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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 1–25 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)
▲ +0.9 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +0.4 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.2% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+21.4% (CAGR +3.5%/yr)
#5
State Rank
Llano County
COUNTY • Llano County • Pop: 24,677
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.258232Fiscal: 84.5Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 100▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+25.1% 5Y)
Grade A(88/100)
#6
State Rank
Palo Pinto County
COUNTY • Palo Pinto County • Pop: 27,810
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.284133Fiscal: 83Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 98▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+1.8% 5Y)
Grade A(88/100)
#7
State Rank
Dallam County
COUNTY • Dallam County • Pop: 3,785
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.305559Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+19.0% 5Y)
Grade A(88/100)
#8
State Rank
Somervell County
COUNTY • Somervell County • Pop: 10,242
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.326548Fiscal: 80.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+17.7% 5Y)
Grade A(87.5/100)
#9
State Rank
Freestone County
COUNTY • Freestone County • Pop: 18,239
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.331499Fiscal: 80.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+28.0% 5Y)
Grade A(87.4/100)
#10
State Rank
Sabine County
COUNTY • Sabine County • Pop: 11,333
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.339147Fiscal: 79.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+21.6% 5Y)
Grade A(87.2/100)
#11
State Rank
Eastland County
COUNTY • Eastland County • Pop: 16,941
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.34272Fiscal: 79.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+32.2% 5Y)
Grade A(87.1/100)
#12
State Rank
Wharton County
COUNTY • Wharton County • Pop: 35,887
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.346206Fiscal: 79.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+26.6% 5Y)
Grade A(87/100)
#13
State Rank
Hood County
COUNTY • Hood County • Pop: 71,605
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.278022Fiscal: 83.3Regulatory: 86Debt: 94▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+21.9% 5Y)
Grade A(86.9/100)
#14
State Rank
Hartley County
COUNTY • Hartley County • Pop: 3,768
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.35417Fiscal: 78.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+22.0% 5Y)
Grade A(86.8/100)
#15
State Rank
Cooke County
COUNTY • Cooke County • Pop: 41,410
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.334493Fiscal: 79.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 97.2▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+25.5% 5Y)
Grade A(86.6/100)
#16
State Rank
Harrison County
COUNTY • Harrison County • Pop: 63,833
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.341086Fiscal: 79.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 98▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+20.2% 5Y)
Grade A(86.6/100)
#17
State Rank
Franklin County
COUNTY • Franklin County • Pop: 10,399
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.365679Fiscal: 78.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+31.5% 5Y)
Grade A(86.6/100)
#18
State Rank
Jefferson County
COUNTY • Jefferson County • Pop: 197,996
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3570Fiscal: 78.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 94.9▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+18.3% 5Y)
Grade A(85.5/100)
#19
State Rank
Coke County
COUNTY • Coke County • Pop: 3,391
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.410814Fiscal: 75.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+18.7% 5Y)
Grade A(85.5/100)
#20
State Rank
Grayson County
COUNTY • Grayson County • Pop: 136,617
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3051Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 89.8▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+16.6% 5Y)
Grade A(85.4/100)
#21
State Rank
Hunt County
COUNTY • Hunt County • Pop: 101,218
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.332241Fiscal: 80.1Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 93.8▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+27.7% 5Y)
Grade A(85.4/100)
#22
State Rank
Parmer County
COUNTY • Parmer County • Pop: 6,109
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.377399Fiscal: 77.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 96▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+17.1% 5Y)
Grade A(85.3/100)
#23
State Rank
Kimble County
COUNTY • Kimble County • Pop: 4,478
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.420943Fiscal: 74.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+17.8% 5Y)
Grade A(85.2/100)
#24
State Rank
DeWitt County
COUNTY • DeWitt County • Pop: 15,641
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.383831Fiscal: 77Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 97.3▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+19.8% 5Y)
Grade A(85/100)
#25
State Rank
Gregg County
COUNTY • Gregg County • Pop: 99,687
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.330292Fiscal: 80.2Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 91.4▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+21.7% 5Y)
Grade A(84.8/100)
#26
State Rank
San Augustine County
COUNTY • San Augustine County • Pop: 8,112
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.32357Fiscal: 80.6Regulatory: 83.7Debt: 92.7▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+20.0% 5Y)
Grade A(84.7/100)
#28
State Rank
Hansford County
COUNTY • Hansford County • Pop: 3,991
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.451241Fiscal: 72.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+16.0% 5Y)
Grade A(84.5/100)
#27
State Rank
Hopkins County
COUNTY • Hopkins County • Pop: 34,440
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.332596Fiscal: 80Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 88.9▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+23.1% 5Y)
Grade A(84.5/100)
#29
State Rank
Nueces County
COUNTY • Nueces County • Pop: 289,680
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.299366Fiscal: 82Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 84.6▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.7% YoY (+24.8% 5Y)
Grade A(84.3/100)