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Williamson Central Appraisal District reports added transparency and mixed value shifts in 2026 update
Summary
Chief Appraiser Alvin Lankford told the Williamson County Commissioners Court that WCAD added sales‑comparison grids and a market‑data map to appraisal notices and reported market value rose to about $188.9 billion (pre‑protest) while taxable value increased to $151.24 billion. He also described protest trends and warned about tax agents filing mass protests.
Alvin Lankford, chief appraiser for the Williamson Central Appraisal District, gave the court its annual evaluation update on June 2, detailing changes to appraisal notices, protest patterns and county valuation totals.
Lankford said appraisal notices mailed in April now include a sales‑comparison grid for more than 90% of residential properties and a QR code that links to explanatory material on the WCAD website. "The only value you can protest on an appraisal notice is the market value," Lankford told the court, and the sales‑comparison grid is intended to show how staff arrived at the number.
He reported the district was again named a top workplace in the Austin area and renewed its certificate of excellence in assessment administration. Lankford also said WCAD earned all six Comptroller Transparency Stars — the first appraisal district in Texas to do so — and that the office received high customer satisfaction scores from survey cards.
On values, Lankford said total market value increased from about $184 billion to roughly $188.9 billion this year (the figure he presented is pre‑protest). He said taxable value — which reflects exemptions and other adjustments — rose from $143.51 billion to a certified estimate of $151.24 billion before protests. "This is before protests," he emphasized, adding the protest season can change those numbers.
Lankford outlined protest trends and the growing role of tax agents, saying some agents submit tens of thousands of protests and that property owners who represent themselves fared better in median change rates. He pointed commissioners to an ARB (appraisal review board) dashboard on the WCAD website that breaks down appeal results and tax‑savings outcomes by agent type.
Commissioners asked about the timing for certified numbers; Lankford said WCAD expects certified figures by the third week in July, though the protest season can be unpredictable. He also walked through shifts in property type values — noting residential values eased from last year's peak while commercial and multifamily patterns differed — and answered questions on board election dates and candidate filing windows.
No formal action accompanied the presentation; commissioners thanked Lankford for the update and the office's transparency work.
