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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 226–250 of 254 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)
▲ 0.0 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▼ -4.2 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+4.0% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+33.5% (CAGR +4.1%/yr)
#226
Burnet County
COUNTY • Burnet County • Pop: 54,109
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3541Fiscal: 78.8Regulatory: 37.1Debt: 86.9▼ -0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+30.7% 5Y)
Grade C(66.2/100)
#227
Limestone County
COUNTY • Limestone County • Pop: 19,420
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.55608Fiscal: 66.6Regulatory: 49.4Debt: 88.6▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.4% YoY (+16.4% 5Y)
Grade C(66.1/100)
#228
Polk County
COUNTY • Polk County • Pop: 59,102
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6300Fiscal: 62.2Regulatory: 45Debt: 100▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.7% YoY (+72.0% 5Y)
Grade C(65.6/100)
#229
Crane County
COUNTY • Crane County • Pop: 3,733
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.821058Fiscal: 50.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 58.9▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+20.2% 5Y)
Grade C(65.3/100)
#230
Zapata County
COUNTY • Zapata County • Pop: 11,097
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.919149Fiscal: 44.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 67▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+17.9% 5Y)
Grade C(65/100)
#231
Winkler County
COUNTY • Winkler County • Pop: 5,578
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.463597Fiscal: 72.2Regulatory: 44.2Debt: 81.6▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+10.4% 5Y)
Grade C(64.8/100)
#232
Madison County
COUNTY • Madison County • Pop: 11,428
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.547725Fiscal: 67.1Regulatory: 39Debt: 96.1▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+21.6% 5Y)
Grade C(64.5/100)
#233
King County
COUNTY • King County • Pop: 242
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.953394Fiscal: 42.8Regulatory: 63.6Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.6% YoY (+9.3% 5Y)
Grade C(64.4/100)
#234
Sterling County
COUNTY • Sterling County • Pop: 1,170
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.74305Fiscal: 55.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 46.1▼ -1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+30.3% 5Y)
Grade C(64/100)
#235
Brazoria County
COUNTY • Brazoria County • Pop: 346,295
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.304758Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 31.2Debt: 80.1▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+26.9% 5Y)
Grade C(63.6/100)
#236
Calhoun County
COUNTY • Calhoun County • Pop: 17,429
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.626555Fiscal: 62.4Regulatory: 63.9Debt: 64.8▼ -1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+48.4% 5Y)
Grade C(63.5/100)
#237
Dallas County
COUNTY • Dallas County • Pop: 1,981,085
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.213776Fiscal: 87.2Regulatory: 20Debt: 85.8▼ -0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.3% YoY (+21.5% 5Y)
Grade C(63.3/100)
#238
Lubbock County
COUNTY • Lubbock County • Pop: 270,293
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.322782Fiscal: 80.6Regulatory: 22.7Debt: 90.1▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade C(62.7/100)
#239
Potter County
COUNTY • Potter County • Pop: 78,666
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.58442Fiscal: 64.9Regulatory: 46.1Debt: 82.2▼ -0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.2% YoY (+25.3% 5Y)
Grade C(62.6/100)
#240
Willacy County
COUNTY • Willacy County • Pop: 15,593
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.26012Fiscal: 24.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 89.6▲ +2.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+92.5% 5Y)
Grade C(62.5/100)
#241
McLennan County
COUNTY • McLennan County • Pop: 213,362
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.319638Fiscal: 80.8Regulatory: 32.9Debt: 74.3▼ -1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+25.6% 5Y)
Grade C(62.4/100)
#242
Jeff Davis County
COUNTY • Jeff Davis County • Pop: 2,106
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.370753Fiscal: 17.8Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +3.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.4% YoY (+165.8% 5Y)
Grade C(62/100)
#243
Comal County
COUNTY • Comal County • Pop: 200,335
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.305015Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 31.4Debt: 73▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+38.7% 5Y)
Grade C(61.9/100)
#244
San Patricio County
COUNTY • San Patricio County • Pop: 61,005
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.358961Fiscal: 78.5Regulatory: 32.5Debt: 75.3▼ -1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+21.6% 5Y)
Grade C(61.6/100)
#245
Galveston County
COUNTY • Galveston County • Pop: 333,343
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.320724Fiscal: 80.8Regulatory: 20.7Debt: 86.5▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+13.0% 5Y)
Grade C(61.2/100)
#246
Hidalgo County
COUNTY • Hidalgo County • Pop: 615,325
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5750Fiscal: 65.5Regulatory: 39.6Debt: 83.2▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+25.8% 5Y)
Grade C(60.9/100)
#247
Jim Hogg County
COUNTY • Jim Hogg County • Pop: 4,610
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.181439Fiscal: 29.1Regulatory: 75.6Debt: 90.9▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.7% YoY (+30.3% 5Y)
Grade C(60.8/100)
#248
Victoria County
COUNTY • Victoria County • Pop: 77,718
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3966Fiscal: 76.2Regulatory: 23.2Debt: 88▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+2.4% 5Y)
Grade C(60.6/100)
#249
Taylor County
COUNTY • Taylor County • Pop: 116,685
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5314Fiscal: 68.1Regulatory: 38.3Debt: 74.8▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.8% YoY (+31.4% 5Y)
Grade D(59.3/100)
#250
Travis County
COUNTY • Travis County • Pop: 1,326,000
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.344445Fiscal: 79.3Regulatory: 20Debt: 68.7▼ -1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+24.8% 5Y)
Grade D(55.9/100)