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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 76–94 of 94 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)
▼ -0.4 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.8% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+28.6% (CAGR +4.0%/yr)
#79
State Rank
Gray County
COUNTY • Gray County • Pop: 16,436
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.516397Fiscal: 69Regulatory: 86Debt: 93.9▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+16.2% 5Y)
Grade A(81.2/100)
#81
State Rank
Gaines County
COUNTY • Gaines County • Pop: 14,446
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.588121Fiscal: 64.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+18.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.2/100)
#84
State Rank
Knox County
COUNTY • Knox County • Pop: 3,046
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.595139Fiscal: 64.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.1% YoY (+89.2% 5Y)
Grade A(81/100)
#82
State Rank
Randall County
COUNTY • Randall County • Pop: 136,746
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.41509Fiscal: 75.1Regulatory: 74.2Debt: 100▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+20.3% 5Y)
Grade A(81/100)
#83
State Rank
Bandera County
COUNTY • Bandera County • Pop: 25,983
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.535704Fiscal: 67.9Regulatory: 86Debt: 94.8▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+17.4% 5Y)
Grade A(81/100)
#85
State Rank
Bexar County
COUNTY • Bexar County • Pop: 1,759,874
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.299999Fiscal: 82Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 75.6▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+15.4% 5Y)
Grade A(80.9/100)
#86
State Rank
Rains County
COUNTY • Rains County • Pop: 13,003
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.553664Fiscal: 66.8Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+29.1% 5Y)
Grade A(80.9/100)
#87
State Rank
Real County
COUNTY • Real County • Pop: 3,623
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6000Fiscal: 64Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+22.2% 5Y)
Grade A(80.9/100)
#88
State Rank
Carson County
COUNTY • Carson County • Pop: 5,708
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.515287Fiscal: 69.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 91.1▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+44.2% 5Y)
Grade A(80.7/100)
#89
State Rank
Wise County
COUNTY • Wise County • Pop: 78,530
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.2175Fiscal: 87Regulatory: 68.7Debt: 86.9▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.3% YoY (-1.6% 5Y)
Grade A(80.6/100)
#91
State Rank
San Jacinto County
COUNTY • San Jacinto County • Pop: 28,226
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.46511Fiscal: 72.1Regulatory: 78.2Debt: 97▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+23.2% 5Y)
Grade A(80.5/100)
#90
State Rank
Brazos County
COUNTY • Brazos County • Pop: 188,745
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.443474Fiscal: 73.4Regulatory: 84.9Debt: 85.8▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+25.3% 5Y)
Grade A(80.5/100)
#93
State Rank
Motley County
COUNTY • Motley County • Pop: 1,116
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.613763Fiscal: 63.2Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+75.5% 5Y)
Grade A(80.4/100)
#92
State Rank
Young County
COUNTY • Young County • Pop: 17,196
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.55739Fiscal: 66.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 93.9▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (+24.5% 5Y)
Grade A(80.4/100)
#95
State Rank
Jasper County
COUNTY • Jasper County • Pop: 33,071
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.58992Fiscal: 64.6Regulatory: 84.1Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.3% YoY (+20.8% 5Y)
Grade A(80.3/100)
#94
State Rank
Montague County
COUNTY • Montague County • Pop: 20,897
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4961Fiscal: 70.2Regulatory: 79.5Debt: 97.6▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+21.2% 5Y)
Grade A(80.3/100)
#97
State Rank
Val Verde County
COUNTY • Val Verde County • Pop: 41,430
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.494714Fiscal: 70.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 87.1▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+19.4% 5Y)
Grade A(80.2/100)
#96
State Rank
El Paso County
COUNTY • El Paso County • Pop: 710,038
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.451133Fiscal: 72.9Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 87.3▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.8% YoY (+32.9% 5Y)
Grade A(80.2/100)
#98
State Rank
Shelby County
COUNTY • Shelby County • Pop: 22,095
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6383Fiscal: 61.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.1% YoY (+28.8% 5Y)
Grade A(80/100)