Starr County, Texas
13 local notes for Starr County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Rio Grande Valley / Border.
Money & Taxes
Property Tax
Who handles property taxes in Starr County
Two separate offices handle property taxes here — one sets your value, the other collects the bill.
Homestead Exemption
How the homestead exemption works in Starr County
If your home here is your main residence, a Texas homestead exemption can lower the taxable value — and Starr County has boosted its local exemption for seniors and disabled residents.
Agricultural Valuation
Ag valuation can cut your property tax bill on rural land
Farm and ranch land in Starr County can be taxed on what it produces, not what it would sell for — and that can mean a much lower tax bill.
Mineral Rights / Oil & Gas
Oil and gas have shaped Starr County for nearly a century
Starr County has a long oil and gas history, so mineral rights questions often come up when buying land here.
Home & Property
Groundwater / Water Wells
Starr County has its own groundwater district
The Starr County Groundwater Conservation District manages underground water use — contact them before you drill a well.
Septic Systems / OSSF
No city sewer? You may need a septic permit
Outside city limits in Starr County, you likely need an on-site sewage system — and that requires a permit in Texas.
Flooding / FEMA Flood Maps
Check the flood map before you buy or build
Parts of Starr County along the Rio Grande and local drainage areas lie in flood zones — look up any address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center before you buy or build.
Outdoors
Hunting
Starr County has a wide variety of hunting seasons
Starr County offers deer, turkey, dove, duck, quail, javelina, and more — each with its own season dates and license requirements set by TPWD.
Public Land / Wildlife Management Area
Las Palomas WMA offers free public hunting and hiking
The Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area has units in Starr County and is open year-round for hiking, wildlife viewing, and public hunting with the right permit.
Fishing
Fishing in Starr County means the Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is the main fishable water in Starr County — catfish are the primary game species, and you need a Texas fishing license.
History & Culture
Local History
Fort Ringgold protected Rio Grande City for nearly 100 years
Fort Ringgold, established in 1848 right next to Rio Grande City, anchored the border town's growth and later became part of the local school district.
Tejano History
Starr County has deep Tejano and Spanish ranching roots
Spanish settlement in 1749 built a ranching culture that shaped Starr County's land, economy, and Hispanic majority population for generations.
Labor History
The 1966 farmworker strike put Starr County on the national map
In 1966, Mexican American farmworkers in Starr County went on strike against large agricultural growers — a key event in the broader Chicano civil rights movement.