Denton County Property Tax Rates: 2026 Rates by Taxing Entity
The total property tax rate for a typical Denton County homeowner ranges from approximately 1.66% to 1.99%, depending on which city and school district your property falls in. For a homeowner in the City of Denton with a $450,000 home, the total annual property tax bill is approximately $8,947.
Your bill is the sum of taxes levied by Denton County, your city, your school district, and any special districts that cover your property. Notably, Denton County has no county hospital district and no community college taxing district, which keeps the county-level rate lower than peer counties like Dallas, Harris, and Bexar.
Denton County Tax Rates by Taxing Entity (Tax Year 2025)
The table below shows a typical tax bill for a homeowner in the City of Denton within Denton ISD:
| Taxing Entity | Rate per $100 | Est. Tax on $450,000 Home | Share of Bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denton ISD | $1.2069 | $5,431 | 61% |
| City of Denton | $0.5954 | $2,679 | 30% |
| Denton County | $0.1859 | $837 | 9% |
| Total | ~$1.99 | ~$8,947 | 100% |
Your exact rate depends on where you live. Denton County has wide variation in city and school district rates. Here's how the total changes by area:
| Area | Total Rate | Est. Annual Tax |
|---|---|---|
| Flower Mound / Northwest ISD ($540K home) | ~$1.66 | ~$8,949 |
| Lewisville / Lewisville ISD ($450K home) | ~$1.72 | ~$7,753 |
| Little Elm / Little Elm ISD ($422K home) | ~$1.89 | ~$7,988 |
| City of Denton / Denton ISD ($450K home) | ~$1.99 | ~$8,947 |
Properties in Fresh Water Supply Districts (FWSDs) or Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) — common in newer developments near Frisco, Little Elm, and Aubrey — pay additional taxes on top of these rates. These can add $0.20–$1.20 per $100.
School Districts: The Largest Share
School district taxes make up the largest portion of every Denton County homeowner's bill, typically 55-65% of the total. Two recent voter-approved tax rate elections (VATREs) changed the landscape for tax year 2025:
| ISD | Total Rate | M&O | I&S | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest ISD | $1.0841 | $0.6631 | $0.4210 | VATRE approved Nov 2025 |
| Lewisville ISD | $1.1178 | $0.7869 | $0.3309 | Disaster pennies offset I&S decrease |
| Little Elm ISD | ~$1.1569 | — | — | Estimated |
| Argyle ISD | $1.1727 | $0.6727 | $0.5000 | VATRE rejected Nov 2024 |
| Denton ISD | $1.2069 | $0.7269 | $0.4800 | VATRE approved Nov 2025 |
| Lake Dallas ISD | $1.2552 | $0.7552 | $0.5000 | Rate unchanged |
Denton ISD voters approved a 5-cent M&O increase in November 2025 with approximately 53% support. The increase generates roughly $26 million annually — $16 million for teacher salaries, $5 million for safety and security, and $5 million for programs. Prior to the VATRE, Denton ISD had seen six consecutive years of rate decreases.
Northwest ISD voters also approved a 3-cent M&O increase by a narrow 51.87% margin, generating approximately $12 million for class sizes and teacher raises.
Lewisville ISD held its total rate steady at $1.1178 despite adding four temporary "disaster pennies" to M&O (related to May 2024 storm damage in Denton County). The M&O increase was fully offset by a corresponding I&S decrease.
Argyle ISD voters rejected a VATRE in November 2024. The district is managing with a lower M&O rate, and its FY 2025-26 budget projects a $1 million surplus.
City Rates
| City | 2025 Rate | 2024 Rate | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flower Mound | $0.3873 | $0.3873 | No change |
| Lewisville | $0.4190 | $0.4224 | -0.8% |
| Frisco | $0.4255 | $0.4255 | No change |
| Little Elm | $0.5499 | $0.5599 | -1.8% |
| Corinth | $0.5609 | $0.5670 | -1.1% |
| City of Denton | $0.5954 | $0.5854 | +1.7% |
The City of Denton is the only major city in the county with an increasing tax rate — its third consecutive year of increases, rising from $0.5607 (2023) to $0.5954 (2025). The city council approved a $2.55 billion budget on September 16, 2025.
Lewisville's rate of $0.4190 is its lowest in over 30 years. Flower Mound's rate held essentially flat while the town council unanimously adopted a $451.4 million budget.
Denton County
Denton County's adopted rate for tax year 2025 is $0.185938 per $100, down from $0.187869 the prior year — a 1.0% decrease. This is the county's lowest rate since 1986 and the second lowest among Texas's 15 most populated counties. The commissioners court approved a $452.2 million FY 2025-2026 budget.
