The typical homeowner in San Antonio will pay roughly $129 more annually in property taxes and fees this year, according to an analysis published by the San Antonio Report in September 2026. The increase reflects a wave of rate hikes across multiple local taxing authorities—many raising rates for the first time in decades—as property valuations soften and new exemptions shrink the tax base. That figure doesn't yet include a likely bond-related rate hike for the city or a pending CPS Energy rate increase, both still under consideration.

The City of San Antonio approved a 3.9% property tax increase, its first in more than 30 years, adding about $36 per year to the bill for the average homestead valued at $234,000. Alamo Colleges District raised its rate by 8.76%, adding $37 annually for homes at the median value of $270,000. The San Antonio Water System board approved a $2.6 billion infrastructure plan that would raise the average residential bill by roughly $47 in the first year and $203 annually by 2030. Five local school districts are asking voters to approve rate increases in November, with proposals ranging from less than a dollar per year in East Central ISD to $216 annually in Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD. The city also raised its parks and environmental fee to $2.25 per month and trash collection fees by about $1 per month, while Bexar County kept its rate flat by dipping into reserve funds.

"These are hard decisions," San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh said in a Sept. 15 briefing. "You're seeing city councils in big cities and small towns across the state wrestling with the same thing." The report notes that Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito told a chamber event that residents are feeling the combined burden: "It is a big deal when we're looking at a potential SAWS rate increase coming up to us in October, when we're looking at the school districts increasing their tax rate, [and] when the San Antonio River Authority is increasing their tax rate." Bexar County Manager David Smith told commissioners the county faced its worst financial year since the 2008 crash, with a literal drop in property tax revenue—something he called unusual.

The report explains that property owners watched valuations climb sharply in recent years, often leading to higher bills even as municipalities lowered rates to comply with state revenue caps. Now the real estate market is cooling while inflation rises, and an array of new state and local tax exemptions are keeping more value off the rolls. That's left many Texas cities, counties, and school districts debating tough spending cuts and rate hikes as revenue falls far below expectations. San Antonio landed on a plan to cut $90 million in spending over two years while raising its tax rate by 3.4% in 2027 and anticipating another 4.4% hike in 2028 to close a $158 million deficit. Bexar County avoided raising rates this year by using reserve funds to close a deficit, but commissioners openly acknowledge they can't continue that approach for long. Many area school districts face deficits due to shrinking enrollment and state funding changes.

The report projects that the city will likely need further rate increases to fund a 2027 bond program competing for dollars with major infrastructure projects, including the sports and entertainment district known as Project Marvel. City staff is recommending a variable debt rate strategy that would allow rates to rise or fall based on property valuations, with the debt service portion unchanged since 2004. CPS Energy officials have discussed a potential 4% rate increase to cover a $50 million budget shortfall, which would add roughly $92 annually to the average household bill, though the utility hasn't committed to the hike. The San Antonio Report analysis shows the projected annual cost to homeowners has dropped slightly from about $168 in June to nearly $129 now, as the city backed off early plans to raise rates as high as legally allowed without voter permission.