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Bastiat & Liberty Watchdog Index
Texas Local Government Freedom Index
Objective, empirical rankings grading 6,167 Texas local governments and 31,351 elected officials on fiscal restraint, tax burden, private property rights, and regulatory overreach. Zero peer normalization.
Top Ranked Governments (Highest Liberty)
Showing 51–69 of 69 matching jurisdictions
28-Year Freedom & Budget Trend Benchmark (FY 2000 – FY 2027)
Cohort Average Across Visible Page (19 Ranked Entities)5-Yr Freedom Trend (FY 22→27)
▲ +1.0 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +2.9 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+1.9% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+18.6% (CAGR +2.7%/yr)
#51
State Rank
Town of Sanford
CITY • Hutchinson County • Pop: 129
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.188162Fiscal: 88.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.7% YoY (+14.1% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.8/100)
#55
State Rank
City of Goldsmith
CITY • Ector County • Pop: 235
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.191762Fiscal: 88.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+25.1% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.7/100)
#54
State Rank
City of Bardwell
CITY • Ellis County • Pop: 676
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.174152Fiscal: 89.6Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.3% YoY (+21.5% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.7/100)
#53
State Rank
City of East Mountain
CITY • Gregg County • Pop: 972
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.148532Fiscal: 91.1Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 100▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.5% YoY (+22.5% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.7/100)
#52
State Rank
City of Mountain City
CITY • Hays County • Pop: 676
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.085631Fiscal: 94.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 89.8▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.0% YoY (+10.6% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.7/100)
#60
State Rank
Town of Tenaha
CITY • Shelby County • Pop: 1,005
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.1963Fiscal: 88.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.9% YoY (+27.2% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.6/100)
#59
State Rank
Town of Trent
CITY • Taylor County • Pop: 299
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.1950Fiscal: 88.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.0% YoY (+24.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.6/100)
#58
State Rank
Town of Richland
CITY • Freestone County • Pop: 266
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.1950Fiscal: 88.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.6% YoY (-1.6% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.6/100)
#57
State Rank
City of Covington
CITY • Hill County • Pop: 303
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.1859Fiscal: 88.8Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.0% YoY (+14.1% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.6/100)
#56
State Rank
Town of Poth
CITY • Wilson County • Pop: 1,968
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.134236Fiscal: 91.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 94.3▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.0% YoY (+13.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.6/100)
#64
State Rank
Town of New Hope
CITY • Collin County • Pop: 687
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.200635Fiscal: 88Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.8% YoY (+21.9% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.5/100)
#63
State Rank
City of Lake Bridgeport
CITY • Wise County • Pop: 395
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.2000Fiscal: 88Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.7% YoY (+10.1% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.5/100)
#62
State Rank
City of Devers
CITY • Liberty County • Pop: 482
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.199296Fiscal: 88Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.8% YoY (+14.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.5/100)
#61
State Rank
Town of Lakeside
CITY • San Patricio County • Pop: 363
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.101158Fiscal: 93.9Regulatory: 79.9Debt: 100▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+29.0% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.5/100)
#65
State Rank
City of Waelder
CITY • Gonzales County • Pop: 955
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.1437Fiscal: 91.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 94.1▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.8% YoY (+14.3% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.4/100)
#66
State Rank
City of Tatum
CITY • Rusk County • Pop: 1,403
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.204535Fiscal: 87.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.2% YoY (+34.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.4/100)
#67
State Rank
City of Spofford
CITY • Kinney County • Pop: 43
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.2094Fiscal: 87.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.4% YoY (+15.9% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.3/100)
#68
State Rank
Town of Oak Grove
CITY • Kaufman County • Pop: 888
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0470Fiscal: 97.2Regulatory: 75.1Debt: 100▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.3% YoY (+17.4% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.2/100)
#69
State Rank
Town of Milford
CITY • Ellis County • Pop: 814
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.221325Fiscal: 86.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.4% YoY (+23.0% 5Y)
Grade A+(90/100)