El Paso Property Tax Protests - By Value by Property Type by Number
El Paso County taxpayers protested $24.31 billion in property value in 2023. This is the most ever seen in the county, continuing a trend that has been going on for more than a decade. While there are several reasons for this uptick, the primary is that the El Paso Central Appraisal District (EPCAD) is handing out unreasonable values and taxes for both homes and businesses. While it is the right of every Texan to protest their taxes, they are not alone in their quest to save money. Join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ and have your taxes protested annually. There is no fee to join, and you will only pay if we lower your taxes. Enroll, relax, and save.
Total Parcels and Total Protests EPCADSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Parcels | 403.52 | 407.53 | 412.61 | 415.30 | 419.21 | 424.48 | 427.03 | 431.18 | 435.90 | 440.88 | 443.46 | |
| Total Protests Filed | 19.22 | 19.84 | 19.98 | 18.66 | 27.25 | 24.15 | 24.11 | 38.90 | 41.61 | 40.96 | 46.75 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Mass appraisal used by appraisal districts includes many errors based on limited resources. About 500 appraisers value all 20 million Texas tax parcels; about 40,000 per appraiser. Another 1,500 appraisers measure new construction.
El Paso Property Tax Protests - by Value and Property Type
Similar to another boarder area, Hidalgo County, El Paso County has seen property taxes almost double over the past decade. As a county filled with working families, middle-class workers, and first-generation Americans, this rise in taxes can be detrimental to both businesses and homes. The only way to defend against the increasing tide of taxes is to protest property values, preferably every year. This allows property owners to get a fair shake and to have their grievances heard.
Luckily for Texas tax protesters, O’Connor is here to help. For over 50 years, O’Connor has been taking on appraisal districts like the El Paso Central Appraisal District (EPCAD) to get taxpayers the best deals on their property taxes. With over 295,000 protests filed in 2024 alone, O’Connor has helped property owners across the United States achieve their goals. As one of the largest property tax firms in the nation, O’Connor can bring a small army of staff, resources, and skills to protect the rights of Texans.
Total parcels in El Paso Central Appraisal District
All property in Texas is broken up into units of measurement known as parcels. It is with parcels that the value of a county can generally be ascertained. El Paso County has 440,880 parcels as of 2023, with only 40,960 of those parcels being protested. This means that EPCAD has a lot of room to overcharge taxpayers, as there is currently very little pushback.
Total Protests El Paso CountySource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Protests | 19.22 | 19.84 | 19.98 | 18.66 | 27.25 | 24.15 | 24.11 | 38.90 | 41.61 | 40.96 | 46.75 | |
| Single Family Home Protests | 6.63 | 6.96 | 6.13 | 6.61 | 15.04 | 12.76 | 7.85 | 22.86 | 27.79 | 25.87 | 29.13 | |
| Commercial / Other Protests | 12.59 | 12.88 | 13.85 | 12.05 | 12.21 | 11.39 | 16.27 | 16.04 | 13.82 | 15.09 | 17.62 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since It is their right.
Total Protests
While only a fraction of parcels is protested in El Paso County, the number of property tax protests has been steadily increasing for over a decade. In 2014, there were 19,220 protests. By 2023, there were 40,960. This has largely been driven by single family homes, which surpassed commercial protests in 2018 and have been soaring above them ever since. 25,870 single family homes were protested in 2023, just down from a record high of 27,790 in 2022.
The growing importance of single family protests would indicate that rising valuations and taxes are forcing homeowners to take action. Since the due date for property taxes is right after the holidays, it can force working families to make tough decisions. Bundled with recent economic hardships, this could lead to more protests from homeowners. The same is true for commercial properties, with 15,090 protests being filed in 2023. While commercial properties tend to be protested annually as a matter of cost mitigation, more are being added to the protest rolls every year.
% of Parcels Protested El Paso CountySource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Percent | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Percent Protested | 4.76% | 4.87% | 4.84% | 4.49% | 6.5% | 5.69% | 5.65% | 9.02% | 9.54% | 9.29% | 10.54% | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since About 60% of appeals are successful.
