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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 51–75 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)
▲ +1.1 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +0.4 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.6% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+20.5% (CAGR +3.5%/yr)
#54
State Rank
Morris County
COUNTY • Morris County • Pop: 11,834
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.41205Fiscal: 75.3Regulatory: 78.9Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+1.0% 5Y)
Grade A(82.7/100)
#58
State Rank
Angelina County
COUNTY • Angelina County • Pop: 75,218
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.459041Fiscal: 72.5Regulatory: 86Debt: 93.6▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+18.8% 5Y)
Grade A(82.5/100)
#57
State Rank
Erath County
COUNTY • Erath County • Pop: 35,637
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.385673Fiscal: 76.9Regulatory: 78.1Debt: 97.7▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+20.9% 5Y)
Grade A(82.5/100)
#56
State Rank
Maverick County
COUNTY • Maverick County • Pop: 49,725
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.380583Fiscal: 77.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 85.2▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+17.3% 5Y)
Grade A(82.5/100)
#61
State Rank
Trinity County
COUNTY • Trinity County • Pop: 16,583
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5390Fiscal: 67.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.3% YoY (+18.5% 5Y)
Grade A(82.4/100)
#60
State Rank
Lampasas County
COUNTY • Lampasas County • Pop: 23,342
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5200Fiscal: 68.8Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+58.6% 5Y)
Grade A(82.4/100)
#59
State Rank
Blanco County
COUNTY • Blanco County • Pop: 15,031
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3725Fiscal: 77.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.9▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.1% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade A(82.4/100)
#62
State Rank
Jackson County
COUNTY • Jackson County • Pop: 13,453
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4590Fiscal: 72.5Regulatory: 80.8Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+18.2% 5Y)
Grade A(82.3/100)
#63
State Rank
Hemphill County
COUNTY • Hemphill County • Pop: 3,071
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.53742Fiscal: 67.8Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.0% YoY (+19.9% 5Y)
Grade A(82.2/100)
#64
State Rank
Aransas County
COUNTY • Aransas County • Pop: 26,334
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.381634Fiscal: 77.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.7▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+22.8% 5Y)
Grade A(82.1/100)
#65
State Rank
Delta County
COUNTY • Delta County • Pop: 5,544
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.549581Fiscal: 67Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+12.4% 5Y)
Grade A(82.1/100)
#67
State Rank
Donley County
COUNTY • Donley County • Pop: 3,291
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.556632Fiscal: 66.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+14.2% 5Y)
Grade A(82/100)
#66
State Rank
Orange County
COUNTY • Orange County • Pop: 76,152
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.492847Fiscal: 70.4Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 95.9▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+20.7% 5Y)
Grade A(82/100)
#68
State Rank
Johnson County
COUNTY • Johnson County • Pop: 179,955
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4140Fiscal: 75.2Regulatory: 84.1Debt: 89.7▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+26.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.9/100)
#69
State Rank
Marion County
COUNTY • Marion County • Pop: 10,545
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.540701Fiscal: 67.6Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+17.5% 5Y)
Grade A(81.9/100)
#70
State Rank
Houston County
COUNTY • Houston County • Pop: 18,606
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.420462Fiscal: 74.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 86.1▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+25.7% 5Y)
Grade A(81.8/100)
#71
State Rank
Coryell County
COUNTY • Coryell County • Pop: 62,428
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4974Fiscal: 70.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 93.4▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+32.9% 5Y)
Grade A(81.7/100)
#72
State Rank
Haskell County
COUNTY • Haskell County • Pop: 4,589
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.568977Fiscal: 65.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+25.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.7/100)
#73
State Rank
Fayette County
COUNTY • Fayette County • Pop: 24,612
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.43439Fiscal: 73.9Regulatory: 79.5Debt: 97▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+21.9% 5Y)
Grade A(81.6/100)
#75
State Rank
Nolan County
COUNTY • Nolan County • Pop: 11,838
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.404041Fiscal: 75.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.5▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+12.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.5/100)
#74
State Rank
Smith County
COUNTY • Smith County • Pop: 212,961
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.361317Fiscal: 78.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 79.5▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+22.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.5/100)
#76
State Rank
Ellis County
COUNTY • Ellis County • Pop: 207,688
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.273667Fiscal: 83.6Regulatory: 70.2Debt: 93.4▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+27.1% 5Y)
Grade A(81.4/100)
#78
State Rank
Clay County
COUNTY • Clay County • Pop: 11,121
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.585382Fiscal: 64.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+26.6% 5Y)
Grade A(81.3/100)
#77
State Rank
Hockley County
COUNTY • Hockley County • Pop: 19,111
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.565866Fiscal: 66Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +2.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (-16.7% 5Y)
Grade A(81.3/100)
#80
State Rank
Archer County
COUNTY • Archer County • Pop: 9,492
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.526736Fiscal: 68.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 94.2▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+22.7% 5Y)
Grade A(81.2/100)