August 6, 2026 · By Jack Steed
If you own a home — or you’re shopping for a lot — anywhere in Grayson, Cooke, Fannin, Denton, Collin, or Montague County, you’ve felt it: the property tax bill that seems to climb no matter how many times the county says your rate went down. Texas doesn’t have a state income tax, and the tradeoff is a property tax burden that regularly ranks among the five highest in the country. For a lot of North Texas homeowners, that math has started pointing in one direction: south-central Oklahoma, just across the Red River.
It’s a short drive, not a life overhaul. Thackerville and Marietta are 15–20 minutes from the Texas line. Madill and Kingston sit right on Lake Texoma, easily commutable to Sherman, Denison, Gainesville, and the northern edge of the Metroplex. And because Jack Steed Homes builds custom homes and remodels on both sides of the river — Cooke, Grayson, Fannin, Collin, Denton, and Montague Counties in Texas, plus Thackerville, Marietta, Madill, and Kingston in Oklahoma — you don’t have to switch builders to make the move. You just have to decide if it’s right for you.
The Property Tax Math, County by County
Every county sets its own rate, and rates shift year to year with local budgets, so treat the figures below as a starting point rather than a quote — always confirm current rates with the county appraisal district before you buy. But the pattern holds year after year: property taxes on the Oklahoma side of Texoma run roughly a third of what North Texas homeowners are used to paying.
| County & State | Approx. Effective Property Tax Rate* | Est. Annual Tax on a $350,000 Home |
|---|---|---|
| Denton County, TX | ~2.1% | ~$7,350 / year |
| Cooke County, TX | ~2.0% | ~$7,000 / year |
| Grayson County, TX | ~1.7% | ~$5,950 / year |
| Collin County, TX | ~1.3% | ~$4,550 / year |
| Fannin & Montague Counties, TX | ~1.7% – 2.2% | ~$5,950 – $7,700 / year |
| Love County, OK (Thackerville, Marietta) | ~0.63% | ~$2,205 / year |
| Marshall County, OK (Madill, Kingston) | ~0.54% | ~$1,890 / year |
*Figures are approximate effective rates compiled from county appraisal and assessor data and third-party property tax trackers; individual rates vary by city, school district, and special taxing entities within each county. Sources available on request.
Run the numbers on a $350,000 home and the gap is real money: a homeowner in Denton County might pay north of $7,000 a year in property taxes, while a homeowner in Marshall County — Madill or Kingston — pays under $2,000. That’s a difference of roughly $450 a month, every month, for as long as you own the home.
It’s Not Just the Tax Bill
Lower property taxes are the headline, but they’re rarely the whole story for the families making this move. A few other things tend to tip the decision:
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Land and home prices are lower. An acre — or five — goes further in Love and Marshall Counties than it does anywhere near the Metroplex, which matters if you’re building custom rather than buying a stock plan.
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Lake Texoma is the backyard, not a drive. Madill and Kingston sit directly on the lake; Thackerville and Marietta are a short hop away. For buyers who’ve been eyeing a lake house or a forever home with water access, the Oklahoma shoreline offers options that are harder to find, and afford, on the Texas side.
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Room to build something custom. Southern Oklahoma still has the kind of open acreage that lets a builder like Jack lay out a home exactly the way a client wants it — not shoehorned onto a shrinking lot.
Know the Trade-Off: Oklahoma Does Have Income Tax
A fair blog post tells you the whole picture. Oklahoma’s state income tax tops out around 4.75%, so this isn’t a one-way win for every household. For most homeowners earning under roughly $120,000 a year, the property tax savings still come out ahead of what they’d pay in Oklahoma income tax. Higher earners should run their own numbers — but for retirees, remote workers, and anyone whose income isn’t Oklahoma-sourced, the property tax savings alone are often the whole conversation.
Meet the Communities Just Across the Line
Thackerville, OK — The closest Oklahoma community to the I-35 corridor, minutes from the Texas line and WinStar. A popular landing spot for buyers who want to stay close to the Metroplex commute while cutting their tax bill.
Marietta, OK — The Love County seat, with small-town character and easy access to both I-35 and the lake.
Madill, OK — The Marshall County seat, sitting right on Lake Texoma. A favorite for lake-house and forever-home builds alike.
Kingston, OK — Also on the lake, with a quieter, more rural feel and some of the lowest effective tax rates in the region.
Building on Both Sides of the Red River
Jack Steed Homes isn’t a tract builder chasing volume — every home is custom, from the plans to the finish-out, and Jack personally supervises the site from the first day of construction to the last. That’s true whether the lot is in Whitesboro or on the shore in Madill. If you’re weighing a move across the border, you don’t have to research a new builder on top of a new county: Jack already knows the ground, the permitting, and the lake.
Thinking about building a custom home or a lake house in Thackerville, Marietta, Madill, or Kingston? Let’s talk through what the numbers — and the lifestyle — actually look like for your situation.
Contact Jack Steed Homes for a consultation, or call 940-736-0529.