through Medina County, creating Hill Country terrain to the north and flat plains to the south.
Land Use & Economy
Cattle, Crops, and Oil All Drive the Medina County Economy
Medina County is a working agricultural county where cattle ranching, grain and peanut farming, and some oil and gas production all occur on roughly 1,300 square miles of land.
Location & Size
Medina County Is Immediately West of San Antonio, Covering About 1,330 Square Miles
Medina County borders Bexar County (San Antonio) on the east and covers about 1,330 square miles of mixed Hill Country and plains terrain.
Cars & Driving
Outdoors
Lakes & Fishing
Medina Lake Supplies Irrigation and Offers Bass and Catfish Fishing
Medina Lake, completed in 1913 on the Medina River, is a source of irrigation water and a known spot for bass and catfish fishing.
Hunting / CWD
Deer Hunters in Medina County Must Know the CWD Zone Rules
Chronic Wasting Disease has been detected in Medina County deer, and hunters must follow special check-in rules when hunting in the CWD zone.
Hunting Regulations
Deer Bag Limits in Medina County Depend on Which Side of US 90 You Hunt
US 90 divides Medina County into two deer hunting zones with different buck limits and season-end dates.
History & Culture
History & Settlement
Castroville Was Built by Alsatian Settlers in 1844 and Still Shows It
Castroville, about 25 miles west of San Antonio, was founded by mostly Catholic Alsatian immigrants in 1844 and retains 97 historic buildings from that era.
History & County Seat
Hondo Became the County Seat After the Railroad Arrived in 1881
Hondo replaced Castroville as the Medina County seat in 1892, largely because the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway passed through Hondo, not Castroville.