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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 286 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)
▼ -5.7 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.5% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+21.5% (CAGR +3.7%/yr)
#854
State Rank
City of Big Spring
CITY • Howard County • Pop: 22,541
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.665768Fiscal: 60.1Regulatory: 34.3Debt: 87.8▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.0% YoY (+3.5% 5Y)
Grade D(58/100)
#853
State Rank
City of Wylie
CITY • Collin County • Pop: 62,954
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.538882Fiscal: 67.7Regulatory: 31.4Debt: 79.7▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+20.6% 5Y)
Grade D(58/100)
#852
State Rank
City of New Fairview
CITY • Denton County • Pop: 1,558
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.293229Fiscal: 82.4Regulatory: 34.3Debt: 52.1▼ -2.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+24.2% 5Y)
Grade D(58/100)
#857
State Rank
City of Nolanville
CITY • Bell County • Pop: 7,395
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5671Fiscal: 66Regulatory: 25.4Debt: 90.3▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+13.3% 5Y)
Grade D(57.9/100)
#856
State Rank
City of Runaway Bay
CITY • Wise County • Pop: 2,123
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.447977Fiscal: 73.1Regulatory: 36.7Debt: 63.4▼ -1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+21.1% 5Y)
Grade D(57.9/100)
#862
State Rank
Town of Boyd
CITY • Wise County • Pop: 2,202
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.7400Fiscal: 55.6Regulatory: 84.9Debt: 23.3▼ -2.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.5% YoY (+34.6% 5Y)
Grade D(57.8/100)
#861
State Rank
City of Pittsburg
CITY • Camp County • Pop: 4,552
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.57591Fiscal: 65.4Regulatory: 25.6Debt: 90.6▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+17.0% 5Y)
Grade D(57.8/100)
#860
State Rank
City of Shallowater
CITY • Lubbock County • Pop: 2,972
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.571046Fiscal: 65.7Regulatory: 34.2Debt: 78.3▼ -0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+19.9% 5Y)
Grade D(57.8/100)
#858
State Rank
City of Brenham
CITY • Washington County • Pop: 19,728
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4750Fiscal: 71.5Regulatory: 48.1Debt: 49.5▼ -2.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+21.5% 5Y)
Grade D(57.8/100)
#859
State Rank
City of Waller
CITY • Waller County • Pop: 4,138
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5294Fiscal: 68.2Regulatory: 48.7Debt: 53.7▼ -2.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+32.2% 5Y)
Grade D(57.8/100)
#864
State Rank
City of Kerrville
CITY • Kerr County • Pop: 25,141
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5594Fiscal: 66.4Regulatory: 47.2Debt: 58.4▼ -1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+20.1% 5Y)
Grade D(57.7/100)
#863
State Rank
City of Vernon
CITY • Wilbarger County • Pop: 9,788
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5200Fiscal: 68.8Regulatory: 35.3Debt: 71.2▼ -0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+23.8% 5Y)
Grade D(57.7/100)
#868
State Rank
City of Irving
CITY • Dallas County • Pop: 258,060
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5891Fiscal: 64.7Regulatory: 50Debt: 56.5▼ -2.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.6% YoY (+29.9% 5Y)
Grade D(57.5/100)
#867
State Rank
City of Athens
CITY • Henderson County • Pop: 13,575
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.559608Fiscal: 66.4Regulatory: 31.6Debt: 79.7▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+17.1% 5Y)
Grade D(57.5/100)
#866
State Rank
City of Oak Ridge North
CITY • Montgomery County • Pop: 2,995
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4268Fiscal: 74.4Regulatory: 37.6Debt: 58.4▼ -2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+31.7% 5Y)
Grade D(57.5/100)
#865
State Rank
City of Seymour
CITY • Baylor County • Pop: 2,622
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.41175Fiscal: 75.3Regulatory: 26.6Debt: 72.4▼ -1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+20.4% 5Y)
Grade D(57.5/100)
#874
State Rank
City of Petersburg
CITY • Hale County • Pop: 962
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.809037Fiscal: 51.5Regulatory: 33.8Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+21.8% 5Y)
Grade D(57.4/100)
#873
State Rank
City of Lake Dallas
CITY • Denton County • Pop: 7,915
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.621953Fiscal: 62.7Regulatory: 38.5Debt: 75.4▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+27.4% 5Y)
Grade D(57.4/100)
#872
State Rank
City of Bowie
CITY • Montague County • Pop: 6,054
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5750Fiscal: 65.5Regulatory: 38.4Debt: 70.9▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.4% YoY (+13.8% 5Y)
Grade D(57.4/100)
#871
State Rank
City of Nacogdoches
CITY • Nacogdoches County • Pop: 32,156
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5698Fiscal: 65.8Regulatory: 32.8Debt: 78.2▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+17.2% 5Y)
Grade D(57.4/100)
#870
State Rank
City of Ingram
CITY • Kerr County • Pop: 1,849
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5328Fiscal: 68Regulatory: 37.5Debt: 68.1▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+25.1% 5Y)
Grade D(57.4/100)
#869
State Rank
City of Fate
CITY • Collin County • Pop: 24,626
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.2865Fiscal: 82.8Regulatory: 37.9Debt: 43.9▼ -3.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+24.0% 5Y)
Grade D(57.4/100)
#878
State Rank
City of Forest Hill
CITY • Tarrant County • Pop: 14,314
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.704512Fiscal: 57.7Regulatory: 29.4Debt: 95.9▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.8% YoY (+19.9% 5Y)
Grade D(57.3/100)
#877
State Rank
City of Seminole
CITY • Gaines County • Pop: 7,386
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.538027Fiscal: 67.7Regulatory: 32.6Debt: 75.2▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+14.6% 5Y)
Grade D(57.3/100)
#876
State Rank
City of Converse
CITY • Bexar County • Pop: 31,400
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5157Fiscal: 69.1Regulatory: 32.9Debt: 72.7▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+22.1% 5Y)
Grade D(57.3/100)