How to Protest Your Property Tax in Brazoria County, Texas
Brazoria County is the southern flank of greater Houston — anchored by Pearland (the fastest-growing 100,000+ city in Texas during much of the 2010s) and stretching south through industrial Freeport and coastal Surfside Beach. The Brazoria Central Appraisal District handles approximately 230,000 parcels, and the county's defining property-tax characteristic is the Pearland three-county split that confuses thousands of homeowners every protest season.
Brazoria CAD by the numbers
Brazoria Central Appraisal District
500 N Chenango Street, Angleton, TX 77515
| Public website | brazoriacad.org |
| Phone | (979) 849-7792 |
| Online protest filing | Yes — via brazoriacad.org portal |
| Service area | Brazoria County, Texas (≈390,000 residents) |
Brazoria County covers approximately 1,609 square miles south of Houston. Major populated areas: Pearland (most populous, mostly in Brazoria with portions in Harris and Fort Bend), Lake Jackson (~28,000), Alvin (~26,000), Angleton (the county seat, ~19,000), Manvel (~14,000), Freeport (~10,000), Clute, Sweeny, West Columbia, Brazoria (the small city of the same name), Surfside Beach, Quintana, Jones Creek.
The Pearland three-county split
Pearland is one of the most administratively complex cities in Texas because it straddles three counties:
| Portion of Pearland | County | CAD |
|---|---|---|
| Central and southern Pearland (most of the city) | Brazoria | Brazoria CAD |
| Northern Pearland (north of FM 518 approximately) | Harris | HCAD |
| Far western Pearland (small section) | Fort Bend | FBCAD |
The same school district (Pearland ISD) covers all three portions. Different CAD record systems, different appraisal models, different protest procedures. Always verify on your Notice of Appraised Value which CAD assesses your specific parcel before filing.
Filing your protest, step-by-step
1-6Standard workflow
Pull record from brazoriacad.org. Register and file online checking both "Value over market" and "Unequal appraisal" grounds. Pull comparables (subdivision filter, ±25% sqft, ±10 years), compute median, build packet. Request CAD evidence under §41.461. Attend hearing.
See our detailed how-tos: finding comparables, filling Form 50-132, ARB hearing playbook, hearing scripts.
By city — Pearland, Lake Jackson, Alvin, Angleton, Manvel
Pearland (Brazoria portion)
Largest single market. Shadow Creek Ranch, Silverlake, Southlake, Riverstone, West Oaks Village, Sedona Lakes — major master-planned developments. Mostly post-2000 construction. Subdivision-level comp data is excellent. MUD rates apply throughout, adding $0.50-$0.80 to combined effective rates.
Lake Jackson
Engineered company town built by Dow Chemical in the 1940s. Distinctive curved streets and 1940s-1970s housing dominates older sections; newer subdivisions on the east side. Brazosport ISD.
Alvin
Older bedroom community along Highway 6. Mix of 1950s-1990s housing. Alvin ISD. Significant recent growth in master-planned developments south of the city (Sterling Lakes, Trinity Lake Estates).
Angleton
The county seat. Smaller (~19,000 residents) with mostly 1950s-1990s housing. Angleton ISD.
Manvel, Freeport, Clute, Surfside Beach
Manvel is between Pearland and the coast; rapidly growing master-planned developments (Pomona, Meridiana). Freeport and Clute are industrial-corridor communities along the Brazos River. Surfside Beach is a coastal community with mostly vacation properties — §23.231 circuit-breaker eligible for non-homestead residential.
Brazoria County tax rates
| Entity | Approx. rate (per $100) |
|---|---|
| School district (Pearland ISD, Alvin ISD, Brazosport ISD, etc.) | ~$1.05 – $1.30 |
| City of Pearland / Lake Jackson / Alvin / etc. | ~$0.45 – $0.65 |
| Brazoria County | ~$0.36 |
| Brazoria County Drainage District | ~$0.10 |
| Alvin Community College / Brazosport College | ~$0.13 |
| MUD rates (varies) | ~$0.40 – $0.80 |
| Approximate combined (Pearland with MUD) | ~$2.50 – $3.00 per $100 |
Brazoria County coverage is on TaxStand's 2027 roadmap.
Houston metro expansion follows DFW launch.
Get notified when TaxStand opens for Brazoria CountyBrazoria CAD (brazoriacad.org) is the authoritative source. This article is for general educational use and does not constitute legal or tax advice.