Missouri City homeowners face a little more in property taxes after City Council approved a $305.87 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27 and raised the city's tax rate to $0.578363 per $100 of taxable value. The increase amounts to roughly $24 more a year, or about $2 a month, for a median homestead valued at $310,147.
The new rate marks a 1.32% jump from the prior-year rate of $0.570825 per $100 valuation, according to Community Impact. Of the new rate, $0.455029 per $100 is earmarked for daily operations while $0.123334 goes toward debt service, and the city expects to collect about $75.58 million in property taxes overall. The budget itself is roughly $18.72 million higher than the revised FY 2025-26 budget and takes effect October 1, running through September 30, 2027.
Where the Money Is Going
City officials say the spending plan centers on public safety, filling staff vacancies and continued development. It includes $7.5 million for facilities; the city is also planning a future Public Safety Headquarters. The city has issued $58 million in debt for capital projects. The budget also creates 15 new positions, primarily in public works but also spread across public safety, cybersecurity and human resources, along with salary increases for police, fire and non-civil-service staff.
The general fund, which supports core departments and general government services, receives $112.66 million under the new budget. A separate $84.4 million is set aside for five-year capital improvement projects that officials describe as long-term investments meant to last at least two decades. Those projects include a new bridge for bee passage in Sienna, water plants and a well in Mustang Bayou, road repairs, and improvements at Sta-Mo Park and Hunters Glen Trail.
Tax Rate Details
Missouri City's adopted tax rate is $0.578363 per $100 of valuation.
Cynthia Rushing said the extra revenue generated by the tax rate increase will go toward funding debt service, while Joanna Ouderkirk said the city is able to generate more revenue without a steep tax-rate hike simply because Missouri City is growing and more residents are now paying into the tax base.
Land Squeeze Shapes Long-Term Strategy
The math behind that growth-dependent approach is straightforward: Missouri City has only about 1,658 acres, or roughly 9% of its corporate limits, left undeveloped as of 2026, according to earlier Hoodline reporting. With little raw land left to annex or build on, the city is emphasizing infill and selective redevelopment, including infrastructure upgrades along the Texas Parkway corridor that Fort Bend County has identified as a priority to support the city's downtown master plan.
Neighboring Governments Move in Different Directions
Missouri City's decision lands amid a mixed picture across Fort Bend County's overlapping taxing entities. Sugar Land City Council also raised its tax rate for FY 2026-27 on September 15. Fort Bend County commissioners, meanwhile, lowered the county's overall tax rate.
Fort Bend ISD is scheduled to vote on lowering its own tax rate by 6 cents on September 28. For homeowners juggling bills from multiple taxing entities, that potential school district cut could help offset some of what they'll now owe the city.
