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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 111 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)
▼ -1.3 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+4.0% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+36.8% (CAGR +4.2%/yr)
#124
State Rank
Medina County
COUNTY • Medina County • Pop: 53,916
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4434Fiscal: 73.4Regulatory: 81Debt: 81.4▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+10.1% 5Y)
Grade B(78.1/100)
#123
State Rank
Kaufman County
COUNTY • Kaufman County • Pop: 155,311
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.411792Fiscal: 75.3Regulatory: 81Debt: 78.5▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+26.4% 5Y)
Grade B(78.1/100)
#126
State Rank
Kerr County
COUNTY • Kerr County • Pop: 53,217
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4079Fiscal: 75.5Regulatory: 76.7Debt: 84▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+17.0% 5Y)
Grade B(78/100)
#127
State Rank
Lee County
COUNTY • Lee County • Pop: 16,338
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.507108Fiscal: 69.6Regulatory: 77.1Debt: 92.7▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+18.4% 5Y)
Grade B(78/100)
#130
State Rank
Hardeman County
COUNTY • Hardeman County • Pop: 3,011
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.692244Fiscal: 58.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 96.3▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+29.9% 5Y)
Grade B(77.8/100)
#129
State Rank
Falls County
COUNTY • Falls County • Pop: 14,426
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.65035Fiscal: 61Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 92.3▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.1% YoY (+31.7% 5Y)
Grade B(77.8/100)
#128
State Rank
Lavaca County
COUNTY • Lavaca County • Pop: 19,464
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6041Fiscal: 63.8Regulatory: 77.8Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+29.1% 5Y)
Grade B(77.8/100)
#132
State Rank
Van Zandt County
COUNTY • Van Zandt County • Pop: 57,083
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.697102Fiscal: 58.2Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 98▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.3% YoY (+217.7% 5Y)
Grade B(77.7/100)
#131
State Rank
Bee County
COUNTY • Bee County • Pop: 21,022
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.52815Fiscal: 68.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 80.4▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+17.0% 5Y)
Grade B(77.7/100)
#133
State Rank
Caldwell County
COUNTY • Caldwell County • Pop: 37,091
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.44393Fiscal: 73.4Regulatory: 86Debt: 72.5▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+17.0% 5Y)
Grade B(77.6/100)
#135
State Rank
Crosby County
COUNTY • Crosby County • Pop: 4,859
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.687407Fiscal: 58.8Regulatory: 82.4Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.5% YoY (+26.2% 5Y)
Grade B(77.4/100)
#134
State Rank
Wheeler County
COUNTY • Wheeler County • Pop: 4,487
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.514137Fiscal: 69.2Regulatory: 70.6Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (+23.6% 5Y)
Grade B(77.4/100)
#136
State Rank
Hill County
COUNTY • Hill County • Pop: 37,220
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.449931Fiscal: 73Regulatory: 69.6Debt: 94.9▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+37.1% 5Y)
Grade B(77.3/100)
#137
State Rank
Pecos County
COUNTY • Pecos County • Pop: 11,282
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.715282Fiscal: 57.1Regulatory: 84.1Debt: 100▲ +2.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+17.4% 5Y)
Grade B(77.3/100)
#138
State Rank
Lynn County
COUNTY • Lynn County • Pop: 6,036
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.649103Fiscal: 61.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 89.9▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.9% YoY (+81.4% 5Y)
Grade B(77.2/100)
#139
State Rank
Fannin County
COUNTY • Fannin County • Pop: 33,596
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.352063Fiscal: 78.9Regulatory: 72.3Debt: 81▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.7% YoY (+15.4% 5Y)
Grade B(77.1/100)
#140
State Rank
Comanche County
COUNTY • Comanche County • Pop: 13,831
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.500704Fiscal: 70Regulatory: 76Debt: 89.4▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.3% YoY (+20.2% 5Y)
Grade B(77/100)
#141
State Rank
Howard County
COUNTY • Howard County • Pop: 22,564
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.299297Fiscal: 82Regulatory: 61.6Debt: 90.2▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+18.2% 5Y)
Grade B(76.9/100)
#142
State Rank
Hudspeth County
COUNTY • Hudspeth County • Pop: 2,886
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.559559Fiscal: 66.4Regulatory: 72.2Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+11.3% 5Y)
Grade B(76.8/100)
#145
State Rank
Lamb County
COUNTY • Lamb County • Pop: 10,396
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.7676Fiscal: 53.9Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.3% YoY (+32.1% 5Y)
Grade B(76.7/100)
#146
State Rank
Goliad County
COUNTY • Goliad County • Pop: 7,695
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.774831Fiscal: 53.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (+25.0% 5Y)
Grade B(76.7/100)
#144
State Rank
Floyd County
COUNTY • Floyd County • Pop: 4,845
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.719933Fiscal: 56.8Regulatory: 82.8Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+24.0% 5Y)
Grade B(76.7/100)
#143
State Rank
Irion County
COUNTY • Irion County • Pop: 1,624
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.566305Fiscal: 66Regulatory: 72.4Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+107.7% 5Y)
Grade B(76.7/100)
#148
State Rank
Hamilton County
COUNTY • Hamilton County • Pop: 8,389
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.515773Fiscal: 69.1Regulatory: 74.4Debt: 91.5▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+49.4% 5Y)
Grade B(76.6/100)
#147
State Rank
McMullen County
COUNTY • McMullen County • Pop: 872
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5000Fiscal: 70Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 73.3▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+16.6% 5Y)
Grade B(76.6/100)