Bell Property Tax Values and Tax Protest Facts
Home to Killeen, Temple, and Fort Hood, Bell County boasts a rising economy that still harkens back to the early days of Texas. Despite being outside the Texas Triangle of Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, Bell is one of the rising counties in Texas. With the combined value of property soaring every year, 2024 saw the county reach over $55.25 billion in value. While a growing community, these rising values also lead to higher taxes. Enroll with O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and be prepared to lower your taxes with property tax appeals. There are never any upfront fees, and you will only be charged part of your savings if your taxes are lowered. Enroll, relax, and save.
Total Market Value Bell CountySource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| $ Total Market Value | 18.819 | 19.349 | 19.879 | 22.471 | 23.471 | 26.813 | 29.942 | 33.663 | 42.438 | 51.439 | 55.253 |
| Single Family | 9.849 | 10.382 | 10.914 | 11.852 | 12.467 | 13.927 | 15.525 | 18.141 | 24.109 | 27.786 | 29.302 |
| Multi-family | 0.923 | 0.982 | 1.042 | 1.142 | 1.204 | 1.579 | 1.832 | 2.077 | 2.735 | 2.902 | 3.677 |
| Commercial | 2.345 | 2.432 | 2.518 | 2.683 | 2.774 | 3.123 | 3.499 | 3.702 | 4.216 | 4.704 | 5.632 |
| All Other | 5.701 | 5.553 | 5.405 | 6.793 | 7.026 | 8.184 | 9.086 | 9.744 | 11.378 | 16.046 | 16.641 |
Texas property owners should protest annually As part of maintaining their property, like a HVAC checkup.
Bell County Property
Tax Trends
With the likes of Fort Hood and Killeen within its borders, Bell County has a diverse economy and growing population. With a burgeoning health care industry and a strong manufacturing base, the county is the strongest economy in the region and is supporting a growing population that is positioning the area to be one of Texas’ best in the years to come.
For over 50 years, O’Connor has been helping Texans lower their property taxes through cost-effective tax reduction. From appeals and exemptions to cost segregation, O’Connor offers the whole suite of reduction techniques, all while using a personal touch. The Tax Appraisal District of Bell County (Bell CAD) is constantly raising home values, and you need a champion in your corner, especially one that knows Texas inside and out.
Bell CAD Total Market Value of Property
It was estimated that the total property value for Bell County in 2024 was $55.25 billion. This was the most ever seen in the county and a large improvement over $51.44 billion from 2023. The county’s total value has tripled since 2014, a feat that many major Texas counties have seen. Single family homes accounted for $23.30 billion of the value, while commercial properties and businesses contributed $25.95 billion.
Property Value Reduction By Type of Appeal Source: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Total | 0.038 | 0.049 | 0.061 | 0.111 | 0.150 | 0.265 | 0.323 | 0.441 | 0.701 | 1.112 | 1.02 |
| Informal Appeal | 0.026 | 0.034 | 0.042 | 0.088 | 0.133 | 0.161 | 0.189 | 0.336 | 0.484 | 0.484 | 0.484 |
| Formal ARB Determination | 0.0100 | 0.0120 | 0.0160 | 0.0210 | 0.0130 | 0.0910 | 0.1170 | 0.0800 | 0.1850 | 0.5940 | 0.5120 |
| Judicial Appeal | 0.0020 | 0.0030 | 0.0030 | 0.0030 | 0.0040 | 0.0120 | 0.0160 | 0.0240 | 0.0330 | 0.0340 | 0.0270 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas law requires property owners to protest to get information on their property and comparable sales in the area. This information is free and available upon request via U.S. mail (once you file a protest).
Bell CAD Value Reduction by Type of Appeal
Texas property tax appeals come in three stages, with each following the others. Informal appeals are the baseline protest and act as an entry point. Formal appeals with the appraisal review board (ARB) are next. Finally, the last option is litigation against Bell CAD, which has several options of its own.
Bell County is a rarity when it comes to appeals, as informal and formal hearings are almost perfectly balanced. $512 million in value was challenged formally in 2024, while informal protests took on $484 million. Most counties in Texas have an appeal that they favor significantly over others. Litigation saw plenty of success as well, contesting $27 million. 2024 was the best year in the county’s history when it came to protested value, reaching $1.02 billion.
Total Property Tax Savings All Protests and AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Millions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| All Property Types | 0.80 | 1.03 | 1.29 | 2.34 | 3.16 | 5.57 | 6.78 | 9.26 | 14.73 | 23.35 | 21.47 |
| Single Family | 0.13 | 0.15 | 0.18 | 0.26 | 0.31 | 0.68 | 1.19 | 1.86 | 3.52 | 5.42 | 5.44 |
| Commercial / All other | 0.67 | 0.88 | 1.11 | 2.08 | 2.85 | 4.89 | 5.59 | 7.40 | 11.21 | 17.93 | 16.03 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Because it is the surest way to reduce property taxes.
Total Bell CAD Property Tax Savings by Property Type
It is great to oppose high property values, but the real results are the taxes directly saved through protests of every kind. The county achieved its second-highest reduction ever, a final cut of $21.47 million. Only 2023 performed better, with $23.35 million in savings, but both years far exceeded any saving achieved in the previous decade. This demonstrates that appeals are finding more traction across the county.
Businesses saved $16.03 million, not far from the 2023 record of $17.93 million. Businesses and commercial real estate are worth more individually than homes, so they always see the larger share of savings. That is not to see that homes lacked effectiveness in their reductions, as they achieved a savings of $5.44 million in 2024. This was the highest savings ever achieved by homes, edging out 2023.