EPCAD – Percentage of Parcels Protested
9.29% of all parcels in El Paso County were protested in 2023, up from only 4.76% a decade prior. The percentage of parcels protested jumped from 5.65% in 2020 to 9.02% in 2021 and has stayed at similar numbers. While this is an improvement, it pales in comparison to high-dollar counties like Fort Bend and Travis, which routinely see 30% or more of properties protested. This is something of a mixed bag for the people of El Paso County. On one hand, it means that they are still protesting less than they should. On the other, it means that they are not being compelled by ridiculous taxes like other counties.
Protests by Property Type El Paso CountySource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Number | 19.22 | 19.84 | 19.98 | 18.66 | 27.25 | 24.15 | 24.11 | 38.90 | 41.61 | 40.96 | 46.75 | |
| Single Family | 6.63 | 6.96 | 6.13 | 6.61 | 15.04 | 12.76 | 7.85 | 22.86 | 27.79 | 25.87 | 29.13 | |
| Multi-Family Res | 1.16 | 1.36 | 1.39 | 1.49 | 1.46 | 1.28 | 2.09 | 2.51 | 2.57 | 2.69 | 3.16 | |
| Commercial | 8.08 | 8.21 | 8.84 | 7.66 | 7.19 | 7.46 | 11.04 | 8.30 | 7.65 | 9.07 | 9.05 | |
| All Other | 3.35 | 3.32 | 3.63 | 2.91 | 3.56 | 2.65 | 3.14 | 5.23 | 3.60 | 3.34 | 5.41 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Correcting an error in the appraisal district’s description of your property can reap savings in future years.
El Paso County Protests by Property Type
It has been the ascension of single family home protests that has changed the landscape in El Paso County. 25,869 single family homes filed a protest in 2023, making them the primary reason for the total of 40,957 protests. Homes first surpassed commercial properties as the top protest target in 2018 and the lead has only grown each year. This shows that home values are rising out of control and that more citizens are aware of their rights than ever before.
When broken down into categories, the targets of protests can be better seen. Commercial properties retained their commanding lead in second place with 9,065 protests, followed by 3,034 protests for utilities and oil/gas properties. Multi-family homes added 2,688 protests to the total. While they are behind homes in number, these business protests exceed them in value.
Value of Property Protested by TypeSource: 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 | ||
| Value Protested Total | 11.67 | 13.65 | 13.10 | 12.67 | 13.44 | 14.01 | 19.66 | 18.07 | 21.10 | 24.31 | 30.94 | |
| Single Family | 1.20 | 1.25 | 0.94 | 0.96 | 2.60 | 2.32 | 1.26 | 4.40 | 6.05 | 6.61 | 8.24 | |
| Multi-Family Res | 1.32 | 1.76 | 1.78 | 2.04 | 1.36 | 1.25 | 2.73 | 1.95 | 2.65 | 2.21 | 3.95 | |
| Commercial | 7.00 | 7.47 | 7.49 | 6.52 | 6.57 | 7.47 | 12.08 | 8.34 | 9.04 | 11.54 | 14.42 | |
| All Other | 2.15 | 3.16 | 2.90 | 3.15 | 2.91 | 2.97 | 3.60 | 3.38 | 3.37 | 3.95 | 4.32 | |
El Paso County Value of Property Protested by Type
With the exception of high-dollar counties like Collin or Travis, commercial property protests will always exceed the value of residential ones. This is certainly true in El Paso County, as commercial properties alone contested a value of $11.54 billion. This was the most for commercial properties since 2020. In contrast, the value of multi-family housing moved down slightly to $2.21 billion, while utilities saw an increase to $3.95 billion.
While their value is still below that of commercial properties, single family homes contested a record $6.61 billion in 2023. The value of residential protests has increased every year and is set to grow even more as more homeowners turn to appeals to get some relief from out-of-control taxes. Single family homes are now No. 2 in value protested, and have been widening that lead since 2021.