Places
Cypress vs Katy: how do taxes, HOA dues and prices compare?
Answered by Allen Markel, REALTOR®, Texas Premier Realty ·
Short answer
Cypress homes cost more and carry a higher tax rate. The six-month median sale price is $420,860 in Cypress and $350,000 in Katy, or about $170 versus $160 per square foot. The median total tax rate on active listings is 2.63% in Cypress and 2.40% in Katy, and median HOA dues are nearly the same at about $1,200 and $1,195 a year. Katy has more homes for sale (2,633 vs 1,326), and a smaller share in a FEMA flood zone, 6.4% versus 15.5%.
How do the numbers compare side by side?
The table sets the two cities against each other on the same measures and dates. Cypress sold 1,919 homes in the last six months at a $420,860 median; Katy sold 3,317 at $350,000. Over the last 12 months the Cypress median moved from $420,000 to $411,665 (down 2.0%) while Katy moved from $350,000 to $344,990 (down 1.4%). The median days on market was 33 in Cypress and 27 in Katy. Tax rates are from certified stacks: Cypress 2.63% across 1,055 homes, Katy 2.40% across 1,783. The gap of 0.22 points is about $930 a year on a $421,000 home. On the same basis, a buyer with a $421,000 budget can buy a median Cypress home or roughly a Katy home priced about 17% below it. The Katy median of $350,000 with 20% down and the same 7.03% rate (Freddie Mac, September 24, 2026) is a $1,868 principal-and-interest payment against $2,248 in Cypress, a $380 monthly difference before tax, which widens by about $220 more once each city's median tax rate is included.
Why do the tax rates differ, and what should I compare?
Both cities are mostly in MUDs: 89% of Cypress stacks and 94% of Katy stacks include a district line, with a median of $0.82 in Cypress and $0.72 in Katy. School district rates are close, $1.0669 for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and $1.1171 for Katy ISD. Katy spans Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties, so its county lines differ by address, while nearly every Cypress home is in Harris County. Compare two specific addresses rather than two city medians, and include HOA dues, MUD lines and flood zone in the comparison. Flood insurance can offset a lower price where a home is in a mapped zone. Neither city is one market. Cypress medians are pulled by Bridgeland and Marvida, which have many listings and MUD rates of $1.40 to $1.50, and Katy's include Fort Bend and Waller portions with different county lines. Use the medians to frame the search, then compare specific addresses, including the flood zone, which differs more between the two cities (15.5% versus 6.4% of active listings in a FEMA hazard area) than dues or tax rates.
Amounts and rules change every year. For the most current and accurate answer, contact the county office directly: for a Harris County home, the Harris Central Appraisal District (hcad.org, 713-957-7800) for values, exemptions and protests, and the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector (hctax.net, 713-274-8000) for tax bills and payments; for a Fort Bend County home, the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (fbcad.org, 281-344-8623) for values, exemptions and protests, and the Fort Bend County Tax Assessor-Collector (fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/tax-assessor-collector, 281-341-3710) for tax bills and payments.
| Measure | Cypress | Katy |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, last 6 months | $420,860 (1,919 sales) | $350,000 (3,317 sales) |
| Median $/sq ft, last 6 months | $170 | $160 |
| Median price change, 12 months vs prior 12 | -2.0% | -1.4% |
| Median days on market (12 months) | 33 | 27 |
| Active listings | 1,326 | 2,633 |
| Median total tax rate (complete stacks) | 2.627% (1,055) | 2.405% (1,783) |
| Median HOA dues per year | $1,200 | $1,195 |
| Active listings in a FEMA flood hazard area | 15.5% | 6.4% |
Common follow-up questions
Is Katy cheaper than Cypress?
On median sale price, yes: $350,000 versus $420,860 over the last six months.
Which has higher property taxes, Cypress or Katy?
Cypress: a 2.63% median total rate versus 2.40% in Katy, from certified 2025 stacks.
Do Cypress and Katy have similar HOA dues?
Yes: about $1,200 versus $1,195 a year at the median.
Sources
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Answers describe transactions and public data. They are not legal, tax or financial advice.