How Denton County Compares to Other DFW Counties
Denton County's total property tax rates are generally lower than other DFW-area counties:
| County Area | Approximate Total Rate | Avg. Annual Tax Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Denton (Flower Mound / NISD) | ~1.66% | ~$8,949 |
| Collin (Plano) | ~1.71% | ~$8,539 |
| Denton (City of Denton / DISD) | ~1.99% | ~$8,947 |
| Dallas (Dallas) | ~2.22% | ~$7,777 |
| Tarrant (Fort Worth) | ~2.24% | ~$6,188 |
Denton County benefits from the absence of a county hospital district and community college taxing district — entities that add $0.15–$0.30 per $100 in counties like Dallas (Parkland Hospital) and Tarrant (JPS Health Network). However, higher home values in Denton County mean total dollar amounts can be comparable despite lower rates.
How Denton County Tax Rates Have Changed
The county tax rate has dropped 17.4% since 2020, driven by rapid property value growth expanding the tax base:
| Year | County Rate | Change from 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $0.2253 | — |
| 2021 | $0.2250 | -0.1% |
| 2022 | $0.2331 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $0.2175 | -3.5% |
| 2024 | $0.1895 | -15.9% |
| 2025 | $0.1879 | -16.6% |
| 2026 (current) | $0.1859 | -17.4% |
The brief increase in 2022 was driven by public safety and cybersecurity needs. Since then, the rate has resumed its downward trend and now sits at a 39-year low.
How Your Denton County Property Tax Bill Is Calculated
Your property tax bill is calculated using this formula:
Property Tax = (Appraised Value - Exemptions) × Tax Rate
Example: City of Denton homeowner with a $450,000 home and homestead exemption
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Appraised value | $450,000 |
| Less: School homestead exemption | -$100,000 |
| Taxable value (school) | $350,000 |
| Denton ISD tax ($350,000 × 1.2069%) | $4,224 |
| City of Denton tax ($450,000 × 0.5954%) | $2,679 |
| County tax ($450,000 × 0.1859%) | $837 |
| Total estimated bill | $7,740 |
Note: The $100,000 homestead exemption only applies to school district taxes. The city and county may offer their own smaller exemptions. Your actual bill depends on which entities tax your property and what exemptions you've filed. Learn more about how appraised value, assessed value, and taxable value work.
Why Your Denton County Property Tax Bill May Be Higher Than Expected
Even if tax rates stay flat or decrease, your bill can increase because:
Rising Appraisals
The Denton Central Appraisal District (DCAD) revalues all properties annually. While the county median has softened recently (Redfin shows a 6.5% year-over-year decline), individual properties may still see increases based on local conditions, improvements, or corrections to prior valuations.
Voter-Approved Tax Rate Elections
Both Denton ISD and Northwest ISD passed VATREs in November 2025, increasing their M&O rates by $0.05 and $0.03 respectively. These increases will appear on tax year 2025 bills for the first time.
FWSD and MUD Taxes
If your property is in a Fresh Water Supply District or Municipal Utility District — common in newer developments near Frisco, Little Elm, Aubrey, and Celina — you pay additional taxes that don't appear in the base rates above. FWSD rates in Denton County range from $0.19 to $0.65 per $100, and MUD rates can exceed $1.00 per $100.
Disaster Pennies
Lewisville ISD added four temporary "disaster pennies" to its M&O rate for tax year 2025 related to May 2024 storm damage. While offset by an equal I&S decrease, the M&O increase specifically affects the maintenance and operations portion of the budget.
How to Lower Your Denton County Property Taxes
You have two primary tools to reduce your property tax bill:
1. File for Homestead Exemption
If you haven't already, apply for your homestead exemption. The $100,000 school district exemption alone saves a typical Denton County homeowner roughly $1,207 per year in school taxes at the Denton ISD rate. The deadline is April 30, and you can file up to two years late.
2. Protest Your Appraised Value
Since your tax bill is driven by your appraised value, protesting your property tax appraisal is the most effective way to lower your bill. DCAD uses mass appraisal methods that frequently overvalue individual properties.
When you receive your Notice of Appraised Value in April-May, review it carefully and file a protest before the May 15 deadline. See the full Denton County property tax protest deadlines for key dates.
Get Help With Your Denton County Property Tax Protest
Ballard Property Tax Protest represents homeowners across Denton County. We handle the entire protest process — from filing to informal hearings to ARB representation — and you only pay if we reduce your appraised value.
No reduction, no fee.