Breckenridge, Texas
Breckenridge is the seat of Stephens County in the rolling rangeland of West Texas, about 53 miles northeast of Abilene and roughly 94 miles west of Fort Worth. The town grew explosively during a 1920s oil boom that followed the Chaney No. 1 well in 1920, when hundreds of derricks rose within the city limits and the population swelled for a few frenetic years before the field slowed. It sits a few miles east of Hubbard Creek Reservoir, a large lake that draws anglers and boaters and supplies water to the surrounding region.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 5,123
- Change from 2020 base
- -0.8%
- Land area
- 4.2 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Stephens County
Place type, county footprint, and land area use the Census Bureau's January 1, 2025 geography. Population uses Vintage 2025 estimates through July 1, 2025; change compares that estimate with the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Geography file | Population file
Property here runs through the appraisal district and tax office for Stephens County. The homestead exemption, appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level.
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
County context
What to know around Breckenridge
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Breckenridge.
Local History
Breckenridge Grew from a Small Town to a Boomtown Overnight
The 1920s oil boom turned Breckenridge from a quiet ranching town into one of the most chaotic boomtowns in Texas history.
Property Tax
Two Separate Offices Handle Property Tax in Stephens County
The appraisal district sets your property value, and a separate tax assessor-collector office handles payments. They are not the same office.
Exemptions & Ag Valuation
Homestead and Ag Valuation Applications Go to the Appraisal District
Homeowners and ranchers in Stephens County apply for key property tax breaks through the county appraisal district, not the state.
Nearby
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Next steps for Breckenridge
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