Burkburnett
North of Sheppard along I-44
Popular areas: Burkburnett and the area between town and the base
A small-town option with a short drive to the gate. Prices sit below Wichita Falls’ newest neighborhoods.
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VA loans in Wichita Falls, TX
PCSing to Sheppard, retiring in Texoma, or already a Wichita Falls Veteran? Here’s what a VA loan looks like here: where families live around the base, your 2026 BAH, what to know about storm shelters and country acreage, the closest VA care, and every benefit that stacks if you have a disability rating.
Check Your Eligibility Book a 15-Minute Call
✓ Soft credit pull only. Applying won’t affect your credit score.
- My team reviews your application as soon as it comes in.
- If you qualify, you get a pre-approval letter and a full itemized estimate.
- If you’re not there yet, you get a clear plan to get ready.
$0Down with full entitlement
$1,4912026 BAH, E-5 with dependents
$0Funding fee if you receive VA disability pay
No limitVA loan limit with full entitlement. What you can borrow is set by your income, not a cap.
Short answer: Yes, you can buy anywhere in Wichita Falls and the surrounding towns with a VA loan and no down payment. Your BAH counts as income, and my team grosses it up because it isn’t taxed. There’s no minimum credit score on a standard VA purchase. Around Wichita Falls, the details that change your payment most are the property tax rate, which runs higher in Wichita County than in the counties next door, and homeowners insurance in hail and tornado country.
Sheppard Air Force Base
Where Veterans and Airmen buy around Sheppard
Sheppard, on the north side of Wichita Falls, is home to the 82nd Training Wing’s technical training schools and the 80th Flying Training Wing, which runs the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program for pilots from 14 NATO nations. Most of the area is within a 20-minute drive of the gate.
Southwest Wichita Falls
Near Lake Wichita and Midwestern State
Popular areas: Southwest Wichita Falls, the neighborhoods off Kemp Boulevard and Southwest Parkway, the Lake Wichita area
Many of the city’s newer homes, about 15 to 20 minutes across town to the base.
Iowa Park and City View
West and north-central
Popular areas: Iowa Park (west on US-287), the City View area
Lower prices and easy access to the base by the expressway.
Holliday and Henrietta
Archer and Clay counties
Popular areas: Holliday, Archer City, Henrietta, the area around Lake Arrowhead
Acreage and lower average tax rates, with a longer drive in.
Storm shelters
Tornado country: shelters and roofs
Wichita Falls sits in a part of Texas that sees severe spring storms, and the city still remembers the April 1979 tornado that cut across its south side. Many homes here have an in-ground or garage storm shelter, and buyers often ask for one.
A shelter is a feature, not a requirement, and a VA loan can buy a home with or without one. If the home has a shelter, have your inspector check the door, ventilation and drainage. If it doesn’t, you can add one after closing. Hail is the more frequent threat to your wallet, so ask the roof’s age and get an insurance quote early.
Country living
Acreage in Archer and Clay counties
South and east of the city, Archer and Clay counties have small ranches, horse properties and homes on a few acres, around Holliday, Archer City, Henrietta and Lake Arrowhead. Both counties average lower property tax rates than Wichita County.
Residential, not a working ranch
A VA loan can buy a home on acreage when the property is mainly a residence. Large tracts valued for farming or ranching may not fit.
Rural water
Many country homes use a rural water supply corporation or a private well. Ask which, and plan a water test for a well.
Ag valuation
Grazing land often carries a special low tax valuation. If your homesite comes out of it, the tax bill can rise and back taxes can apply, so ask before closing.
Schools
School districts around Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls ISD covers most of the city, while Burkburnett, Iowa Park and City View serve the north and west, and Archer and Clay counties have their own districts. Ratings are the Texas Education Agency’s overall A–F grades.
| School district | Serves | TEA rating (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Wichita Falls ISD | Most of the City of Wichita Falls | C |
| Burkburnett ISD | Burkburnett and the area around Sheppard | C |
| Iowa Park CISD | Iowa Park | B |
| City View ISD | The City View area | B |
| Holliday ISD | Holliday | A |
| Henrietta ISD | Henrietta | B |
District ratings are the Texas Education Agency’s A–F accountability ratings. Attendance zones follow the address, not the city name, so check the district and campus for any home before you make an offer.
