Galveston County

What Buyers Should Know

Galveston County’s 2026 HUD area median income (AMI) for a 4-person household is approximately $96,625, with the TSAHC Heroes 115% AMI ceiling reaching ~$111,119. Most Galveston County buyers qualify for at least one TSAHC or TDHCA program; the county is not designated a HUD targeted area, so the standard income limits and first-time-buyer rules apply.

FHA loan limits in Galveston mirror the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land baseline. Conforming limits run $806,500 for 1-unit. VA loans are uncapped above conforming limits for full-entitlement veterans.

Property tax in Galveston County averages around 2.13% effective (verify current year at the county appraisal district). The Texas residence homestead exemption shaves $100,000 off school-district appraised value and caps appraised value growth at 10% per year — the single highest-return paperwork move a new homeowner makes. File on or before April 30 of the year following purchase.

Coastal Texas + Flood Insurance Considerations

Galveston County contains League City (largest, ~120,000), Texas City, Friendswood, Galveston, Dickinson, and Santa Fe. The county sits on Galveston Bay + Gulf Coast — most properties south of I-45 require flood insurance through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) per FEMA flood map zones. Clear Creek ISD, Dickinson ISD, Texas City ISD, Friendswood ISD, La Marque ISD, and Galveston ISD serve the county. Most Galveston buyers route through state-level TSAHC and TDHCA programs. Verify NFIP zone for any address at msc.fema.gov before contract.