The 2025 constitutional amendments changed the math. New $200,000 combined school exemption for buyers 65+, expanded City of San Antonio exemption, and a school tax freeze that locks your ceiling permanently. Here's what it actually costs to own a home in Bexar County today.
Texas voters approved two constitutional amendments in November 2025 that substantially restructured property tax obligations for homeowners 65 and older. These changes — Proposition 13 (Senate Bill 4) and Proposition 11 (Senate Bill 23) — affect every 55+ community in Bexar County, including Hill Country Retreat, Campanas at Cibolo Canyons, Willis Ranch, and Orchards at Valley Ranch.
The changes are recent enough that many real estate agents, online calculators, and competitor websites are still showing pre-2025 rates. If you've received a property tax estimate from any source other than a current Bexar County tax certificate, verify it against the 2025 exemption structure below.
Bexar County property tax is not a single rate — it's a stack of taxing entities, each with its own rate and its own exemption structure. For buyers 65+, four distinct exemptions now apply.
$140,000 off school district taxable value. Applies to any primary residence, regardless of age. Increased from $100,000 under Proposition 13 (SB 4), effective for the 2025 tax year. This exemption has a sunset clause — it reverts to a lower amount in 2027 unless the legislature acts. The 2025 and 2026 tax years benefit from the full $140,000.
$60,000 additional off school district taxable value. Applies to homeowners 65 and older. Increased from $10,000 under Proposition 11 (SB 23). Combined with Layer 1: $200,000 total school district exemption for any 65+ homeowner.
$85,000 off the City of San Antonio portion of taxable value. Applies to properties within San Antonio city limits. Hill Country Retreat and several other Bexar County 55+ communities fall within the city boundary. This exemption runs independently of the school district exemptions.
Your school tax ceiling is locked permanently at age 65. In the year you turn 65 and file for the over-65 exemption, your school district tax bill is frozen at that year's amount. It cannot increase in future years regardless of how much the appraisal rises. The freeze survives you — if your spouse outlives you, they maintain the frozen ceiling as long as they are at least 55 at the time of your death.
A Bexar County property tax bill is the sum of multiple taxing entities. Each entity has its own rate and applies its own exemptions. The major components for a Hill Country Retreat or Bexar County 55+ community:
Combined, a Bexar County home within San Antonio city limits with all taxing entities included runs approximately 1.8–2.3% of taxable value before exemptions.
The following scenarios use representative rates. Actual rates vary by school district and lot location. Request a current tax certificate from the seller or county appraisal district to confirm your specific property's burden.
| Appraised value | $350,000 |
| Less general homestead ($140,000) | -$140,000 |
| Less over-65 school exemption ($60,000) | -$60,000 |
| School district taxable value | $150,000 |
| School tax at 1.35% (Northside ISD est.) | $2,025/year |
| Bexar County at 0.32% | $1,120/year |
| City of SA at 0.55% (less $85K exemption) | $1,458/year |
| Hospital district at 0.26% | $910/year |
| Total annual tax | $5,513/year |
| Monthly tax obligation | $459/month |
| Appraised value | $400,000 |
| Less general homestead + over-65 ($200,000) | -$200,000 |
| School district taxable value | $200,000 |
| School tax at 1.35% | $2,700/year |
| Bexar County at 0.32% | $1,280/year |
| City of SA at 0.55% (less $85K exemption) | $1,733/year |
| Hospital district at 0.26% | $1,040/year |
| Total annual tax | $6,753/year |
| Monthly tax obligation | $563/month |
| Appraised value | $500,000 |
| Less general homestead + over-65 ($200,000) | -$200,000 |
| School district taxable value | $300,000 |
| School tax at 1.35% | $4,050/year |
| Bexar County at 0.32% | $1,600/year |
| City of SA at 0.55% (less $85K exemption) | $2,283/year |
| Hospital district at 0.26% | $1,300/year |
| Total annual tax | $9,233/year |
| Monthly tax obligation | $769/month |
To understand the magnitude of the 2025 amendments, compare the same $400,000 home under old rules vs. new:
| Line Item | Pre-2025 (65+ buyer) | 2025 (65+ buyer) | Annual Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| School homestead exemption | $100,000 | $140,000 | +$40,000 off taxable |
| Over-65 school exemption | $10,000 | $60,000 | +$50,000 off taxable |
| School taxable base | $290,000 | $200,000 | -$90,000 |
| School tax at 1.35% | $3,915/year | $2,700/year | -$1,215/year |
| Annual savings from 2025 changes | ~$1,215/year ($101/month) |
On a $400,000 home, the 2025 amendments save a 65+ Bexar County homeowner approximately $1,215/year ($101/month) relative to the prior exemption structure. That savings compounds over time as appraisals rise — because the freeze ceiling was set under a lower taxable base.
The exemption savings above are real and immediate. But the school tax freeze is the more powerful long-term mechanism.
In Texas, property appraisals typically increase 3–7% per year in active markets. Without the freeze, a $400,000 home appraised at 5% annually becomes a $652,000 home in 10 years. The taxable base grows proportionally, and the school tax bill follows.
With the freeze: your school tax ceiling is locked at the amount established in your qualifying year (age 65). Regardless of what the appraisal does — $652,000, $700,000, higher — your school tax bill stays at its frozen amount.
Assumptions: $400,000 home, 65+ buyer in 2026, school tax frozen at $2,700/year (Year 1), 5% annual appraisal growth.
| Year | Appraised Value | Tax Without Freeze | Tax With Freeze | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $400,000 | $2,700 | $2,700 | $0 |
| 2028 | $441,000 | $3,253 | $2,700 | $553 |
| 2030 | $485,000 | $3,848 | $2,700 | $1,148 |
| 2032 | $534,000 | $4,509 | $2,700 | $1,809 |
| 2034 | $588,000 | $5,238 | $2,700 | $2,538 |
| 2036 | $648,000 | $6,075 | $2,700 | $3,375 |
| Cumulative school tax savings (2026–2036) | ~$12,000 | |||
School tax alone. Does not include county/city savings. Assumes frozen ceiling set in 2026.
The freeze compounds over time. By year 10, a 65+ homeowner is saving roughly $3,375/year in school tax alone compared to an equivalent unfrozen homeowner. Over a 15–20 year retirement horizon, these savings are substantial.
The school tax freeze is real but bounded. It applies only to the school district portion — not to county, city, hospital district, or other levies. Those components continue to reflect the actual appraised value and can increase as appraisals rise.
For most Bexar County homeowners, school district tax is the largest single component (roughly 60–65% of total tax bill). Freezing it matters significantly. But your Bexar County, City of San Antonio, and hospital district bills will continue to drift upward with appraisals over time. The freeze reduces long-term tax exposure; it doesn't eliminate it.
Exemptions do not apply automatically. You must file with the Bexar County Appraisal District (BCAD).
BCAD's website (bcad.org) has current forms and instructions. The application is straightforward — one page, supporting documentation of age and residency.
Buyers comparing Hill Country Retreat (Bexar) to Regency at Esperanza (Kendall County MUD) often focus on purchase price and fail to model the tax difference. The gap is substantial.
Kendall County does not have a comparable senior exemption structure. The 2025 Bexar amendments do not apply in Kendall County. Regency at Esperanza buyers in Kendall County MUD #1 face:
On a $600,000 Regency home, annual property tax with the MUD is approximately $15,300. On a $600,000 Bexar County home with 2025 over-65 exemptions, annual property tax is approximately $9,600–$10,400. The annual difference for the same home value: $4,900–$5,700/year, or $408–$475/month.
This difference is structural and permanent. It doesn't close over time.