Nearest VA care: Oklahoma City VA Medical Center (Oklahoma City, about 140 miles north), plus VA clinics nearby.
All VA locations near Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls VA Clinic
Central Freeway, Wichita Falls
Oklahoma City VA Medical Center
Oklahoma City, about 140 miles north
Sheppard AFB medical clinic
Sheppard AFB
Locations from VA.gov. Services change, so confirm with the VA before you count on a specific clinic.
2026 BAH · Wichita Falls (TX288)
What your BAH covers in Wichita Falls
Sheppard and Wichita Falls use the Wichita Falls housing allowance. These are the monthly 2026 rates, effective January 1. See every grade on the Texas BAH page.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $1,392 | $1,044 |
| E-5 | $1,491 | $1,182 |
| E-6 | $2,112 | $1,584 |
| E-7 | $2,190 | $1,644 |
| E-8 | $2,271 | $1,704 |
| W-2 | $2,223 | $1,668 |
| O-2 | $2,106 | $1,647 |
| O-3 | $2,325 | $1,887 |
| O-4 | $2,691 | $2,187 |
| O-5 | $2,955 | $2,229 |
BAH is tax-free, so when my team qualifies you we gross it up by 25%. A $1,491 allowance counts like about $1,864 of taxable pay. Run your numbers with the residual income calculator.
Wichita County and nearby counties
Property taxes: the number to check on every address
Texas has no state income tax, so local property taxes carry more of the load. Your bill is the sum of the county, city, school district and any special districts for that exact property. In Wichita County, homeowners pay about 1.64% of their home’s value in property tax each year on average. A newly purchased home often runs higher, because its value isn’t yet held down by the 10% yearly homestead cap, and two homes a mile apart can differ a lot.
Disabled Veteran exemptions
- 100% disabled, or paid at 100% for individual unemployability: total exemption on your homestead. You pay no property tax on your home.
| VA disability rating | Off your home’s taxable value |
|---|---|
| 10% to 29% | $5,000 |
| 30% to 49% | $7,500 |
| 50% to 69% | $10,000 |
| 70% to 99% | $12,000 |
| 100% or individual unemployability | Full homestead exemption |
What that’s worth in Wichita Falls: on a $175,000 to $225,000 home in Wichita County at the county’s average 1.64% effective rate, a 100% rating eliminates about $2,900 to $3,700 a year in property taxes, and often more on a home you just bought.
- Veterans 65 or older with a rating of at least 10% get the $12,000 amount.
- Surviving spouses may keep the exemption.
You apply with the appraisal district once you own and live in the home. How the exemptions work
What this means at closing
- Your estimate uses the full tax rate for the address, before exemptions, until the exemption is on file.
- Escrow starts with two months of taxes and two months of insurance.
- Texas is a community property state. If you’re married, your spouse’s debts are counted when we qualify you, even if your spouse isn’t on the loan.
- Nearby counties: Archer (Holliday, Archer City) about 1.21%; Clay (Henrietta) about 1.27%. My team uses the exact rate for your address in your estimate.
Average effective rates are median property taxes paid divided by median home value for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. They include exemptions current owners already receive.
PCS to Sheppard AFB
Buying before you report
- Get pre-approved with your orders. Your PCS orders and current LES show the income you’ll have at Sheppard AFB, including Wichita Falls BAH.
- Pick your commute, then the neighborhood. Send my team your report date and whether you’d like in town or out in the country, and we’ll line up a Wichita Falls agent who knows Sheppard moves. Military realtor network
- Close remotely. Texas allows remote closings for most loans, so you can sign before you arrive. How remote closings work
- Move in and file your homestead. You need to intend to live there as your primary home, usually within about 60 days. Then file your homestead and any disabled Veteran exemption.
Retiring or separating in Wichita Falls
Retiring in Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls keeps a strong Sheppard retiree community, with low home prices, base access and Dallas–Fort Worth about two hours away.
Base privileges and military care
- Shopping on base: retirees and eligible disabled Veterans can still use the Sheppard commissary and exchange.
- Close to Oklahoma, taxed like Texas: living on the Texas side means no state income tax on your retired pay.
- VA care in town: the Wichita Falls VA Clinic on Central Freeway.
Qualifying after you separate
- Military retirement pay and VA disability pay both count as income. VA disability isn’t taxed, which helps your numbers.
