Lubbock Property Tax Protests - By Value, Property Type, and Number
There were 31,670 property tax protests in Lubbock County in 2024, the most ever seen. This translated into 18.68% of all real estate in the entire county. This was quite impressive for a county outside of the Texas Triangle. This was thanks to the aggressiveness of the Lubbock Central Appraisal District (LCAD), which has been encouraging more appeals every year due to rising values and taxes. Get the best savings possible when you join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today. There is no cost to join, and taxes can never be increased by appealing. Enroll, relax, and save.
Total Parcels and Total Protests Lubbock CADSource: 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 | 138.84 | 139.80 | 141.49 | 142.86 | 144.99 | 147.16 | 149.38 | 153.54 | 162.36 | 166.28 | 169.53 | |
| Total Protests Filed | 7.35 | 9.36 | 9.87 | 11.96 | 15.40 | 15.80 | 17.49 | 18.73 | 25.57 | 27.04 | 31.67 | |
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.
LCAD Property Tax Appeals
Outside of exemptions, the only way to lower the taxable value in Texas is to use property tax appeals. Also known as protests, these actions allow taxpayers the chance to dispute the values put forward by LCAD, often resulting in a reduction. As property values have doubled in the past decade, appeals have risen to the occasion. Both homeowners and businesses have seen increased tax savings annually for the past decade, with more taking the fight to LCAD every year.
O’Connor is here to help. Offering premium services to taxpayers across Lubbock County, O’Connor brings over 50 years of experience to the process. While a national firm, O’Connor also has local expertise, being a longtime staple in Texas property taxes. O’Connor offers any taxpayers who sign up a client success consultant, who acts as a personal advocate and single point of contact, ensuring rapid and accurate communication.
Total Parcels in LCAD
All Texas real property is bundled together in units called parcels. Lubbock County had 169,530 such parcels in 2024, making it one of the larger counties in Texas. 31,670 of these parcels were protested in the same year, marking the most ever seen in the county’s history.
Total Protests Lubbock 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 | 7.35 | 9.36 | 9.87 | 11.96 | 15.40 | 15.80 | 17.49 | 18.73 | 25.57 | 27.04 | 31.67 | |
| Single Family Home Protests | 3.22 | 5.14 | 6.18 | 7.30 | 9.39 | 10.45 | 10.79 | 12.70 | 17.51 | 19.20 | 21.32 | |
| Commercial / Other Protests | 4.13 | 4.23 | 3.69 | 4.65 | 6.00 | 5.36 | 6.70 | 6.03 | 8.06 | 7.84 | 10.35 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since It is their right.
Total Protests
The number of protests has grown steadily every year since 2014. This is thanks to growing costs, values, and taxes. 2023 saw 27,040 protests, while 2024 significantly grew to 31,670, the largest increase between years so far. This indicates that frustration with LCAD is increasing, and taxpayers are taking matters into their own hands like never before.
21,320 homeowners protested in 2024, a new record. It has mostly been homeowners pushing the appeal growth for the past decade, which is typical, as there are far more homes than businesses. Commercial properties likewise, had their most protests ever in 2024, reaching 10,350. This is an impressive number, as businesses each have extensive value attached.
% of Parcels Protested Lubbock 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 | 5.29% | 6.7% | 6.98% | 8.37% | 10.62% | 10.74% | 11.71% | 12.2% | 15.75% | 16.26% | 18.68% | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since About 60% of appeals are successful.
LCAD - Percent Parcels Protested
18.68% of all parcels were protested in 2024, by far the best seen. This came on the heels of 2023’s 16.25%, which was a record in itself. This is a high percentage compared to many counties around Texas, especially those that are not traditionally seen as urban. While the likes of Travis and Fort Bend protest over 33%, Lubbock’s percentage is outstanding. This percentage has grown every year as well, and the pattern is set to increase even further in the future.
Protests by Property Type Lubbock 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 | 7.35 | 9.36 | 9.87 | 11.96 | 15.40 | 15.80 | 17.49 | 18.73 | 25.57 | 27.04 | 31.67 | |
| Single Family | 3.22 | 5.14 | 6.18 | 7.30 | 9.39 | 10.45 | 10.79 | 12.70 | 17.51 | 19.20 | 21.32 | |
| Multi-Family Res | 0.47 | 0.67 | 0.60 | 0.97 | 1.26 | 1.33 | 1.49 | 1.72 | 1.92 | 2.30 | 2.18 | |
| Commercial | 2.23 | 2.47 | 2.01 | 2.24 | 2.61 | 2.18 | 3.42 | 3.82 | 3.43 | 3.88 | 3.64 | |
| All Other | 1.43 | 1.08 | 1.08 | 1.44 | 2.14 | 1.84 | 1.80 | 0.49 | 2.71 | 1.67 | 4.53 | |
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.
LCAD Protests by Property Type
Due to their number, residential properties led to a significant increase in the number of protests. There were 21,320 protests filed for homes in 2024, and homes have been the main reason for increased appeals overall. Oil, gas, and utilities were in second place with 4,530, the first time they ever achieved this level of success. Commercial properties were responsible for 3,637 protests, while apartments added 2,180.
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 | 3.43 | 4.96 | 4.75 | 5.45 | 6.74 | 7.89 | 5.39 | 7.43 | 9.27 | 14.41 | 15.81 | |
| Single Family | 1.57 | 0.81 | 1.03 | 3.30 | 1.59 | 4.80 | 2.04 | 2.52 | 3.82 | 4.84 | 5.47 | |
| Multi-Family Res | 0.20 | 0.91 | 1.09 | 0.37 | 1.49 | 0.50 | 1.99 | 0.24 | 0.38 | 2.67 | 0.51 | |
| Commercial | 1.10 | 2.37 | 2.18 | 1.14 | 2.85 | 1.19 | 0.41 | 3.81 | 3.88 | 4.92 | 4.93 | |
| All Other | 0.56 | 0.87 | 0.45 | 0.64 | 0.81 | 1.40 | 0.96 | 0.87 | 1.21 | 1.98 | 4.89 | |
Lubbock County Value of Property Protested by Type
When looking at the value of property protested, it is easy to see how important appeals have become. $15.61 billion in taxable value was contested, the most ever seen in the county. The value contested has increased dramatically in the past five years, starting from $5.39 billion in 2020. When compared to only $3.34 billion being protested in 2014, the evolution of protests in Lubbock is clear to see.
The most value came from homes, which is somewhat unusual in Texas. $5.47 billion in taxable value was thanks to homeowners, the largest number yet. $4.93 billion was thanks to commercial properties, while oil and gas notched $4.93 billion. Apartments had a down year, but still managed to dispute $510 million.