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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 76–100 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)
▲ +0.4 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▼ -2.6 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+4.6% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+30.0% (CAGR +4.3%/yr)
#175
State Rank
Kent County
COUNTY • Kent County • Pop: 765
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.88635Fiscal: 46.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade B(74/100)
#174
State Rank
Robertson County
COUNTY • Robertson County • Pop: 17,094
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.65973Fiscal: 60.4Regulatory: 83.7Debt: 82.3▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.0% YoY (+88.4% 5Y)
Grade B(74/100)
#176
State Rank
Anderson County
COUNTY • Anderson County • Pop: 41,565
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.493907Fiscal: 70.4Regulatory: 78.6Debt: 73.1▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+22.5% 5Y)
Grade B(73.9/100)
#177
State Rank
Bailey County
COUNTY • Bailey County • Pop: 4,356
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.819029Fiscal: 50.9Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 94.6▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.3% YoY (+36.8% 5Y)
Grade B(73.9/100)
#178
State Rank
Terry County
COUNTY • Terry County • Pop: 8,473
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.886226Fiscal: 46.8Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.5% YoY (+34.1% 5Y)
Grade B(73.8/100)
#180
State Rank
Edwards County
COUNTY • Edwards County • Pop: 1,975
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.761581Fiscal: 54.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 86.8▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.7% YoY (+34.5% 5Y)
Grade B(73.7/100)
#179
State Rank
Deaf Smith County
COUNTY • Deaf Smith County • Pop: 11,854
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.55633Fiscal: 66.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 67▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+20.4% 5Y)
Grade B(73.7/100)
#183
State Rank
Callahan County
COUNTY • Callahan County • Pop: 14,071
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6890Fiscal: 58.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 79.3▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.7% YoY (+91.9% 5Y)
Grade B(73.6/100)
#182
State Rank
Titus County
COUNTY • Titus County • Pop: 24,409
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4130Fiscal: 75.2Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 57.3▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+20.3% 5Y)
Grade B(73.6/100)
#181
State Rank
Midland County
COUNTY • Midland County • Pop: 131,512
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.120554Fiscal: 92.8Regulatory: 48.9Debt: 77.5▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+13.9% 5Y)
Grade B(73.6/100)
#184
State Rank
Runnels County
COUNTY • Runnels County • Pop: 9,117
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.828104Fiscal: 50.3Regulatory: 81.1Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.9% YoY (+75.2% 5Y)
Grade B(73.5/100)
#186
State Rank
Dickens County
COUNTY • Dickens County • Pop: 1,850
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.85595Fiscal: 48.6Regulatory: 82.4Debt: 100▲ +2.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.7% YoY (+1.4% 5Y)
Grade B(73.3/100)
#185
State Rank
Ector County
COUNTY • Ector County • Pop: 115,409
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.435438Fiscal: 73.9Regulatory: 79.3Debt: 64.1▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+28.5% 5Y)
Grade B(73.3/100)
#188
State Rank
Stonewall County
COUNTY • Stonewall County • Pop: 1,283
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.910942Fiscal: 45.3Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +2.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+20.6% 5Y)
Grade B(73.2/100)
#187
State Rank
Mills County
COUNTY • Mills County • Pop: 4,875
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.601857Fiscal: 63.9Regulatory: 81.5Debt: 76.6▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+20.4% 5Y)
Grade B(73.2/100)
#189
State Rank
Cottle County
COUNTY • Cottle County • Pop: 1,312
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.880008Fiscal: 47.2Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.6% YoY (+26.8% 5Y)
Grade B(73.1/100)
#190
State Rank
Henderson County
COUNTY • Henderson County • Pop: 81,562
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.343465Fiscal: 79.4Regulatory: 46.4Debt: 100▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (+26.5% 5Y)
Grade B(73/100)
#191
State Rank
Menard County
COUNTY • Menard County • Pop: 1,985
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.775475Fiscal: 53.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 84.4▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+23.9% 5Y)
Grade B(72.8/100)
#192
State Rank
Brewster County
COUNTY • Brewster County • Pop: 9,520
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.375187Fiscal: 77.5Regulatory: 51.7Debt: 94.3▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade B(72.7/100)
#193
State Rank
Kleberg County
COUNTY • Kleberg County • Pop: 24,084
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.77187Fiscal: 53.7Regulatory: 84.4Debt: 86.6▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.1% YoY (+28.4% 5Y)
Grade B(72.7/100)
#194
State Rank
Terrell County
COUNTY • Terrell County • Pop: 833
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.8000Fiscal: 52Regulatory: 76.7Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+21.5% 5Y)
Grade B(72.6/100)
#195
State Rank
Crockett County
COUNTY • Crockett County • Pop: 3,042
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.878243Fiscal: 47.3Regulatory: 86Debt: 92.9▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.4% YoY (+27.1% 5Y)
Grade B(72.2/100)
#196
State Rank
Collin County
COUNTY • Collin County • Pop: 1,015,683
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.151414Fiscal: 90.9Regulatory: 43.9Debt: 79.8▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.3% YoY (+18.6% 5Y)
Grade B(71.7/100)
#197
State Rank
Upton County
COUNTY • Upton County • Pop: 2,834
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.228565Fiscal: 86.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 27.4▼ -2.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.4% YoY (+4.0% 5Y)
Grade B(71.7/100)
#200
State Rank
Hale County
COUNTY • Hale County • Pop: 24,500
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.694181Fiscal: 58.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 72.4▼ -0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.5% YoY (+26.4% 5Y)
Grade B(71.7/100)