- Starting a civilian job? A signed offer with a start date can be used to qualify. Tell my team your separation and start dates early.
- Your benefit doesn’t expire. If you sold your last VA home and paid off that loan, your full entitlement comes back.
If you have a VA disability rating
The benefits that stack in Wichita Falls
Disabled Veterans can combine federal and Texas benefits that most buyers never hear about. Together they can lower your cash to close, your rate and your yearly taxes.
- No VA funding fee. Veterans who receive or are entitled to VA disability compensation are exempt. If your rating is awarded after closing with an effective date before it, you may be due a refund.
- Disability pay counts as income toward qualifying, alongside any retirement pay or wages.
- A lower Texas Vet rate. Veterans rated 30% or more get a rate discount on the Texas Vet loan. Disabled Veteran mortgage benefits
- Property tax relief. A total homestead exemption at 100% (or individual unemployability), or $5,000 to $12,000 off taxable value for ratings of 10% to 99%. On a $175,000 to $225,000 Wichita Falls home, 100% can mean about $2,900 to $3,700 or more a year. See the tax section
- Adaptive housing grants. Veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities may qualify for a Specially Adapted Housing or Special Housing Adaptation grant, which can be used with a VA loan to buy, build or modify an accessible home.
Waiting on a claim? Tell my team. Your expected rating can change your funding fee and your taxes, so we plan around it.
Guard, Reserve and surviving spouses
The VA benefit isn’t only for active duty
National Guard and Reserve
You can earn VA loan eligibility through six years of Guard or Reserve service, or through qualifying active-duty time such as a federal activation. Your Certificate of Eligibility confirms it, and my team can pull it for you. Reservists and VA loans in Texas
Surviving spouses
If your spouse died in service or from a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for a VA loan with the same $0 down benefit. Surviving spouses who receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) don’t pay the funding fee, and a Texas disabled Veteran property tax exemption can continue for a surviving spouse who hasn’t remarried. We handle these files with extra care and can walk you through the paperwork.
Already a VA homeowner
Own a home already? You still have options
Kept a home at your last duty station?
You don’t have to sell it to buy in Wichita Falls. Your remaining entitlement can often buy your next home with $0 down while the first one stays a rental. Second VA loan calculator
Lower your rate or tap equity
A VA streamline refinance (IRRRL) can lower the rate on your current VA loan with less paperwork. A VA cash-out refinance lets you use your equity for repairs or debts.
Buying a home with an assumable VA loan
Some Wichita Falls sellers have older VA loans with low rates you may be able to take over. The seller’s loan servicer handles the assumption itself. My team can finance the second loan that covers the gap between the loan balance and the price. VA assumable loans
Hold on to your rate when you move
PCSing out later? You can keep your Wichita Falls home as a rental and keep its VA loan and rate in place.
Local know-how
What trips up Wichita Falls buyers
Higher Wichita County rate
Wichita County averages a higher tax rate than Archer or Clay. On the same price, a home across the county line can cost less each month.
Pre-1978 homes
Much of central Wichita Falls was built before 1978, and the VA appraisal flags peeling paint on those homes. Plan for repairs. VA property requirements
Clay soil
Long dry spells followed by heavy rain move the soil under Wichita Falls slabs. Look for sticking doors and wall cracks, and pay for a structural look if you see them.
Lake lots and creeks
Homes near Lake Wichita, Lake Arrowhead and the creeks that run through town can sit in a FEMA flood zone, which requires flood insurance. Check the map for the exact address before you make an offer.
Land and new construction
Want land around Wichita Falls?
To build out past Holliday or Henrietta, a VA construction loan rolls the land, the build and your permanent mortgage into one closing, starting at a 620 score. A VA one-time-close construction loan covers the land and the build in one loan: $0 down up to $1 million, with a 620 minimum credit score. In Texas, a Texas Vet loan can also pay off a separate construction loan once the home is finished. It’s treated as a purchase of a never-occupied home, and my team can handle that too.
