Dallas Property Tax Protests - $568 Billion in Value at Stake

Second only behind Harris County in value, Dallas County is an economic and cultural superpower. Made up of 855,510 parcels valued at $568.91 billion, the massive area helps fund the rest of Texas. The Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) is too understaffed to get an accurate count of the county, and most taxpayers are overpaying for their property. Enroll in O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and get ready to protest your taxes with true experts. No hidden fees, no upfront costs, and pay only if we lower your taxes. Enroll, relax, and save.

Total Parcels and Total Protests DCADSource: 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	819.74	824.95	828.39	830.46	832.17	836.56	839.83	844.48	849.82	854.57	855.51
Total Protests Filed	90.85	103.77	117.27	126.97	138.29	155.34	180.16	147.67	159.49	162.06	206.17

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.

Dallas County Property Tax Protests

All property in Texas, no matter the county, is bundled together into tracking units called parcels. Parcels include real estate, real property, minerals, and other large properties. Dallas County ranks only behind Harris and Tarrant in the number of parcels, with 855,510 as of 2024. The Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) will then use these parcels to assess value, using them as units of measurement to be taxed.

Texas has no income tax, meaning that MUDs, school districts, and even the counties themselves need property taxes to keep running. Make sure that you are paying your fair share, but not an inflated bill, by protesting your taxes every year. Let O’Connor be your guide to getting the best deal. A Texas-based property tax consulting business, O’Connor has been around for over 50 years. As one of the premier firms in the USA, O’Connor has the people and know-how to get you everything you deserve.

Total Parcels in DCAD

The scale of Dallas County is hard to imagine, let alone quantify. Boasting 855,510 parcels as of 2024, Dallas County is the second-biggest piece of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex when it comes to aw size, and home to millions of people and billions of dollars in real assets. Despite the size and value of the area, tax protests are relatively rare. Only 206,170 parcels were protested in 2024, a strong improvement over 162,060 from 2023. This means taxpayers lose out on millions every year they choose not to protest.

Total Protests Dallas 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	90.85	103.77	117.27	126.97	138.29	155.34	180.16	147.67	159.49	162.06	206.17
Single Family Home Protests	48.32	52.63	65.58	67.99	79.49	81.23	114.62	79.81	107.79	108.04	120.20
Commercial / Other Protests	42.53	51.14	51.69	58.98	58.80	74.10	65.54	67.86	51.70	54.02	85.97

Texas property owners should protest annually since It is their right.

Total Protests Against DCAD

206,170 tax protests were filed in the county for 2024. 120,200 single family homeowners stood up for their rights, while 85,970 businesses did so as well. Protesting taxes is incredibly common for businesses, as property taxes are one of the biggest factors in overhead costs. It is typical for businesses to protest every year, a habit that more homeowners are starting to follow. It was thanks to a large spike in commercial protests that made 2024 the record holder for overall appeals. There were only 90,850 total protests in 2014, which has since doubled.

Taxable values have generally doubled across Texas in the past decade, with them tripling in places like Travis County. Thanks to demands for housing and rising prices for labor, wood, cement, and other building materials, the cost of real estate appears to be on the rise for the foreseeable future. This means property owners need to stay proactive about protesting their taxes, because when taxable values rise, tax bills usually rise with them.

% of Parcels Protested Dallas 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	11.08%	12.58%	14.16%	15.29%	16.62%	18.57%	21.45%	17.49%	18.77%	18.96%	24.1%

Texas property owners should protest annually since About 60% of appeals are successful.

DCAD – Percentage of Parcels Protested

The rising costs of property, increasing taxes, and general awareness have all led to more residents of the area protesting their taxes. In 2014, only 11.08% of parcels were protested, compared to 24.10% in 2024. 2020 was the highwater mark for protests, with 21.45% of parcels being appealed, finally being dethroned by 2024. The statewide average is 12.94% of parcels protested, putting the county a good bit above the average.

Protests by Property Type Dallas 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	90.85	103.77	117.27	126.97	138.29	155.34	180.16	147.67	159.49	162.06	206.17
Single Family	48.32	52.63	65.58	67.99	79.49	81.23	114.62	79.81	107.79	108.04	120.20
Multi-Family Res	4.86	4.91	5.76	5.78	6.64	6.90	8.82	7.01	8.57	8.70	9.45
Commercial	24.94	26.16	26.01	25.16	27.02	28.84	31.70	26.43	19.62	28.93	30.15
All Other	12.73	20.07	19.92	28.04	25.14	38.36	25.03	34.41	23.51	16.39	46.38

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.

Dallas County Protests by Property Type

Dallas County tax protests have increased dramatically in the past decade, with single family home protests more than doubling. As with the rest of Texas, homeowners are driving the tax protest movement. 120,199 protested their taxes in 2024, the highest on record. Aggressive taxation by DCAD is driving property owners to find a way to mitigate inflated and inaccurate taxes, as they are becoming a bigger cost every year. While only a small percentage of homeowners protest their taxes, that number has been on a rising trend. Businesses of all types have also been growing, with utilities, oil and gas, and industrial totaling 46,380 protests in 2024.

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	97.92	113.63	134.33	146.65	157.48	175.19	203.88	185.62	244.91	272.50	308.01
Single Family	20.10	22.83	28.70	29.84	35.88	37.46	50.04	39.47	60.73	69.52	85.71
Multi-Family Res	18.01	21.14	24.49	26.85	33.94	38.71	44.16	45.21	58.19	64.42	70.38
Commercial	52.19	60.52	66.92	76.85	77.77	87.13	95.51	89.16	106.00	117.56	135.48
All Other	7.61	9.13	14.22	13.11	9.89	11.89	14.17	11.78	19.99	20.99	16.43

Value of Dallas County Property Protested by Type

The value of property protested in Dallas County has tripled in the past decade. In 2014, $97.92 billion in total was protested. This sum was dwarfed by the $308.10 billion in 2024. As is typical in Texas, commercial properties led the pack with $135.48 billion, with apartments generating $70.38 billion. $16.43 billion came from utilities, industrial, and oil and gas.

Single family homes have made up more of the total protest every year for the past decade. In 2023, single family homes finally surpassed multi family homes as the No. 2 source of protested value. This lead was extended in 2024, with $85.71 billion in taxes contested by homeowners. This was a result of growing discontent with values and taxes, which have ballooned for homeowners, especially those that have been living in their home for decades.