Property owners in Killeen pay a combined property tax rate of roughly $2.00 per $100 of taxable value once the city, Bell County, Killeen ISD, and Central Texas College District levies are added together. On a $250,000 home with no exemptions, that works out to about $5,000 a year. Each of the four taxing entities sets its own rate every fall, so the total shifts from year to year with local budgets and property values.
What Makes Up the Combined Rate
Your tax statement shows four separate line items, one for each entity that taxes your property.
The City of Killeen’s most recently adopted rate is $0.7014 per $100 of taxable value, split between $0.5277 for general operations and $0.1737 for debt service.1City of Killeen, TX. Finance Bell County’s 2025 rate is $0.3128 per $100 and funds county-wide services such as roads, courts, and the sheriff’s office.2Bell CAD. 2025 Tax Rate Chart
Killeen Independent School District collects the largest share at $0.8778 per $100, with $0.6682 going to maintenance and operations and $0.2096 to debt service.3Killeen ISD. Killeen ISD Adopts Budget That Prioritizes Pay Raises Central Texas College District adds a smaller rate on top for the community college system. The three confirmed rates alone come to $1.892 per $100 before the college district’s share, which pushes most Killeen properties above $2.00. The full rate table for every taxing unit in Bell County is published by the Bell County Appraisal District.2Bell CAD. 2025 Tax Rate Chart
How Your Taxable Value Is Set
The Bell County Appraisal District values every parcel in Killeen. State law requires the district to estimate each property’s market value as of January 1 each year, using mass appraisal methods that pull from recent sales, property characteristics, and neighborhood trends. The appraisal district does not set tax rates or collect taxes; it only decides what your property is worth for tax purposes.
Your bill is calculated on your taxable value, which is often lower than market value because of exemptions and a cap on annual increases. If you have a homestead exemption on your primary residence, your appraised value cannot rise more than 10 percent per year over the prior year’s appraised value.4Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Valuing Property The cap takes effect the second year after you receive your homestead exemption and limits only the appraised value, not the market value the district assigns. In a year local home prices jump 20 percent, your appraised value still cannot climb more than 10 percent as long as the homestead exemption was in place the year before.
Exemptions That Lower Your Bill
Filing for exemptions is the single most effective way to bring down what you owe. They are free to apply for, and most homeowners qualify for at least the general residence homestead exemption.
General Residence Homestead
Every homeowner who uses the property as a primary residence can exempt $140,000 of appraised value from school district taxes.5Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Property Tax Exemptions On a $250,000 home, the school district portion is calculated on $110,000 instead of the full value. Cities and counties can adopt additional optional homestead exemptions, with amounts that vary. To qualify, you need to own the property, live in it as your main home, and hold a Texas driver’s license or state ID showing that address.
You apply using Texas Comptroller Form 50-114, available through the Bell County Appraisal District or the Comptroller’s website.6Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Residence Homestead Exemption Application The standard filing window runs January 1 through April 30. Late applications are accepted up to two years after the taxes for that year became delinquent. Once approved, the exemption stays in place automatically unless you move or the district requests a new application.
Over-65 and Disability
Homeowners who are 65 or older or who have a qualifying disability receive an additional $60,000 school district exemption on top of the general homestead.5Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Property Tax Exemptions For a senior, that removes $200,000 of value before school taxes are calculated.
The over-65 exemption also sets a ceiling on your school district taxes. Whatever you owe the school district the first year you turn 65 and qualify becomes a permanent cap. Your school taxes may fall below that ceiling in some years, but they cannot exceed it as long as you own and live in the home.5Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Property Tax Exemptions That protection matters most during stretches when values are climbing fast.
Disabled Veteran
Texas veterans with a VA disability rating receive exemptions scaled to the rating:
- 10 to 29 percent: $5,000 off the appraised value
- 30 to 49 percent: $7,500
- 50 to 69 percent: $10,000
- 70 to 99 percent: $12,000
- 100 percent: full exemption of the home’s total appraised value
The 100 percent exemption is the largest tax benefit available to any Killeen property owner. It eliminates the entire property tax bill on the veteran’s residence homestead, covering up to 20 acres.7Texas Veterans Commission. Property Tax Exemptions Available to Veterans Per Disability Rating Veterans rated at 100 percent or classified by the VA as individually unemployable qualify.8Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. 100 Percent Disabled Veteran and Surviving Spouse Frequently Asked Questions You need VA documentation of the rating when you apply.
Payment Deadlines and Penalties
Bell County mails tax statements in the fall and the taxes are due on receipt. The deadline that matters is January 31. Any amount still unpaid on February 1 is legally delinquent, and property owners who never received a bill are still responsible for paying on time.
Penalties ramp up quickly. A delinquent tax picks up a 6 percent penalty in the first month, with an additional 1 percent added each month through June. On July 1 the penalty jumps to 12 percent regardless of how many months the balance has been outstanding. Interest also accrues at 1 percent per month from the delinquency date.9Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Penalty Tax Bills By July a homeowner who hasn’t paid can owe 12 percent in penalties plus 6 percent in interest on top of the original bill, with interest continuing to pile up every month after. Taxes that stay delinquent long enough can lead to foreclosure.
Seniors 65 and older, disabled homeowners, and qualifying disabled veterans can split the bill into four equal installments. The first installment is due before the January 31 delinquency date, with the rest due before April 1, June 1, and August 1. Missing one installment makes only that portion delinquent, with a flat 6 percent penalty plus interest instead of the graduated schedule.
Protesting Your Appraisal
If the appraised value looks too high, the protest process is free and tends to be more favorable to homeowners than people expect. The deadline is May 15 or 30 days after your appraisal notice is mailed, whichever is later. A written notice identifying the property and stating you disagree with the value is all it takes to start.10Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Appraisal Protests and Appeals The district first sets an informal conference with an appraiser, where many protests are resolved.
Cases that don’t settle move to a formal hearing before Bell County’s Appraisal Review Board. Both sides present evidence and can question each other. Any evidence the appraisal district plans to use must be made available to you at least 14 days before the hearing, and you must share yours as well.11Bell County Tax Appraisal District. ARB Hearing Procedures Missing a scheduled hearing dismisses your protest unless an unforeseeable event prevented you from attending; work conflicts and forgetting don’t qualify.
The strongest evidence is usually recent sales of comparable homes in your neighborhood that sold for less than what the district has your property valued at. Photos of damage, deferred maintenance, or incorrectly recorded features also help. A professional appraisal isn’t required but can carry weight on higher-value properties. Property tax consultants who work on contingency typically take 20 to 50 percent of any tax savings they secure.