VA loan or Texas Vet loan
Two Veteran programs, one comparison
The Texas Vet loan from the Texas Veterans Land Board is available to eligible Texas Veterans and can be paired with a VA loan. Its rate is set weekly, and Veterans rated 30% or more disabled get a lower rate. My team prices both and shows them side by side so you can pick on total cost, not a headline rate. Texas Vet vs. VA loan
Wichita Falls VA loan FAQs
Questions from Wichita Falls Veterans and Sheppard AFB families
How much do I need down for a VA loan in Wichita Falls?
Nothing, if you have full VA entitlement. There is no VA loan limit with full entitlement and no monthly mortgage insurance. The VA funding fee can be rolled into the loan, and Veterans who receive VA disability compensation are exempt from it.
Can I buy a home in Wichita Falls before my PCS report date?
Yes. With PCS orders to Sheppard AFB you can be pre-approved, shop remotely and close before you arrive, as long as you intend to move in and make it your primary residence, usually within about 60 days. Your orders can document your income for the new duty station.
Does my BAH count as income for a VA loan in Wichita Falls?
Yes. BAH and BAS count as income. Because BAH is not taxed, my team grosses it up when we qualify you, which helps your numbers. Wichita Falls BAH for 2026 ranges from $1,392 for an E-4 with dependents to $2,955 for an O-5 with dependents.
What credit score do I need for a VA loan in Wichita Falls?
There is no minimum credit score on a standard VA purchase or refinance with my team. We look first at your residual income, the money left each month after your housing payment and bills. VA construction loans start at a 620 score.
Do disabled Veterans pay property taxes in Wichita County?
Texas Veterans rated 100% disabled, or paid at the 100% rate for individual unemployability, can get a total exemption on their homestead. Veterans rated 10% to 99% get a partial exemption off the home’s taxable value: $5,000 at 10% to 29%, $7,500 at 30% to 49%, $10,000 at 50% to 69% and $12,000 at 70% to 99%.
Can I use my VA loan in Wichita Falls if I still own a home at my last base?
Often, yes. If you keep your current VA home as a rental, your remaining entitlement can usually buy your Wichita Falls home with $0 down up to a certain price. Above that, you put 25% down on the difference. My team checks your exact numbers from your Certificate of Eligibility.
Can a surviving spouse get a VA loan in Wichita Falls?
Yes, if you are an eligible surviving spouse, for example of a service member who died in service or from a service-connected disability. Surviving spouses who receive DIC are exempt from the VA funding fee.
Should I use a VA loan or a Texas Vet loan in Wichita Falls?
Often both. The Texas Vet loan from the Texas Veterans Land Board can be paired with a VA loan, and its rate is set weekly. My team compares your options side by side so you can see which costs less over the time you plan to own.
Where is the VA clinic in Wichita Falls?
The Wichita Falls VA Clinic is on Central Freeway. It’s part of the VA Oklahoma City Health Care System, so Oklahoma City is the main VA medical center for Wichita Falls Veterans.
Reviews
What Texas Veterans say
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VA construction loan
Shirley and her team were an absolute pleasure to work with. They helped my wife and I obtain a VA Construction Loan which gave us the ability to build our dream home.
Agent referral · VA purchase in Houston
It was great working with Shirley Mueller and team on my buyer’s home purchase in Houston, TX. The VA home loan process isn’t always easy so, it was great to work with someone who specializes in VA loans. Shirley made the process easy. I highly recommend her. Jamie Terry- Priority One Real Estate
Agent referral · VA purchase
Shirley was excellent to work with on our client’s VA home loan. VA loans can be tricky and it is so important to work with a loan officer that knows them well. Shirley did an excellent job!
Switched from another lender
We had a nightmare of an experience with a previous lender but Shirley and Karolina went above and beyond to not only get us into our home, but provide the best customer service possible! They fought hard for us and thanks to them, we are finally living in our dream home. I highly recommend valoanstexas!
VA purchase
Working with the VALoansTx team to purchase our home in Texas was an amazing experience. Shirley, Angie, Ashley, and their team were in constant communication with us, making sure that we knew what to expect with every step of the complicated process. In today’s crazy housing market, it was comforting to know that we had an entire team that was only a phone call away. They were quick to answer calls, emails and always very friendly and personable. We could not have achieved this dream without VALoansTx on our team. We will highly recommend to everyone we know buying a home with a VA loan.
VA purchase
Ms. Shirley and her team are the BEST. Clear communication, specialized VA knowledge, responsiveness, and reduced stress. Thank you all for your help .
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