Waller County, Texas
13 local notes for Waller County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Houston / Upper Gulf Coast.
Money & Taxes
Property Tax Basics
Two Separate Offices Handle Your Property Taxes
In Waller County, one office sets your home's value and another collects the taxes — you need to know which is which.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill
If you own and live in your home in Waller County, you likely qualify for a homestead exemption that reduces your property taxes.
Agricultural Valuation
Land Used for Farming or Ranching May Be Taxed at a Lower Rate
In Waller County, qualifying farm and ranch land is taxed on its agricultural productivity, not its market value, which can mean a much lower tax bill.
Home & Property
Municipal Utility Districts
Many Waller County Subdivisions Are Inside a MUD
A Municipal Utility District — called a MUD — is a small local government that provides water, sewer, and drainage to a subdivision, and it adds its own tax rate on top of county and school taxes.
Flood Zones
Parts of Waller County Have Serious Flood Risk
The Brazos River and several creeks create real flood risk in Waller County, and some properties sit inside FEMA-designated flood zones where flood insurance is required.
Cars & Driving
Outdoors
Hunting Regulations
Deer Hunting in Waller County Has Specific Buck Rules
Hunters in Waller County can take up to four deer per season, but rules on bucks are specific and antlerless deer require mandatory reporting.
Water Recreation
The Brazos River Runs Along the Western Edge of the County
The Brazos River forms Waller County's western border and is the main surface water feature — useful for fishing, but subject to flooding and access limits.
Rules & Licenses
City Limits vs. County
Much of Waller County Is Unincorporated — Rules Differ Outside City Limits
Large portions of Waller County sit outside any city, which means fewer zoning restrictions but also fewer services — and cities can still regulate land just beyond their borders.
Septic / OSSF
Homes Outside City Sewer Lines Need a Septic System
In rural and unincorporated Waller County, homes that are not connected to a city sewer system must have an approved on-site sewage facility — commonly called a septic system.
History & Culture
University History
Prairie View A&M Is One of Texas's Oldest Public Universities
Prairie View A&M University was founded in 1876 on a former plantation. It was the first public college for Black Texans and is still a major part of Waller County today.
County Seat History
Hempstead Grew Because of the Railroad, Not the River
Hempstead became the county seat of Waller County because the Houston and Texas Central Railway chose it as a terminus in 1858, making it a major trade hub almost overnight.
Early Settlement
One of Texas's First Cotton Plantations Stood in This County
In early 1822, Jared Groce set up a plantation near present-day Hempstead. It helped shape early Texas farming — and the area's plantation history is part of why Prairie View A&M is located here.