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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 26–50 of 94 matching jurisdictions
28-Year Freedom & Budget Trend Benchmark (FY 2000 – FY 2027)
Cohort Average Across Visible Page (25 Ranked Entities)5-Yr Freedom Trend (FY 22→27)
▲ +1.2 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +0.7 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.3% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+21.4% (CAGR +3.5%/yr)
#31
State Rank
Concho County
COUNTY • Concho County • Pop: 2,341
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.453061Fiscal: 72.8Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+30.3% 5Y)
Grade A(84.2/100)
#30
State Rank
Lamar County
COUNTY • Lamar County • Pop: 44,645
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.2998Fiscal: 82Regulatory: 81.1Debt: 92▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+22.4% 5Y)
Grade A(84.2/100)
#32
State Rank
Washington County
COUNTY • Washington County • Pop: 34,852
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4367Fiscal: 73.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 96.9▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+47.6% 5Y)
Grade A(84.1/100)
#33
State Rank
Loving County
COUNTY • Loving County • Pop: 203
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.472011Fiscal: 71.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+27.8% 5Y)
Grade A(84/100)
#35
State Rank
Leon County
COUNTY • Leon County • Pop: 17,068
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.415942Fiscal: 75Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 94.4▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+26.1% 5Y)
Grade A(83.9/100)
#34
State Rank
Rockwall County
COUNTY • Rockwall County • Pop: 123,513
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.2595Fiscal: 84.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 79.4▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.3% YoY (+20.3% 5Y)
Grade A(83.9/100)
#36
State Rank
Oldham County
COUNTY • Oldham County • Pop: 1,858
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4700Fiscal: 71.8Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+32.8% 5Y)
Grade A(83.8/100)
#38
State Rank
Bosque County
COUNTY • Bosque County • Pop: 18,301
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3227Fiscal: 80.6Regulatory: 84.1Debt: 87.8▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.7% YoY (+23.9% 5Y)
Grade A(83.6/100)
#37
State Rank
Gillespie County
COUNTY • Gillespie County • Pop: 29,720
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.2770Fiscal: 83.4Regulatory: 79.1Debt: 90.1▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+20.8% 5Y)
Grade A(83.6/100)
#39
State Rank
Wilson County
COUNTY • Wilson County • Pop: 53,954
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.424932Fiscal: 74.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 93.6▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+21.6% 5Y)
Grade A(83.5/100)
#40
State Rank
Wilbarger County
COUNTY • Wilbarger County • Pop: 11,079
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.493176Fiscal: 70.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade A(83.5/100)
#41
State Rank
Cherokee County
COUNTY • Cherokee County • Pop: 43,681
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4950Fiscal: 70.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.5% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade A(83.4/100)
#42
State Rank
San Saba County
COUNTY • San Saba County • Pop: 5,088
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4970Fiscal: 70.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+29.8% 5Y)
Grade A(83.4/100)
#45
State Rank
Sherman County
COUNTY • Sherman County • Pop: 1,817
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.502268Fiscal: 69.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+19.9% 5Y)
Grade A(83.3/100)
#43
State Rank
Navarro County
COUNTY • Navarro County • Pop: 45,735
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.417182Fiscal: 75Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 93.6▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+19.2% 5Y)
Grade A(83.3/100)
#44
State Rank
Cass County
COUNTY • Cass County • Pop: 29,255
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.443809Fiscal: 73.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 94.5▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+24.9% 5Y)
Grade A(83.3/100)
#46
State Rank
Wood County
COUNTY • Wood County • Pop: 48,344
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4695Fiscal: 71.8Regulatory: 84.1Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+18.9% 5Y)
Grade A(83.2/100)
#48
State Rank
Hardin County
COUNTY • Hardin County • Pop: 58,932
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.481223Fiscal: 71.1Regulatory: 86Debt: 98▲ +2.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (-2.4% 5Y)
Grade A(83/100)
#47
State Rank
Jack County
COUNTY • Jack County • Pop: 7,860
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.436571Fiscal: 73.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 92.8▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (-3.7% 5Y)
Grade A(83/100)
#49
State Rank
Nacogdoches County
COUNTY • Nacogdoches County • Pop: 53,118
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.42656Fiscal: 74.4Regulatory: 81.9Debt: 98▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+15.3% 5Y)
Grade A(82.9/100)
#50
State Rank
Upshur County
COUNTY • Upshur County • Pop: 41,546
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.518626Fiscal: 68.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+23.0% 5Y)
Grade A(82.9/100)
#53
State Rank
Kinney County
COUNTY • Kinney County • Pop: 2,973
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5224Fiscal: 68.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+25.5% 5Y)
Grade A(82.8/100)
#51
State Rank
Reeves County
COUNTY • Reeves County • Pop: 10,696
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.404621Fiscal: 75.7Regulatory: 86Debt: 89.8▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade A(82.8/100)
#52
State Rank
Burleson County
COUNTY • Burleson County • Pop: 18,954
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4520Fiscal: 72.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 93.2▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+17.0% 5Y)
Grade A(82.8/100)
#55
State Rank
Moore County
COUNTY • Moore County • Pop: 13,694
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.50846Fiscal: 69.5Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+12.7% 5Y)
Grade A(82.7/100)